Cut off from a world of connectivity
Some time in the middle of this afternoon the papal master of ceremonies will issue the instruction ‘extra omnes’, the doors of the Sistine Chapel will be locked, and 115 cardinal electors will remain ‘kettled’ (to coin a phrase) under lock and key until a new Pope is chosen. During their time under locked away (Con-Clave) they will have no access to the outside world by any means, either physical or electronic. Kingdoms may rise and fall, earthquakes in distant lands come and go, economies crumble or soar, and they would know nothing of it. Their decision must be made in a context of prayer and reflection untroubled by the noise of the world.
Of course, Christianity has a rich tradition of intentional isolation, from the monasteries of Cappadocia to the hermits of English antiquity to Saints like Simon on top of his pillar. However, for the most part that isolation has been caught up with an individual quest for spiritual understanding and prayer. How well does it sit, I wonder, with selecting a leader for over 1 billion Roman Catholics across the globe? How much does it acknowledge the complexity of the world as noted by the outgoing Pope in his resignation statement:
In today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to steer the ship of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.
On the one hand the intentional isolation of the cardinal electors is admirable – since it shows a security in God’s guidance and a refusal to be unduly influenced by the tides of history as they ebb and flow. It flouts our addiction to connectivity and insists on a connection to God alone. On the other hand, the person selected by their decision will have to withstand scrutiny and provide leadership in a world which is more connected than that into which any of his predecessors have stepped. The selection process may look to some as if we are afraid to choose our leaders in the Christian church in a context which allows the noise of the world to intrude on our discussions. Like the selection of the Egyptian Coptic Pope by a blindfolded child last year, it may seem like a process so alien that it invites the world’s suspicion rather than commands its respect.
Whatever our views, it falls to Christians the world over to pray for the discussions which will take place behind the locked doors pictured below.
Image: washingtonpost
