Cardinal Peter Turkson for Pope

He's African, he's an expert Scripture scholar, he knows the challenges faced by the Church. Let me be blunt. There are two challenges to Catholicism: Islam, where the frontline is in Africa; and secularism in the West and elsewhere. I do not consider Christian evangelicalism a challenge--my personal view is that Christianity has no more time for intramural disputes, if it ever did. (Of course, to be accurate, I need to mention the absolutely greatest and perennial threat to Catholicism: our own internal stupidity as we periodically and sometimes spectacularly betray the teachings of the Founder.)

Turkson will strengthen all Christians in Africa. Turkson will also--by being so different--grab the attention of many in the secular and distracted West. We need to use our catholic diversity.

The cardinals guided by prayer and much more knowledge than I could ever hope to have about the Church will make the choice, not me. But, as a Catholic, duly aware of the small extent and limits of my own knowledge, you have my pence's worth. Turkson, a cardinal for about 10 years and now working in Rome, is ready, fit, and able for this conclave and for future ones.

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