Jeffreys, Smith part of news story on pope’s gay priest comments

Prof. Derek Jeffreys and Associate Prof. Christine Smith on Monday (July 29) were part of a Fox 11 News story on Pope Francis’ recent comments concerning gay priests. “If a person is gay and accepts the Lord and has goodwill, who am I to judge them?” the pontiff said during a recent interview. Smith, representing the Rainbow Over Wisconsin LGBT advocacy group, said the pope’s statement was refreshing and indicated more openness — “sort of a friendlier pope,” she said. Still, Smith added, “on the one hand it’s a more welcoming tone, but it’s certainly not anything that’s different from Catholic ideology.” Jeffreys, Humanistic Studies and Religion, agreed, saying that the remarks don’t likely mean the pope is going to change the teachings of the Catholic Church. But “I think people are going to have to get used to a different style with the papacy from the last two popes, and this pope speaks very freely.” Full story.