White Smoke

Ooooopps. Did it again. I pushed save rather than publish!

White smoke has appeared! YES! There is a new Pope! The cardinals of the Roman Catholic church chose Jorge Maria Bergoglio as the 266th Pope. He took the name Francis, the first Pope to take this name. He is from Buenos Aires and is the first Jesuit priest.  

Black smoke, no pope. White smoke, new pope.

The cardinals of the Catholic Church held their first ballot today to elect a pope. The conclave began 12 days after Benedict XVI renounced the throne. He became the first pope in modern times to do this. As the cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel, they leave the outside world and enter a very private space. The cardinals remain locked in isolation until one of the candidates receives two-thirds of the votes. At that time, that man will emerge from the process as the new spiritual leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics. 

 Since the cardinals are locked in isolation, their only contact with the outside world (everyone waiting for the word that a new pope has been elected) comes in the form of smoke signals. Black smoke means that no decision has been made on who among them will be the next pontiff. However, if white smoke emerges out of the chimney, than the world knows there is a new pope. 

To create the smoke, the Roman Catholic Church use to burn wet straw with all the paper ballots to give them smoke a dark color, indicating no decision had been made. However, instead of creating black smoke, wet straw creates grey smoke. In the past this has led to some confusion. To help eliminate confusion, chemical compounds are know used to give the smoke its proper color.

According to the Vatican, there are two iron stoves in the Sistine Chapel. The older stove will burn the ballots and the modern one, which is controlled by a computer, will add the chemicals to produce either white or black smoke. With black smoke billowing from the chimney today, the signal is clear--no new pope on the first day of the conclave. 

Tebow

Tim Tebow has always been very open about his faith and as a follower of Jesus Christ, has always expressed his gratitude to his Lord and Savior. Throughout his collegiate career, Tim was known for the Bible verses he wore on his eye blacks during football games. During his first season in the NFL, his constant praying on one knee became trademark term known as “Tebow-ing.”

Since Tebow is so open about his faith, people were shocked to hear that he had canceled a scheduled appearance at First Baptist Church of Dallas. First Baptist is the megachurch of Robert Jeffress, the very controversial pastor whose views on other religions and homosexuality have drawn outrage in the past. Jeffress has said that Muslims practice a religion that came from the depths of hell and “promote pedophillia.” 

Tim Tebow tweeted:  

“While I was looking forward to sharing a message of hope and Christ's unconditional love with the faithful members of the historic First Baptist Church of Dallas in April, due to new information that has been brought to my attention, I have decided to cancel my upcoming appearance. I will continue to use the platform God has blessed me with to bring Faith, Hope and Love to all those needing a brighter day. Thank you for all of your love and support. God Bless!”

Tebow seems to have responded to the uproar with a honest stand against Jeffress and he did so without creating more controversy. This simple gesture is an effective rebuke of intolerance.

Christians in China

Christian missionaries have always seemed to go to China, despite how dangerous it can be if caught. In 2012, the number of persecutions increased, however Christianity in China is thriving. China tried to get rid of religion all together, but after realizing this was impossible, they just created a religious bureaucracy that oversees all sanctioned religious practices. Because of the control and influence the government has on religion and specifically within the state-sanctioned church, many Chinese Christians attend “underground” churches. China’s state-run seminaries also are not turning out enough pastors for China’s growing Christian population. With more persecutions occurring, there becomes an even bigger concern for being a Christian in China. However, according to Christianity Today, Christians are not being persecuted for simply being Christians. In fact, in all the persecution cases there have been certain triggers that prompt authorities to take action. Some of these include directly opposing the Communist Party, engaging in political activity, openly championing human rights, and having foreign involvement. Of the numerous Christians in China who have suffered persecution, more than two-thirds were involved in cases where one or more of these triggers were present. Despite incredible persecution, Chinese Christians have made progress, demonstrating their faith, flexibility, and perseverance.

Christ Pantocrator

Figures in Byzantine art are highly stylized. The goal was to have symbols which clearly represent people, not to portray them as they appear on earth, because the emphasis was on their religious souls. Figures generally look elongated. Since Byzantine art isn't meant to portray natural images, artists didn't create depth or perspective. 

The icon image of Christ Pantocrator is one of the most widely used religious images of Orthodox Christianity. Usually, in Byzantine church art and architecture, an iconic mosaic or fresco of Christ Pantocrator occupies the sapce in the central dome of the church. This iconic image was one of the first images of Christ developed in the Early Christian Church. Christ Pantocrator portrays Christ as both Moral Judge and Lover of Mankind. In his left hand, Christ holds the Gospel. His right hand makes the gesture of teaching or of blessing. This blessing proclaims God’s loving kindness towards us and is showing us that we are forgiven.    

Greek Orthodox Church

After visiting Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church, I decided it would be interesting to wrote a blog post about what I learned and some of the differences between Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholics. 

Eastern Orthodoxy or Greek Orthodoxy arose as a distinct branch of Christianity after the “Great Schism” in the 11th century. Greek Orthodoxy was centered (and is still centered) around the area of the former Byzantine Empire. With this in mind, much of the Greek Orthodox Church architecture and art are influenced from the Byzantine period. Greek Orthodox Christians believe in a single God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.    

When Father George was talking, I learned that the Orthodox Church claims to be the one true church of Christ, and it seeks to trace its origin back to the original apostles through an unbroken chain of apostolic succession. I found this very interesting. Another thing I learned was the importance of icons. Greek Orthodox Churches pay homage to icons while Roman Catholic Churches have statues.

Father George also explained the difference between the concept of original sin. For Catholics, Mary was born with no original sin. For Greek Orthodox, Mary, just like all other people, was born and will then die. In Greek Orthodox, God created man perfect with free will and specific directions to follow. Adam and Eve, however, chose to disobey God by eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In doing this, the changed the “perfect” to the “flawed”. This idea of flawed nature and everything that comes from it is a result of original sin. 

One major discrepancy between Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic has to do with Easter. Easter is a moveable feast. Easter is linked to the Jewish feast of Passover. The First Council of Nicaea established the date of Easter as the first Sunday after the full moon following the March equinox. For Roman Catholics, the date of Easter varies between March 22nd and April 25th. This date is determined using the Gregorian calendar. Greek Orthodox uses the Julian calendar and therefore Easter varies between April 4th and May 8th. The main reason the date for Easter is different has to do with the fact that in Greek Orthodoxy Easter can not take place until after Passover is finished.   

http://www.stspeterandpaulboulder.org/Pages/Our_Faith_Introduction2.shtml

Article on Pope's Final Days

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/25/world/europe/vatican-archbishop-resigns/index.html

Rome (CNN) -- Scandal is threatening to eclipse the poignancy and pageantry of Benedict XVI's historic final days as pope.
Vatican officials were already trying Monday to swat down unsavory claims by Italian publications of a brewing episode involving gay priests, male prostitutes and blackmail when news broke that Benedict had moved up the resignation of a Scottish archbishop linked over the weekend by a British newspaper to inappropriate relationships with priests.
Benedict announced two weeks ago that he will step down as pope Thursday, becoming the first pontiff to leave the job alive in 598 years.
At 85, he said he was too old, frail and tired to continue on as spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church and its 1.2 billion followers worldwide.
It was a stunningly unexpected announcement that left church scholars poring over Catholic law to answer such basic questions as when the pope's successor would be chosen and even what he would be called in retirement.
But the scandals -- along with lingering questions about how the church has handled claims of abuse by Catholic priests around the world -- have dimmed the spotlight on Benedict's final days as pope.
"Clearly, prior to these scandals erupting, the cardinals had a long checklist of things they were looking for in terms of the new pope," CNN senior Vatican analyst John Allen said Monday, including finding someone to help spread the message of the church and inspire faith amid flagging practice of the Catholic faith in many parts of the world.
"But in the wake of everything that's happened in the last 72 hours or so, quite clearly a new item is on that list, which is they also want to make sure they pick somebody who's got clean hands," Allen said.
Archbishop's resignation
The Vatican confirmed Monday that Benedict had accelerated the resignation of Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the archbishop of Scotland.
O'Brien told the pope in November that he would resign effective with his 75th birthday, on March 17. But Benedict decided to make the resignation effective immediately in light of the pope's imminent resignation, the Scottish Catholic Media Office said.
The announcement comes a day after a Sunday report by the British newspaper The Observer that three priests and one former priest leveled allegations against O'Brien that date back 30 years.
The Observer did not recount details of the claims or identify any of O'Brien's accusers, but said one of the priests alleged "that the cardinal developed an inappropriate relationship with him."
O'Brien did not attend Mass at St. Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh on Sunday, but the Scottish Catholic Media Office told CNN that the cardinal "contests these claims and is taking legal advice."
His accusers took their complaints to the Vatican representative in Britain and demanded O'Brien's resignation, The Observer reported. At the Vatican, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, a spokesman for the church, told reporters that Benedict has been informed of the allegations.
As late as last week, O'Brien appeared to be making plans to take part in the conclave, when the College of Cardinals gathers in Rome to pick a successor to Benedict.
But in a statement in which he thanked God for the good he was able to do and apologized to "all whom I have offended," O'Brien said Monday that he would not be part of that gathering.
"I do not wish media attention in Rome to be focused on me -- but rather on Pope Benedict XVI and on his successor," O'Brien said.
Cardinal controversy
While O'Brien will no longer be involved in electing the new pope, another controversial cardinal's plan to attend is further taking focus from Benedict's final days in office.
Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles is facing fresh attention for his role in the cover-up of sexual abuse by priests.
Documents recently released as part of the 2007 settlement in a previous abuse case detail what Terry McKiernan, founder of the watchdog group BishopAccountability.org says is "stark" evidence of efforts by Mahoney and others to sidestep authorities investigating sexual abuse.
He recently gave a deposition in a 2010 civil lawsuit filed in the United States by a Mexican citizen suing the Los Angeles archdiocese. The man alleges Mahony and a Mexican cardinal conspired to allow a priest accused of abuse to flee to Mexico, putting an untold number of children at risk. Mahony has denied the allegations.
Two groups seeking to stop Mahony's participation in the election said Saturday they have collected nearly 10,000 signatures on a petition against his involvement.
"His participation in the conclave would only bring clouds of shame at a time that should bring springs of hope," said Chris Pumpelly, the communications director for one of the groups, Catholics United. Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests also worked on the campaign.
Church law requires that Mahony attend, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said.
Father Albert Cutie, an Espiscopal priest who studies the Vatican, said it would be impossible to exclude every cardinal with a hand in the church's vast sex-abuse problem.
"Unfortunately, if you were going to tell me no one can go to the conclave who has part in any type of cover up, you would probably exclude every cardinal in the church, because unfortunately that's the way the church is operated," he said.
Blackmail allegations
As if the controversies over O'Brien and Mahony were not enough, two Italian publications reported over the weekend that Benedict had decided to resign not because of age, but because of a brewing scandal over the blackmail of gay priests by male prostitutes in Rome.
Benedict received a 300-page report in December detailing the possible blackmail, la Repubblica newspaper and the Panorama news weekly reported, citing an unidentified senior Vatican official and dozens of unnamed sources.
The Vatican emphatically denied the allegations this weekend, with Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone criticizing a rash of "often unverified, unverifiable or completely false news stories" as the cardinals prepare for their conclave.
Cardinal Velasio de Paulis, one of the men who will help elect Benedict's successor, called the claims "guesswork and imagination."
"There is no proof and these allegations only serve to create a climate of division that helps no one," he said.
While no one outside the Vatican has seen the document that purportedly details the claims and Vatican officials have not confirmed it exists, Allen said such a claim is not improbable.
"To me that passes the smell test," he said.
Retirement preparations
Amid the scandal, the Vatican still has a transfer of power to manage.
On Monday, Lombardi said it remains unclear when the gathering of church leaders who will elect the next pope will begin.
While Benedict issued an order Monday to allow the election to begin sooner than the 15 days after the seat becomes vacant mandated by church rules, the date for the election will be set by the cardinals when they first gather, Monsignor Pier Luigi Celata said Monday at a Vatican press briefing.
It still must happen within 20 days of his resignation, the pope said.
After his retirement, Benedict is expected to head to the pope's summer residence in Rome before eventually settling in a monastery in Vatican City. Church officials have said he will seek no influence over the election of his successor, or over management of the church.
Among other issues, Vatican officials are still trying to work out what Benedict will be called in retirement. One suggestion is "pontifex maximus," Celata said. The term can be translated as "supreme bishop."
Vatican officials hope to have an answer next week, Lombardi said.
Ben Wedeman reported from Rome; Michael Pearson reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Wayne Drash, Hada Messia and Chelsea J. Carter contributed to this report