Did Pope Francis Promote Universalism?

Recently, at an inter-religious youth meeting, Pope Francis made a statement that has sparked significant debate: "All religions are path[ways] to reach God." He likened religions to different languages, each providing a unique way of approaching the same God. His comments have led to mixed reactions—some defending the Pope's intentions and others accusing him of promoting universalism.

[fabianapimentel]

He was speaking in Italian and as someone who understands Italian and listened he speaking, he said all religions are paths to God. He spoke slowly and clearly. There was no confusion, he said a big heresy, unfortunately 😢

[christophercook]

Ok I am not a Catholic, I’m actually Pentecostal. BUT the catechism point that the brother made is out of context here is the context, in order to understand what the RCC is getting at one must read the points around 841 and not just 841 in isolation. Context determines meaning. The RCC are taking the route Paul did on Mars Hill when he noticed the idol to the “Unknown God” for example 843 CLARIFIES 841 when it says, “The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as "a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life."”

I understand why you won’t have Catholics on the show, but the way you talk about Catholicism and have people on the show to talk about Catholicism and their beliefs is comparable to a cessationist show having a cessationist guest come in order to discuss the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement. I absolutely love Remnant Radio, but this is definitely one area where change would be good. There are Catholics who have genuine faith in Christ and confess and believe him to be their only way of salvation, have one on. And even with your disagreements you had Todd White on, and you handled it PERFECT. Why not do the same with a Catholic brother?

If we truly believe in salvation through Christ alone by grace alone, then we must necessarily acknowledge that there are in fact truly saved Catholic brothers and sisters, BECAUSE we recognize that salvation is by grace alone and not by works. A Catholic who trusts in Christ as their salvation, although they include Marian doctrine and a lot of other error, is saved BECAUSE of the truth that grace through Christ alone is what saves and not our works.

[GemStateMom]

Wonderful guest, and a very informative program!

[TheLorraineclelland]

Just because you think you are born again, it does not mean you will obtain salvation. How many back sliding born again Christians have died unexpectedly?

[JadDragon]

It's sad no official statements and corrections and apologies have come out. Still hoping. Maybe more Catholics will join the protty master religon?

Jesus lives! ♥️ and is Yahweh God 🙏🏻 Christ ✝️ and King 👑

[Hope_Boat]

Yes he did. Every heresy he promoted makes the orthodox Church even more relevant. Kyrie eleison ☦️

[justinchamberlain]

Since you believe that God predestines all things be it good or evil, then why did God predestined Steve Lawson to fall? And if that rationale is to make any kind of sense at all you would be forced to conclude that Lawson could have done nothing else than to have committed sexual sin and fallen from grace. So how can God judge us for what His supposed predeterminism had already established Lawson would do in the first place? Is Lawson greater than the Calvinist god? How then can this Calvinist god then be deemed as a fair judge?

[miclarkie]

All religions do lead to one god!... Yes, the god of this world! "small g". There is only one creator God and he is Father the Son and Holy Spirit. and if we have faith in Son of God, we are saved because his name, 'Yeshua' means God Saves.

[amiiboplush]

How is this any different than what John Mark Comer teaches on? Yet somehow he gets a pass.

[barbarablair]

Finally a Christian who understands Buddhism and that the Buddha is NOT their god! Every time I hear a Christian say that, I cringe because it only shows their ignorance... I also was raised Catholic, took a detour through New Age and ended up finding the Truth (Jesus). Excellent guest!

P.S. I am also protesting Roman Catholic doctrine! Glad you will not have a Catholic guest.

[wernerlottering]

Why not get a Catholic speak to on this topic?

[hgfirestarterk]

TBH, I’m surprised that Mike Shreve didn’t even bring up the subject of the Eucharist. Pretty sure he’d have a hard time arguing with the “plain reading” of Jesus’s words: “This IS My Body; this IS My Blood”; “Except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you have no life in you”.

[Terrylb]

Everyone will get to God regardless of their beliefs or no beliefs . But He will either be your judge or Your Father.

[jamesbarksdale]

I have no doubts that this guy is sincere. But he's just all over the place with his criticisms of Catholicism.

E.g., Potifex Maximus.

Assuming he's correct that the title had pagan origins means nothing. The etymology of a word has no bearing on how it may be understood or used at another time and in another situation or culture.

I'm not saying it was a good thing to apply the title to the Pope, only that for this man to attempt to connect it to paganism is spurious at best.

Let me ask a question:

What gives him (or any of us) the right, 2000 years removed from the origins of Christianity to pontificate (now there's a good word!) on the errors and evils of the Catholic Faith? Do not the Orthodox believe similarly?

Certainly, they don't have a Pope, but they have many other beliefs and practices in line with Catholicism. Where are all the books railing against them?

What makes Protestants think that only we correctly interpret Scripture when the Church was doing it 1500 years before Luther?

In addition, you can hardly find two Protestants who agree on anything!

All of this, my friends, is truly the height of arrogance.

We should be careful if we think we stand to take heed, lest we fall.

[TroyStevens]

Pope's been saying these things for many years now. Where y'all been? 🤨

[katherinecornette]

Amen! Amen! Go Josh! As a recovering Catholic who was brought up in Catholic Church and school, I stand on the Gospel! In Christ alone!

[TheLorraineclelland]

Matthew chapters 5 to 7. You need that. If you believe, you will do what Christ asked us to do. James was a cousin. In those days they called all family members, brother and sister. James had a different mother Mary who was married to the brother of Joseph. YIKES!!

[TheLorraineclelland]

Not really true what he said on the baptism of the baby. A baby falls under the authority of the parents and is within Christ by this authority. He would know this if he was active in the RC church when he was apparently a catholic.

[lucaso]

You should read Gavin Ortlunds "What it means to be Protestant"

[Ultimatenatureofreality]

Dialogue with Brian Holdsworth
2 days ago
Brian:
"Dogma is merely teaching from a competent authority. We all accept dogmas in some way in our lives because 99% of what we know has been relayed to us and accepted without first hand verification. To expect everything to be confirmed through experimentation, observation, or high standards of proof would require you to know very very little. That's not courage. That's just a refusal to trust - which is motivated by fear. That's what is cowardly. It takes courage to trust others who are put in a position of authority over you - which is a necessary thing. Parents, teachers, officials, are all necessary and our participation in recognizing their necessary authority is also necessary. Refusing to do so doesn't lead to an increase of freedom. It leads to chaos and disorder. I'm just being consistent in recognizing that necessity and the reconciling myself to finding the kind of authority I can trust. It starts with God and what he has revealed and then it leads to those he has entrusted in seats of authority to protect and transmit what has been revealed. With that, I arrive at dogma and I'm happy to submit to it because that is where true freedom lies - not in the blindness of my own narrow and limited vision of the world - but one expanded by centuries of thinkers all contributing to a shared vision."

Dear Brian,
Being a follower is fine, but being a blind follower? Not so much. Any dogma automatically turns you into a blind follower. You stop questioning, stop inquiring. We are scientists. Imagine if science was rooted in dogma! We’d still be living in caves, trying to figure out how to make fire. Scientists go out of their way to prove their theories wrong. That’s the attitude of humility. That’s a deeply religious attitude. True science is a profoundly religious enterprise.
Don’t seek wisdom in words that are carved in stone. Seek wisdom that’s beyond words. The words of Pope Francis are that kind of wisdom. Your phenomenal intellect can never grasp this, but your warm heart can, and will. We are not Catholics. We are not followers of any dogma—religious or secular. We don’t lean on anything. We stand on our own feet. But it feels good to have Pope Francis, who just pulled the rug from underneath Catholic dogma, on our side.
Find the courage to give up the idea that you already have wisdom, that you already possess wisdom—because that’s what dogma is—and seek wisdom in questioning everything, just as Pope Francis does. There is no way to get closer to God than that. In the end, that’s what true religion is—it’s your inquiring open mind. Without it, all scriptures are dead, and all beliefs are just poison. As you know, Jesus questioned everything and relentlessly challenged dogma, perhaps more than anyone else in history! He leveled the dogma of the Old Testament! Ultimately, he was crucified for confronting and demolishing dogma.
That’s what true Christianity is: not to sell your soul, creating an agreement reality that can no longer be questioned, no matter how much pain and suffering it causes to millions of people. It’s not sacrificing your conscience and the human dignity of a free thinker, creating this most disgusting invention of the human mind—dogma, the blind conviction that’s at the roots of all human misery and all wars. The sense of purpose and belonging must be derived only from the truth and the truth alone. Or to put it better: from the absence of falsehood, the absence of lies. We grew up in communist Russia and theocratic Iran, in societies devastated by dogma. But there is no difference between communist dogma, religious dogma, or atheistic dogma. All of them are just different forms of idol worshiping. The problem with dogma is not its content, but its existence.
“Sabbath for men, not men for Sabbath.” That’s the essential message of Jesus. This now is the message of the brave and unyielding Pope Francis. The message is: Beliefs are what you die for. Faith is what you live for. We pray that he won’t be crucified for it like Jesus was.