U.S. to Downscale Vatican Embassy, Raising Concern Among Catholics—Including Five Former Ambassadors

Patheos ^ | 11/23/13 | Kathy Schiffer

[Hieronymus]

We have a number of ambassadors to governments whose heads of State are also the heads of Churches. Queen Elizabeth is the head of not one, but two Churches, and the head of a good number of governments. Xi Jinping is not only General Secretary of the Chinese Government, but also in the end the head of (among many other religious organizations) the Patriotic Catholic Church.

Pope Francis is ranked among the most influential leaders in the world—the Pope generally is in the top 10— http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3086087/posts
(Pope Francis was ranked fourth this year, up one spot from Pope Benedict the year before.)

Twitter finds Pope Francis most influential. http://www.christophersmith-op.com/2013/11/04/twitter-study-finds-president-obama-is-least-connected-and-pope-francis-is-most-influential/

Granted the significance is primarily because of spiritual power—but it is not to be underestimated.

The “deal that the Italian government made” and the status in which the Holy See is held is sufficient for about 180 governments to have embassies.

If there are other denominations that have a leader who is a sovereign and who is as influential, we would be discriminating if we were ignoring them. Otherwise, you are comparing apples and oranges.

[Wuli]

“Queen Elizabeth is the head of not one, but two Churches, and the head of a good number of governments. Xi Jinping is not only General Secretary of the Chinese Government, but also in the end the head of (among many other religious organizations) the Patriotic Catholic Church.”

the british monarch - on paper and for some minor ceremonial purposes, yes; as any church authority - no; and she is as much “head of state” as a ceremonial additional position, that was not the POTUS would be;

and do we appoint an ambasssadore to China because Xi Jinping has titles that place him at the head of politically prostrated religious institions - NO

so what does either case have to do with why we have an ambasadore to the Roman Catholic Church - NAFA, ZERO, ZILCH

as for what any other 180 nations do, since when is that a principled basis for what the U.S. should do - NEVER

as for twitter and other POPULARITY poll sources as to who is popular or “influential” - such sources always represent a polling of fewer people than those not asked

your suggestion that all other churches should obtain asquat of land that they can declare sovereignty over and they too would be/should be granted U.S. ambassadors to their denominations is as fanciful as all the excuses for why Roman Catholicism is - its just wrong and stupid