Thoughts on JPII and religious tolerance

The recent death of JPII has given me pause all week long. I recently read this comment on the life of the Pope on a Conservative Religious Website that I visit often, by Al Mohler president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

After chronicling many of JPII's good deeds Mohler closes with the following:

"Even so, we must also recognize that John Paul II also represented the most troubling aspects of Roman Catholicism. He defended and continued the theological directions set loose at the Second Vatican Council. Even as he consolidated authority in the Vatican and disciplined wayward priests and theologians, he never confronted the most pressing issues of evangelical concern." emphasis mine

The last time I checked the Baptists and Mohler included were obsessively concerned with doing things in a biblical fashion.

The last time I checked our Savior gave less than a fig for being biblical, or following the pre-existing set of rules. He seemed to be concerned with feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and caring for societies marginalized outcasts.

The last time I checked Pres. Mohler drove a very fancy car, lived in a very nice house, wore very nice suits, and was busy railing any bit of Liberalism in the church. He is concerned with feeding the hungry et all, assuming that said individuals are White, Male, Protestant Evangelical, Republican, and willing to sign a statement of belief (essentially a TULIP Calvinistic Creed).

Although I think that established religions generally miss the point, I suspect that JPII may be much closer to the right answer than any of the Evangelical Protestants might care to admit.

Said one icon of the 20th century, "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ"