First, the term "Black Popes" usually refers to the head of the so-called Society of Jesus (Jesuits), currently Adolfo Nicolás (who is apparently the 30th such head of the Jesuits)
Also, while there were three African bishops of Rome:
Pope St. Victor I (allegedly from 186-197 A.D.)
Pope St. Militiades (allegedly from 311-314 A.D.)
Pope St. Gelasius I (allegedly from 492-496 A.D.)
They were all North Africans, not Sub-saharan Africans and consequently were no more "black" than other notable African Christians like Augustine, Tertullian, Origen, or Athanasius.
-TurretinFan
P.S. Yes, I realize that he's quoting from Dr. Camille Brown
for much of his post, but her doctorate in education (source) seems to have left her sadly unaware of the racial distinction between north Africans and sub-Saharan Africans.
P.P.S. I don't mean for this post to suggest that I approve of the polarizing tradition of having a "black history month," nor to suggest any approval of disparagement of the black race.
9 comments:
By the way, Beckwith is quoting Dr. Camille Brown who is quoting the "Liber Pontificalis" which almost falls into the category of the Donation of Constantine and the false decretals.
Sadly I must have missed Beckwith's paean to Rome's "gay" popes during PRIDE month.
Maybe next June?
In Christ,
CD
Coram Deo,
Are you implying that blacks are equivalent to gays in order to take a stab at Beckwith? Seems a tad petty...
Alphonsus:
I think CD's point was that if Beckwith is going to be politically correct ... where does he stop?
On the flip side, Leo X (and perhaps other popes as well) was accused of sodomy - so there may be more plausible entrants for that particular politically correct category.
-TurretinFan
"I think CD's point was that if Beckwith is going to be politically correct ... where does he stop?"
So trying to commemorate the achievements of black individuals is now wrong or some sign of being a kook? Some people are able to distinguish the good from the bad in culture. Just because pride months tend to be supported by leftist secularists doesn't mean that none of the celebrated groups' achievements are worth admiring/recognzing. Lets try to avoid the genetic fallacy.
Anyway, if you or Coram Deo want Beckwith's opinion on the proper limits of celebrating such things, why not ask him?
Alphonsus:
I'm not sure why you're having so much trouble reading. No one said that trying to commemorate the achievements of black individuals is now wrong or some sign of being a kook.
"Anyway, if you or Coram Deo want Beckwith's opinion on the proper limits of celebrating such things, why not ask him?"
CD is welcome to ask Beckwith, if he's interested in getting an answer to what amounts to a rhetorical question.
- TurretinFan
"No one said that trying to commemorate the achievements of black individuals is now wrong or some sign of being a kook."
Coram Deo's post implied some equivalence between celebrating Black History Month and celebrating Gay Pride Month, as though doing the former implied that one was willing to do the latter.
Alphonsus,
I think you've missed the point.
The glaring irony here is that none of the allegedly "black popes" were black.
I should think that racially black people would be perplexed by Beckwith's bizarre effort to commemorate the achievements of black individuals by highlighting Dr. Camille Brown's homage to men who weren't, well..."black".
It certainly brings Dr. Brown's motives and scholarship into question.
Hence the double-irony of my original post where I rhetorically lament the absence of Beckwith's fond musing upon the subject of "gay" popes during June's PRIDE month, because, well...not to put too fine a point on things...but he could've cited actual examples of homosexual pontiffs in contradistinction to pointing us toward a bunch of white guys who are being honored as black.
But, then again, many of us in the Reformed camp are no longer surprised when Rome's apologists call white black, and black white.
And that's called a trifecta.
In Christ,
CD
CD,
well, since you write:::>
"....But, then again, many of us in the Reformed camp are no longer surprised when Rome's apologists call white black, and black white....".
I just have to muse, with all the red those Cardinals wear, when will their wisdom elevate a "Red" Man to the throne of Christ on earth? We Indians can swim. We Indians can use reeds to make floating fishing boats. We are not afraid to cross the Tiber!
I have to say though, if that ever happened, crossing over that is, the faithful might not like the fish and loaves we would want them to eat!
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