For specialists familiar with the Vatican, the election of American Robert Francis Prevost Martinez as the new pope sends clear political and symbolic signals, both within and outside the Catholic world. This was evident in his first speech, when he spoke in Italian and Spanish—eschewing his native language, English—which some viewed as a clear sign of geopolitical distancing. As always, when the Catholic Church renews its leadership, all eyes are on the new figure who emerges.
Prevost was not widely known outside Vatican circles and the Peruvian diocese, despite being born in Chicago, in the United States. However, the first voices of evangelical leadership have begun to emerge. Diario Cristiano sought to speak with some of these individuals to gather their first impressions and opinions about the new Catholic leader.
From Peru, Pastor Cristian Scheelje Cossios, president of the Union of Evangelical Christian Churches of Peru (UNICEP), acknowledged that he “has participated formally” in events with Prevost, although without maintaining a personal relationship. This involvement was mainly through the Interreligious Council of Peru, where different faiths converge in search of social peace.
Diario Cristiano also consulted with Guillermo Aguayo, pastor of La Casa del Padre church in Lima and a defender of life and family in Peru and throughout the continent. Aguayo stated that Prevost's arrival to the papacy and his future leadership “is unknown.” He mentioned that “the region where he served, although it has a lot of poverty, is also home to Opus Dei’s university. However, it seems that he would have leaned more toward Bergoglio's [Pope Francis] line—that is, more toward the left, globalism, and illegal immigration,” envisioning a possible path the pontiff could take.
Aguayo considered that, being American, coming from a working-class background in Chicago, and “at the same time connected to the Hispanic world of Latin America through his work in Peru, the outlook could become very political.”
“Either the entire American continent unites in the same political-religious direction, or we will continue to be the backyard of the U.S. Which is healthier? We will see in the coming years,” he said.
In this regard, his compatriot, Pastor Julio Rosas—a former congressman and leader linked to the “Con Mis Hijos No Te Metas” (Don’t Mess with My Children) movement, currently headed by his son Cristian—expressed that, due to his nationality and his “20 years of work in Peru in various regions,” he hopes to see Prevost’s “firm and clear convictions in favor of life and the defense of the family as the basis and foundation of society.” Rosas wished that “God bless his life and ministry.”
He added: “Beyond following the line of Pope Francis and other previous popes, may he follow the line of Jesus Christ. Above all, may his convictions be based on the Holy Bible, the Word of God.”
Peruvian engineer Pilar Vicentelo, a member of the Faith Network for Climate Justice, said that Prevost, as a leader in Peru, “did a great job in Chiclayo (northern Peru) against sexual abuse committed by a sector of the Catholic Church.” However, accusations have also been made regarding his alleged involvement in covering up cases of sexual misconduct involving two priests.
From Argentina, Pastor Gerardo Oberman, president of the Reformed Churches in that country since 2009, said: “I don't know him very well. I understand that he was trusted by Francis because of the responsibility he was given during his pontificate. The fact that he lived in Peru, even though the Church there is conservative, gives him a plus.”
He also noted that Prevost, in choosing the name Leo XIV, “shows that he somehow identifies with Leo XIII, whose pontificate promoted the encyclical Rerum Novarum, which encouraged workers' rights and the formation of trade unions.”
Theologian Ruth Padilla DeBorst, from Costa Rica, said that “his appointment is a ray of light amid much darkness today. The choice of the name Leo evokes Leo XIII, who generated or facilitated much of the rich social doctrine of the [Catholic] Church and the encyclical Rerum Novarum.”
Oberman, for his part, observed that “being an Augustinian is another factor to consider. St. Augustine is not Thomas Aquinas. In other words, he is not going to be dogmatic, and I think the first words he spoke from the balcony confirm that: openness to all people, a missionary church.”
Spanish-American journalist and author César Vidal said the election of Prevost as pope “should come as no surprise to anyone.” Vidal, a keen analyst of global current affairs, pointed out that “the Francis model is being repeated—Hispanic, but white, and not Black, mestizo, or Indigenous. The attempt to halt the advance of evangelical churches is being repeated, not only in Latin America but also in the United States among Hispanics. And the alliance with the globalist agenda, of which he has shown himself to be more than a supporter on issues such as mass immigration and global warming, is being reiterated.”
Padilla DeBorst welcomed the fact that he has become a naturalized Peruvian, calling it “a model of incarnation of the ministry.” She had previously noted that “the fact that Pope Francis placed so much trust in Prevost also encourages me.” She added that “he seems to be concerned about the state of the planet,” which makes her see “a hopeful picture” in moderate leadership.
Vidal was more skeptical. “There may be many, many evangelicals who are unaware of this and even have illusions about the future evolution of the Catholic Church. It would be important for them to wake up, because this time the offensive will be stronger and this pope could easily live for more than twenty years. More than ever, we must remember that the children of darkness are more cunning than the children of light, and act and pray accordingly,” the Spaniard told Diario Cristiano.
The president of the Latin Evangelical Alliance (AEL), Juan Cruz Cellammare, was one of the more moderate voices. Like others, he said he did not personally know the man who, since last week, embodies Leo XIV. However, he stressed that membership in the Order of St. Augustine “is encouraging, considering that Augustine of Hippo has been a key figure in the history of the Christian faith. He was a man deeply devoted to his relationship with God and left an invaluable theological legacy, especially in his understanding of divine grace, which centuries later would inspire reformers such as Martin Luther in their quest to rediscover the truths of the Gospel.”
He added that “if the new pope—whom some already associate with the tradition of the popes named Leo, known for their defense of the underprivileged and their pursuit of social justice—maintains a vision that honors the centrality of grace, perhaps we can dialogue more clearly on these essential points.”
Cellammare, based in Paraguay, “respectfully congratulated the Catholic Church on its new leader. As president of the Latin Evangelical Alliance, I am closely watching the events unfolding, reaffirming my call from God to work for the unity of the Body of Christ among my evangelical and Protestant brothers and sisters.”
He clarified that he and the organization he represents do not participate in “institutional ecumenism,” but do “advocate cordial and peaceful relations with those who do not share our faith, in the hope of being able to proclaim to them the message of the risen Christ.”
Likewise, the Latin Evangelical Alliance maintains “spaces for dialogue and collaboration with representatives of other faiths” on issues that “promote human dignity and the common good, such as migration, the climate crisis, the defense of life in all its stages, and the search for peace among peoples and nations.”
“In these causes, without renouncing our identity or our witness, we believe that we can work together for the good of society. I make my own the words of Augustine of Hippo: 'In essentials, unity; in doubtful matters, freedom; in all things, charity,'” he said.
The Latin evangelical-Protestant community holds diverse views on Leo XIV, as do the institutions representing the various voices of the evangelical Church around the world.
There are high expectations for Prevost's leadership. The fact that he was chosen by Bergoglio and his closeness to Francis' papacy make him a guarantor of continuity and a moderator of the discrepancies that his predecessor generated both within and outside the institution. The youth of the new pontiff suggests that his leadership could last for many years. All that remains is to wait for him to begin his journey as leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
Originally published at Diario Cristiano, Christian Daily International's Spanish edition.
