The Election of Pope Leo XIV: A Reformed Perspective

On May 8, 2025, white smoke emerged from the makeshift chimney installed on the Sistine Chapel, the initial indication the conclave of cardinals had elected Cardinal Robert Prevost as the successor to Pope Francis I. If you were inclined to bet on the next pope, Cardinal Prevost was a long shot—most betting sites had his chances of being elected as about 1.5%-2%. The election of Cardinal Prevost was, to say the least, a surprise.

Pope Leo XIV’s unexpected election, symbolic name choice, and early priorities reveal much about the Catholic Church’s current trajectory and invite reflection from Christians across traditions.

The Surprising Election of Pope Leo XIV

First, as has received much attention, Cardinal Prevost is the first North American pope, hailing from Chicago with connections throughout the Midwest. For Chicagoland In All Things readers, Prevost grew up only minutes from the Reformed presence in the southwest Chicago suburbs and has even celebrated Mass in New Lenox, IL. As the internet was quick to point out, he has even been spotted in the stands of a White Sox’s game. For West Michigan readers, Prevost attended high school in Holland, MI. That a U.S.-born cardinal would be elected was unexpected in part because it was perceived as giving the already-powerful United States too much influence in world affairs.

Prevost’s ministerial background added to the surprise. He is the first pope from the Augustinian order—founded in 1244 and known for its focus on education, mission, and communal living. Perhaps the fact that Martin Luther was an Augustinian cast a long shadow on the Order among Catholic clergy! The Augustinian Order was established in 1244, over 800 years after Augustine’s death. The Order is known for its emphasis on education, missions, and communal living, all of which will undoubtedly shape the tenor of the papacy under Pope Leo XIV.

Finally, Prevost’s lack of deep Vatican experience set him apart. Though he was appointed a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023 and has held several Vatican roles, he was hardly engrained in the Vatican hierarchy to the extent of many other cardinals considered likely to become the next pope, making his election all the more unexpected.

What’s in a Name?

Upon his election, Cardinal Prevost chose his papal name to be Pope Leo XIV. Leo is a popular name choice among popes, as evidenced by the fact that the current pope’s title is fourteenth. Pope Leo I, more commonly known as Leo the Great, served from 440 to 461 AD, a tumultuous time in the Roman Empire where Attila the Hun and Vandals threatened and, indeed, sacked the city of Rome. Theologically, Leo the Great’s most important contribution was his letter, “The Tome of Leo,” that defended the theological idea of Jesus being one person with two natures, one fully divine and one fully human. Leo served as pope when the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) declared that orthodox position regarding Christology.

Pope Leo XIV’s choice of name is more directly related, though, to Pope Leo XIII. Pope Leo XIII served as pope from 1878-1903 and is famous for his “Of New Things” (“Rerum Novarum”). That document set the course for Catholic teaching on social issues, including topics like human freedom, labor rights, and care for the poor.[1] For many, Pope Leo XIII acted as the pope who brought the Catholic Church into the “modern world” to engage with the contemporary issues that had emerged from contexts such as the Industrial Revolution, New Imperialism, and Modernist philosophy. While all the reasons for Pope Leo XIV’s choice of name are still emerging and, thus, not completely clear, it seems as though Pope Leo XIV’s admiration for Pope Leo XIII indicates his desire to make his own papacy about caring for his people, especially those economically or socially disadvantaged, and engagement with the contemporary issues facing the Church and the world.

Pope Leo XIV and Potential Catholic Trajectories

As explored in my prior In All Things post, the election of a new pope provides an opportunity for the Catholic Church to set a direction for its future. The election of Pope Leo XIV clarifies, though hardly cements, some of the priorities and directions the Catholic Church might emphasize in the years to come.

First, Pope Leo XIV is, in many ways, in the line of his predecessor, Pope Francis. Like Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV has spent significant time in South America. Pope Leo XIV served extensively in Peru, even gaining Peruvian citizenship. The decision of the cardinals to continue Pope Francis’s connection with South American Catholics is clearly an intentional choice, recognizing the contemporary global nature of the Catholic Church. Beyond geography, that Pope Francis was the one who created Pope Leo XIV as a cardinal and appointed him to leadership positions is a clear sign of Francis’s influence and approval of Pope Leo XIV. While it remains to be seen just how closely Pope Leo XIV will follow Pope Francis’s priorities, the election of Pope Leo XIV is evidence that the Catholic cardinals desired a significant amount of continuity with the previous papacy. To some, the election of Pope Leo XIV seems to be a rejection of calls among some Catholics to change course, typically in a more conservative direction, from Pope Francis’s papacy that was perceived among those Catholics as too progressive.

Second, given his predecessor and his name choice, the priorities of Pope Leo XIV and the cardinals who elected him appear to emphasize the Catholic priorities of world unity, care for the poor, justice for the oppressed, and a Catholic Church that is meaningful to people’s contemporary lives and challenges. Of course, how exactly these priorities will play out remains to be seen, but already Pope Leo XIV has stressed human unity by greeting “all of the people, all over the earth,” advocated for the end of the war between Russia and Ukraine, and prioritized the work of the Church to always “be close, especially to those who suffer.”

A Reformed Response

Upon the election of Pope Leo XIV, a colleague of mine remarked casually that the elections of popes are interesting to him because it is the one time that Protestants will pay attention to what is happening in the Catholic Church. Like him, I do not field too many questions about the Catholic Church except when a new pope is being chosen—this blog and the prior one I wrote are evidence of that. That growing interest in understandable given the importance of the transitions and the pomp and circumstance that accompanies them. How, though, should Reformed Christians think about the new papacy and the direction of the Catholic Church? That question and ones like it are worth far more discussion, in my opinion, but here I will offer three initial ideas.

First, Reformed Christians should appreciate, encourage, and come alongside much of the good, biblical work the Catholic Church has and continues to do in the name of Jesus Christ. For example, the “Of New Things” encyclical give by Pope Leo XIII has many important, beautiful points on how Christians should work for justice and equity in our social systems, including in our businesses. Business owners and those studying business at Dordt University and all of us who claim Christ as Lord over even our finances could glean much from the wisdom of our Catholic brothers and sisters. Or, the work Pope Francis has done and Pope Leo XIV will likely continue to pursue to end violent wars in Gaza and Ukraine resonates clearly with Jesus’ declaration that it is the peacemakers who are blessed. As Reformed Christians who desire Jesus’ kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven, we can pray for, participate in, and speak gratefully of the work Catholic leaders are doing to seek the Spirit’s work in bringing that kingdom.

Second, the election of Pope Leo XIV can provide reminders for Reformed Christians of the expansive nature of Christ’s Church. How many of us could point to Peru on a map, much less be reminded to pray for our Christian sisters and brothers there? Or, perhaps seeing cardinals from the Philippines and the Congo and Italy, all of whom were not elected as pope, can remind us that no country or skin color or language has an exclusive claim on the work of the Spirit uniting us to Jesus Christ and our mother, the Church.[2] The scope of the Catholic Church, embodied in the ministry of Pope Leo XIV, can serve as a beautiful reminder to us Reformed Christians that Christ’s lordship stretches to every place and people group in our contemporary world. Let us also embrace it as an exciting invitation to participate in that wonderfully broad kingdom of God.

Finally, Reformed Christians should wisely, carefully, and prayerfully discern the Spirit’s work within our own tradition and within other Christian traditions, including the Catholic Church. What, if anything, Pope Leo XIV will do in relation to, for example, the role of women in the Catholic Church remains to be seen.

Whatever steps Pope Leo XIV and the Catholic Church take in the years to come, Reformed Christians can learn from those discussions and decisions to better understand and evaluate our own tradition. Regardless of the issue at hand, Reformed Christians have the opportunity to reflect on points of agreement or disagreement with the Catholic Church, not simply as a means of being more right but, rather, as a means of walking more in step with the Spirit and, thus, entering more fully into our relationship with Jesus. May that be true of Pope Leo XIV, our Catholic brothers and sisters, our own Reformed churches, and each one of us.

References

1. https://www.vatican.va/content...

2. The language of Church as “mother” is often seen as Catholic (arising from the ancient theologian, Cyprian), but John Calvin is clear that Reformed Christians, too, should consider the Church as mother.