Cardinal Robert Sarah surges as the conservative option to replace Pope Francis, giving traditionalists hope against the tide of “woke” theology infiltrating the Church.
After Pope Francis’s passing at age 88, all eyes are on who will lead the Catholic Church next. Several African cardinals have emerged as strong contenders, with Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea gaining significant support from conservatives troubled by Francis’s progressive reforms. The Catholic Church in Africa has seen explosive growth, adding millions of followers while maintaining traditional values that stand in stark contrast to the increasingly liberal European and American churches. With Africa representing the fastest-growing Catholic population globally, many faithful see an African pope as both timely and necessary to reinvigorate the Church’s traditional teachings.
The Rise of African Catholicism
While many Western churches struggle with declining attendance, Africa has become Catholicism’s most vibrant region. The numbers tell a remarkable story – Africa’s Catholic population has exploded from fewer than 1 million in 1910 to a staggering 265 million in 2023. Just this year, over 7 million Africans joined the faith. This growth hasn’t happened in comfortable circumstances either. African Catholics regularly face persecution, political instability, and even violence, yet their commitment remains unshakable – a stark contrast to the comfortable accommodation many Western churches have made with secular culture.
The surge in African Catholicism brings with it a decidedly conservative theological perspective. Unlike their European counterparts who seem increasingly eager to water down two millennia of Church teaching to appease modern sensibilities, African Catholic leaders have remained steadfast in defending traditional doctrine on marriage, sexuality, and the sanctity of life. This unwavering commitment to orthodoxy makes African cardinals particularly attractive to those who believe the Church needs to return to its roots rather than chase secular approval.
Cardinal Sarah: The Anti-Woke Champion
Among the leading African contenders, Cardinal Robert Sarah from Guinea has emerged as the standard-bearer for traditional Catholic values. Though considered a long-shot candidate due to his age, Sarah’s uncompromising defense of Church teaching has earned him a devoted following among Catholics concerned about the direction of the Church under Francis. Unlike many Church leaders who seem afraid to challenge progressive orthodoxies, Sarah has been refreshingly direct in his criticism of attempts to reshape Catholicism according to secular ideologies.
“An African candidate for pope is not only interesting from the perspective of representation of the fastest-growing region of the Church, but also because an African candidate could bring together divergent ideological groups of cardinals.” – Jonathan Morris
Sarah’s appeal extends far beyond just being African. He represents a theological clarity sorely lacking in Church leadership today. While Cardinal Raymond Burke has criticized the Church for becoming “too feminized” and “woke,” Sarah has consistently championed the timeless teachings that have defined Catholicism for centuries. In a world of moral relativism and endless compromise, his principled stance offers Catholics something increasingly rare: leadership that doesn’t change with the political winds.
The Battle for the Church’s Future
The upcoming conclave will be nothing less than a battle for the soul of Catholicism. Pope Francis appointed 110 of the 138 cardinals eligible to elect his successor, stacking the deck in favor of continuing his progressive reforms. Yet even among Francis appointees, there’s growing recognition that the Church’s attempts to accommodate modern sensibilities have failed to stem the exodus of the faithful in Europe and North America. Meanwhile, the vibrant, growing churches of Africa demonstrate that uncompromising adherence to traditional teaching still attracts followers.
“The Church has been growing at an amazingly rapid rate over the past few decades in the face of government opposition in many African nations, overt persecution of Christians and Catholics in many of the same nations, and violent opposition. Further, the leaders who have been appointed bishops and raised up as cardinals are generally highly educated, often in the West.” – Greg Tobin
The irony is palpable – while Western Church leaders bend over backward to appear “inclusive” and “relevant,” their churches empty out. Meanwhile, African Catholics face real persecution yet still flock to churches that proudly proclaim traditional teaching. It’s almost as if people are drawn to institutions with actual convictions rather than those desperate to win approval from a culture that will never be satisfied with anything short of complete capitulation. Perhaps the College of Cardinals will recognize this reality when they gather to select the next pope.
A Historical Precedent
Those who dismiss the possibility of an African pope forget that the Church has been here before. Early popes like Victor I, Miltiades, and Gelasius I came from Africa. These weren’t token appointments – they were leaders who shaped the development of the early Church. In many ways, the selection of an African pope in our time would represent a return to the Church’s roots rather than a radical departure. It would acknowledge both the historical importance of African Christianity and its central role in the Church’s future.
As the cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel in the coming weeks, they face a defining choice. Will they continue down the path of accommodation and compromise that has failed to revitalize the Church in the West? Or will they turn to the vibrant faith of Africa, selecting a leader who can remind the world what the Catholic Church stands for? For conservatives who have felt marginalized during the Francis years, an African pope like Cardinal Sarah represents not just hope but a chance for renewal – a return to a Church that speaks with clarity and conviction rather than confusion and capitulation.
