Speaking to Raymond Arroyo, Bishop Athanasius Schneider firmly critiqued and rejected Pope Francis' claim that 'every religion is a way to arrive at God.'
The Vatican updated its English translation of Pope Francis' comments in Singapore on all religions being ‘paths to God.’ The initial translation was criticized as downplaying his original statement, which some labeled as ‘heretical.’
The Press Office's English translation of Pope Francis' latest controversial remarks differ markedly from what he actually said, continuing a pattern of misleading translations that date back years.
'The only way to God the Father is through His Son Jesus Christ. To deny this is to deny the Catholic faith, this is called heresy,' wrote Bishop Strickland in response to Pope Francis.
Pope Francis told young people in Singapore that being ‘Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Christian’ are just ‘different paths,’ as ‘every religion is a way’ to God.
In his latest warning against proselytizing, Pope Francis told Indonesian clergy that 'proclaiming the Gospel does not mean imposing our faith, placing it in opposition to that of others, or proselytizing.'
The Istiqlal Declaration calls on religious leaders to respond to the 'crises' of 'dehumanization and climate change' while also urging continued religious cooperation. Indonesia is characterized by a heavily Muslim population alongside a minority of Catholics.
Pope Francis' deliberate avoidance of making the sign of the cross when imparting a closing blessing to young people in Indonesia has raised eyebrows. Others have praised him for being sensitive to the local Muslim culture.