POPE Francis has sparked controversy and accusations of heresy following his recent remarks on “60 Minutes,” where he asserted that the human heart is “fundamentally good.” The comments were made during an interview with Norah O’Donnell, who asked the Pope what gives him hope when he looks at the world.
“Everything,” responded the pontiff, elaborating on examples of people performing good deeds as evidence of humanity’s essential goodness. “You see tragedies, but you also see so many beautiful things,” he said. “You see heroic mothers, heroic men, men who have hopes and dreams, women who look to the future. That gives me a lot of hope. People want to live. People forge ahead. And people are fundamentally good. We are all fundamentally good. Yes, there are some rogues and sinners, but the heart itself is good.”
These remarks were met with swift criticism on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter). Critics accused Francis of misrepresenting Christian doctrine. Radio host Erick Erickson responded, “This is contrary to basic Christian theology. We are all sinners. There aren’t just ‘some sinners.'” Author Eric Metaxas wrote, “If this is true, we don’t need a Savior to die on the Cross. So this pope is a heretic.” Babylon Bee editor Joel Berry added, “Welp, this is a Satanic lie…”
Daily Wire host Andrew Klavan questioned the Pope’s adherence to Catholic doctrine: “This raises a question: Is the Pope Catholic? Apparently not! The minute he saw an American journalist nodding at him, he should have known he had gone astray.” Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro commented simply: “Uhhhhhhh.”
Author James White criticized the Pope’s comments as humanistic, writing, “I have said for decades the real issue with Rome is the gospel. Francis says ‘people are fundamentally good.’ ‘There are some sinners.’ ‘The heart itself is good.’ This is humanism. It is not Romans, it is not Galatians, it is not Jeremiah or Isaiah or Proverbs or Psalms or Genesis or Revelation. It is humanism.” He continued, “This man has no concept of the gospel itself. This may be some of the clearest evidence I have ever seen of the utterly apostate nature of the Roman hierarchy.”
Some social media users identified Francis’ comments as reflective of Pelagianism, a fifth-century heresy that denied original sin and emphasized humanity’s inherent goodness. Named after the monk Pelagius, who was excommunicated in 418, Pelagianism was condemned by multiple councils and famously repudiated by Augustine of Hippo.
The interview also included other contentious remarks from Francis. He criticized conservative U.S. bishops for their “suicidal attitude” in opposing his efforts to revisit certain teachings and traditions. Additionally, the Pope addressed the controversy surrounding the Vatican’s recent “Fiducia Supplicans” guidance, clarifying that it does not permit the blessing of homosexual unions themselves, but rather the individuals in those unions.
Pope Francis’ statements continue to stir debate within and beyond the Catholic community, highlighting ongoing tensions over theological interpretations and church teachings.
