Pope John Paul the Great

As someone whose spritual journey began in the Catholic Church, as well as one whose professional portfolio used to include ecumenical relations (see the launch of Evangelicals and Catholics Together), the death of JP II causes natural reflection.

The many details of John Paul II's life and achievements can be easily found elsewhere, the impact he has had, however, should not be underestimated. He was, as his official biographer George Weigel stated, "the first truly modern Pope."

He moved the church in interfaith relations like no one else in recent memory -- maybe ever. His involvement in the fall of communism was inspiring to me as a budding Russian scholar.

When I visited Russia for the first time in 1985 and went to a Catholic church in Lithuania. I saw people coming out of a side door with a two babies in their group. As it was late in the afternoon, it was fairly obviously that a baptism had just taken place. My friend and I slowly walked down the side street and said hello. As we talked, I asked them what caused them to risk possible problems with the Soviet government and have their children baptized. They never hesitated. They said, "The Pope has encouraged us to do what we should do regarding our faith. We intend on following his lead." We stood there with our mouths in open amazement.

Interestingly, John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope since the Dutch Adrian VI (1522-23). He inernationalized the church in ways none before him had ever done. Of the 117 cardinals allowed to vote for his successor (i.e. those under the age 80) -- of whom 114 were appointed by John Paul II -- only 58 are from Europe, including 20 from Italy. During the previous two millennia, Europeans were an overwhelming majority and Italians the dominant group, when not in majority by themselves.

Today, there are cardinals from Benin and Indonesia, Angola and India, Cameroon, Honduras, Ghana, Japan, Madagascar, Mauritius, Samoa, and Syria. None of that is surprising, considering that this Pope also traveled to over one hundred countries, giving the Vatican not just credibility but a highly charismatic physical presence. Furthermore, some of the third-world cardinals, such as Francis Arinze of Nigeria and, before him, Bernardin Gantin of Benin, have attained high positions in the Vatican hierarchy. An impressive legacy by itself.

John Paul II will be missed -- but his greatness will live on.