Archive: Vigorous, Bold, and Creative

By Charles W. Keysor, Editor, Good News Magazine

It is late in the day, someone said, when small men cast long shadows. Today the world scene has few leaders who exhibit towering stature, grand vision, and the charisma needed to move multitudes. With very few exceptions, mediocrity and muddling ability seem to be almost necessary qualifications for high office.

A refreshing contrast is the meteoric rise from obscurity to world prominence of a new Christian statesman. In a few swift months, John Paul II, the first Polish pope, has drawn worldwide applause. His dramatic fly-in visits to Mexico and Poland have already marked him as a bold, vigorous, and creative Christian leader.

Significantly, praise is also coming from orthodox Protestants, e.g., the prestigious Christianity Today. Even though Protestant Bible Christians disagree with Rome on doctrinal matters such as the Mass being a literal repetition of Christ’s atoning sacrifice … papal infallibility … and worship of Mary, nevertheless, John Paul II deserves praise. He is demonstrating a style of Christian leadership badly needed by Protestants as well as Roman Catholics.

The new pope isn’t afraid to stand firm against those who diametrically oppose the time-honored tradition of the church he leads. He has stood eyeball to eyeball with the Marxists and forced them to back down. Without retreating from the need for Christian social action, John Paul II has rightly rejected the violent Marxist configurations of “liberation theology” as inappropriate for Christians—especially clergy. He knows that Christianity can no more mix with Marxism than oil with water.

John Paul II unashamedly exalts Jesus Christ as Crucified Savior and Living Lord of the Church. This Christocentric leadership style differs markedly from that of church officials who make perfunctory references to Jesus, but actually relegate Him to the margins of their ecclesiastical agendas. John Paul II doesn’t make this mistake. He realizes that both God and the world expect the Church to emphasize Jesus Christ.

This pope is blazing new trails. No other Roman pontiff ever visited behind the Iron Curtain or in Mexico. Yet he came, he saw, he conquered. Great leaders know when to venture boldly onto new pathways—while also holding firmly to essential principles.

Wide visibility has been given to prayer by the new pope. As millions watched on television, he prayed at the tomb of Poland’s Unknown Soldier and again at the graves of his parents. Cynics may think it was a publicity stunt, but this observer was deeply moved. I suspect that this pope would have prayed even if no TV cameras had been grinding. To pray publicly is a witness to God’s greatness and our utter helplessness without Him. When a world leader prays openly, he is saying, “I am under the authority of One who rules the universe. I am in subjection to Him.”

In Nowy Targ, Poland, the pope prayed spontaneously, asking God “to save our nation from the slavery of alcohol addiction.” The vast congregation roared its reply: “We swear to be teetotalers!”

Finally, the new pope projects a genuineness, an authenticity. Watching him on TV and reading about him, I get the feeling there is probably little discrepancy between the John Paul II whom the public sees and the John Paul II seen by God.

The sudden emergence of this new pope raises a question: if God is bringing new life to Christendom’s biggest, most bureaucratic denomination, will the United Methodist Church be next?