5 Protestant Leaders Reflect on Pope Francis’ Legacy

“At times, he appeared ready to make some binding declaration toward more liberal doctrinal and moral teachings, but those really never came,” Mohler wrote for World Opinions. “He suggested doctrinal changes and a more liberal position on moral issues but never delivered on the big questions. All that is left for his successor to work out. Francis will go down in history as the pope of liberal gesture -- the vicar of equivocation. Just when his church needed a firm hand and intellectual firepower, he responded with a shrug. He filled critical Vatican appointments with liberal cronies and appointed as the church’s chief doctrinal protector a fellow Argentinian whose writings included materials rightly defined as sexually perverse.

“In the end, his papacy will be seen as transitional. The seismic forces pulling the Catholic Church in opposite directions will not lessen in intensity. Central to the claims of the Roman Catholic Church is its universal ministry, but the explosive forces within that church cannot be contained for long. Catholic priests will perform same-sex unions or they will not. The Catholic priesthood will be limited to men or it will not. The Catholic Church will retain its central moral teachings or it will not. Pope Francis suggested liberalization but never delivered it. He set the stage for a massive shift to the left, but now leaves the stage with the big burden falling on his successor.

“A confessional Protestant can only watch and observe these things, but evangelical Christians had better pay attention to what must be learned here. A posture of progressivist suggestion can lead in only two directions. Either the Catholic Church will recover the courage to stand on its moral and doctrinal teachings or it will eventually fall into unconditional surrender to the modern age. Make no mistake: The same dilemma is faced by Protestant and evangelical churches. Pope Francis now leaves the stage, but the stage is now set for the biggest decision of modern Catholic history. Who will follow him?”

“Pope Francis passed away this morning after battling health issues,” Graham said. “He was able to have meetings and appear at some of the Vatican’s Holy Week observances in just the last couple of days. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with him last year when I went to Naples to preach. Pray for the Catholic Church as they begin the process of selecting the next pope.”

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“Today, I join millions around the world in reflecting on the life and legacy of Pope Francis,” Rodriguez said. “Years ago, my wife Eva and I had the honor of meeting him in Rome, where he graciously invited us to participate in commemorating the outpouring of the Holy Spirit through the charismatic renewal within the Catholic Church. I stood at Circus Maximus in the heart of Rome, witnessing worship, unity, and a hunger for more of God’s presence across denominational lines.

“Let me be clear: I am not a Catholic. I am a born-again, Spirit-empowered follower of Jesus Christ from the Protestant tradition. I do not affirm every teaching of the Catholic Church or those brought forth by the Pontiff. But I do believe in the power of our shared Judeo-Christian values to offer truth, hope, and clarity in an age of chaos, moral relativism, and spiritual confusion.

“I also wholeheartedly recognize and honor the fact that Pope Francis was the first Latino to serve in the papacy -- a historic and deeply meaningful moment for many across Latin America and the world. He spoke up for the marginalized, for the voiceless, and for those often forgotten by systems and institutions. And for that, I express my gratitude.

“As someone who lives to make Jesus the center of all things, I pray that now -- more than ever -- those committed to the centrality of Christ and to biblical truth from every denominational stream flowing from the finished work of Christ, will come together once again… to fill the earth with the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

“Evangelicals pray for the Catholic Church, as they mourn the passing of Pope Francis and prepare to select his successor.

“As an evangelical, I participated in Pope Francis’ historic pilgrimages to the United Arab Emirates (a first-ever visit by any Pope to the Arabian Peninsula) and also to the Kingdom of Bahrain (where he quoted in four sermons the Kingdom of Bahrain Declaration for Peaceful Coexistence). I am so grateful for his historic efforts to build bridges between Catholics and Muslim countries, an effort which helped all Christians. In my view this is his greatest legacy & it is a legacy he shares with the wise leaders of these two countries who extended the invitation to him and gave him a welcome unrivaled in their history.

“Pope Francis was also an unrelenting advocate for persecuted Christians but especially in Iraq and in Syria when ISIS was at its height. This terrible period also represented a time of historic collaboration between evangelicals and Catholics to protect all Christians, saving countless lives and honoring the memory of many victims. 

“For his entire papacy, the cross he wore around his neck was a cross once worn by a martyred priest in Mosul, Iraq. He carried with him every day, the memory of the persecuted church.”

“It is with a deep sense of personal sadness that I mourn the death of my friend, His Holiness Pope Francis,” Welby said. “With our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters -- along with the global Church and many more around the world -- I’m filled with a great sense of loss. He was a Pope who spoke not just to the Catholic church, but far beyond it. His leadership was felt powerfully among us in the Anglican Communion. From the very first days of his papacy, he was an example of humility. He constantly reminded us of the importance of serving the poor, always standing with those who faced persecution and hardship. During my time as Archbishop of Canterbury, it was a great privilege to work with him in peacebuilding, not least in South Sudan. Over the years he became a friend and I will miss him deeply. For his commitment to walking together as Roman Catholics and Anglicans, and for his vision and passion for working for ever greater reconciliation and unity between all Christian denominations, I am profoundly grateful. I give thanks to God for the life of this faithful servant of Christ. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.”

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