The Tragedy of Sweden?

 A few Lutherans have expressed mild interest in the potential papacy of Anders Arborius. We are not among them.

Arborius is a well-respected church leader, the first and only Swedish cardinal, formerly chair of the Episcopal Conference of Scandinavia (which we imagine must be a rather small organization.) He is also a convert from Lutheranism to Roman Catholicism.

It is this last fact that excites the mild interest among Lutherans -- "One of us," we cry, out of habit.  Bit of course, he has deliberately chosen not to be one of us, preferring instead not only to join the 1.5% of his countrymen in communion with the Pope, but also to become a Discalced Carmelite, a group with strong ties to the Counter-Reformation. (We do wonder how he manages to go shoeless in those Swedish winters).

In an interview published online, when asked about the unique contributions of Swedish Catholicism, Arborius first denies that there are any, saying in effect that "we're just like other Swedes," and then takes a cheap shot at the church of his childhood:

Because there is no real longing for female priests among Catholics, we can concentrate upon the real [sic] possibilities for women. We have seen the tragedy of the Lutheran Church of Sweden, where there have been female ministers since 1958. Since then, a fierce conflict has raged between those in favor of female ministers and those in opposition.

Disapproving of the ordination of women is not, by itself, remarkable or disappointing in a cardinal; it is pretty much his job description. But the fact is that he wasn't asked about it, or about the majority church in his nation  He decided on his own that those were the things he wanted to talk about. 

On balance, we do not think somebody who considers the Church of Sweden to be a "tragedy" would be a useful ecumenical partner for the LWF. 

On the other hand, we are interested in Robert Cardinal Prevost, Archbishop Emeritus of Chiclayo, Peru.  He will never be pope, goes the familiar logic, because he is an American by birth.  But among his many leadership positions, Prevost served for twelve years as the Prior General of his religious community -- the Order of Saint Augustine.  We do like our Augustinians.