Just as Pope Francis was warning Kazakhstan’s bishops about fuelling nostalgia for the past during his visit to the country, one traditionalist cleric suggested Francis’ participation in an interfaith conference could imply papal endorsement of a “supermarket of religions”.
As first reported by the Associated Press, Bishop Athanasius Schneider - auxiliary bishop of Astana - is one of the Pope’s most vocal critics, especially on “doctrinal ambiguities and overly progressive bent on issues such as homosexuality and interfaith outreach.” Schneider did however help push the Pope’s wheelchair and served as a translator during the trip.
