Getting Back to the Source(s)

Monday, May 26, 2025

Happy Monday, my friends! Recently, I saw a social media post from a conservative Roman Catholic news organization that announced that Pope Leo XIV had removed a controversial, supposedly “liberal”  cleric and replaced him with a more conservative cleric. The headline and article struck me as odd given the statements from the new pope, so I googled the people involved and learned that the situation was not what it seemed. Yes, the outgoing cleric had gotten himself in some trouble when in an interview in 2023 he had tried to speak from his own opinion rather than his position as the leader of a major Catholic academic institution. However, he had not been removed from his post in 2023 or now. In fact, he celebrated his 80th birthday a few days before Easter and had used the occasion to submit his resignation to Pope Francis, who died shortly thereafter. Pope Leo accepted the resignation and immediately appointed a new leader who, yes, is seen as more conservative, but who is a leading scholar in the same field and who is highly qualified for the position. Like many headlines and statements, this one seemed to be clickbait.

I’ve never liked the idea of accepting what others tell me at face value. I always want to investigate further, look at the original sources, read from experts in the field, and consider thoughtful analysis. My friend, Bishop Tim Wolfe, constantly reminds his clergy (including me) that as pastors we are called to dig into scripture and find truth and meaning which isn’t hidden, but would have been in the original context of scripture and in how people of the time would have understood our sacred texts. A few weeks ago, I preached on Philippians 1 and in my preparation found several articles discussing the people who founded and inhabited Philippi (largely Roman military veterans) and how Paul used several illusions and jargon when addressing the Philippians that aren’t found anywhere else in the Bible. Paul understood the context and employed specific language that held meaning for his audience, but which might be lost on other people in other cities and in other times. Taking the time to learn more about what we read and the potential nuance involved is as important as drawing our own conclusions about the news, analysis, acceptance, and outrage which swirl around us via 24-hour news, social media, and every other influence competing for our attention.

Now perhaps more than at any other time in our lives, I encourage you, friends, to read and listen to many sources, read the language of legislation and scripture, examine situations from multiple angles, and harbor a healthy skepticism about the media we consume.

When have you seen headlines and statements which make you skeptical? Where do you get your information?

Let us pray: Wise God, you’ve bestowed wisdom on your people, whether we use it or not. Help us lean into that wisdom and make good decisions not only about the information and media we consume, but about how we interpret and convey that information to others. Empower us to neither be propagandists nor mere followers, but faithful stewards of news and facts. We ask this through your son who was called the Word. Amen.

Blessings on your weeks, my friends! Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you.

Faithfully,

Ben