New Pope – What Papal Name Would You Choose?

Pope Francis I

A new Pope has been elected for the Roman Catholic Church by the College of Cardinals.

He is 76-year-old Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He reportedly was the runner-up in 2005 when Joseph Ratzinger was selected Pope Benedict XVI.

Bergoglio is known for personal humility, doctrinal conservatism, and a commitment to social justice.

He is the first Jesuit priest to be selected as pope. The Society of Jesus (Jesuits) focuses on intellectual research, educational efforts, missionary work, and cultural pursuits.

He is the first non-European pope since Gregory III from Syria in 731 A.D. He is the first ever from the Americas and the first from the southern hemisphere.

Thankfully, the new pope has taken strong Biblical stands on human life and heterosexual marriage. He is strongly pro-life (against abortion and euthanasia) and emphatically pro-marriage (1 woman for 1 man for life). In 2010 he vigorously opposed Argentine legislation to permit “same-sex marriage.” Concerning it he wrote,

“Let’s not be naive, we’re not talking about a simple political battle; it is a destructive pretension against the plan of God. We are not talking about a mere bill, but rather a machination of the Father of Lies that seeks to confuse and deceive the children of God.” (From Cardinal Bergoglio on homosexuality)

It is beneficial for everyone, regardless of whether one is Catholic or not, for a leader with the influence and credibility of the Pope to be a strong proponent of Biblical values.

The new pope chose Francis I as his papal name, presumably to honor St. Francis of Assisi, one of the most venerated men in church history. I hope Pope Francis will be frank in his speech. I hope he will be open, honest, bold, and direct in speaking Biblical truth about the contentious issues our world faces. Even though I am not a Roman Catholic, I hope the new Pope will be a strong voice for truth in this time full of lies and deceit.

Here’s a biography of the new Pope.

What Name Would You Choose?
Suppose you were elected Pope. What name would you choose for your papal name?

I would choose Pope Noah I for my papal name if I were pope.

My purpose in this choice would be to focus attention on the early chapters of Genesis. I would want to draw attention to the literal truth of the history recorded there. This choice would emphasize that the foundation of the Christian faith is laid in Genesis 1-11. Those chapters answer the basic questions of humanity:
Where did we come from?
Why are we in the mess we are in?
And they point to God’s solution in Jesus Christ for our sin problem (Genesis 3:15). The genealogies in Genesis 5 & 11 give the line of men through whom Jesus eventually was born (Luke 3:23-38).

Those chapters relate foundational history: the creation of the universe in 6 days about 6,000 years ago, man’s fall into sin, the worldwide Flood of Noah, and the confusion of language and dispersion of people groups at the Tower of Babel.

I would make this choice to honor Noah, the man of God who stood for the truth of God against the entire population of the world except for 7 other family members (2 Peter 2:5).

What choice would you make and why? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Soli Deo Gloria.

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©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:4)
Wednesday March 13, 2013 A.D.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)