With the death of Pope Francis, and the upcoming conclave to elect the next Pope, all eyes are on Rome. This will be the fifth papal conclave in my memory. I remember the election of John Paul I and his unexpected death just a month later. In October 1978, the world was introduced to Karol Wojtyła, archbishop of Krakow, Poland as John Paul II. He served as Pope until his death in 2005 and is now revered as St. John Paul II the Great. He is widely remembered as one of the most influential Christian leaders of the twentieth century.
When the Whole World is Watching
I’ve been watching the coverage of the Papal Conclave. I find it amazing that the whole world is watching in anticipation. When the Church of God convenes in General Assembly, it’s not worthy of national coverage on CNN or FOX. The same can be said of other Pentecostal or Protestant churches. It seems that no one cares when Protestants elect a leader.
Five hundred years after the Reformation, the selection of a new Pope still matters to the world. And, whether we like it or not, it matters to Protestants and Pentecostals.