- Six reasons why it will be difficult (not impossible) for an African to be elected Pope.
The death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday left many Catholics in shock. It also left the Catholic Church with a major headache: Who will replace Pope Francis?
Several cardinals have been mentioned as possible successors, including two from Africa: Cardinal Peter Turkson, 76, from Ghana, and Cardinal Robert Sarah, 79, from Guinea. Both cardinals possess immense theological experience and are widely respected within the Catholic Church globally.
Yet despite the growing influence of African Catholicism, several structural and contextual challenges make it difficult for an African cardinal to ascend to the papacy. Here are six reasons why.
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 The African Church is young.
The Catholic Church in Africa is relatively young compared to its European and Latin American counterparts. Christianity spread significantly in Africa during the colonial era, with substantial growth in the 19th and 20th centuries (Hastings, 1994). While Africa now accounts for a significant portion of the global Catholic population—approximately 20% of the world’s Catholics live in Africa (Pew Research Center, 2011)—its institutional history is shorter. The College of Cardinals, which elects the pope, often favors candidates with deep ties to the Church’s historical centers in Europe or Latin America, where Catholicism has centuries of entrenched tradition. The youth of the African Church may lead cardinals to perceive African candidates as less experienced in navigating the Vatican’s complex bureaucratic and theological landscape, reducing their electability.
Economic Disadvantage
Africa’s economic challenges impact the Church’s infrastructure and global influence. Many African dioceses operate with limited financial resources, relying on external funding from Western churches. This economic dependency can create a perception of African Catholicism as less autonomous or influential within the global Church. The Vatican, as a global institution, often prioritizes candidates who can leverage resources to sustain its operations and diplomatic reach. Cardinals may hesitate to elect an African pope, fearing that the continent’s economic constraints could limit the Church’s global efficacy, especially in fundraising or maintaining Vatican institutions.
Perceptions of Racial Bias in the Church
Racial biases, both historical and contemporary, pose a significant barrier. The Catholic Church, while universal in its mission, has historically been Eurocentric, with 263 of 266 popes originating from Europe. This Eurocentrism reflects a bias toward Western cultural and racial norms in leadership selection. Despite the Church’s diversity, implicit biases among the predominantly Western or Western-educated College of Cardinals may lead to skepticism about an African candidate’s ability to lead a global institution. Studies on racial bias in religious institutions suggest that non-Western candidates often face unconscious prejudice, which could manifest in the conclave’s voting patterns.
Cultural Integration in African Catholicism
African Catholics often blend indigenous cultural practices with Christianity, a phenomenon known as syncretism. For example, rituals honoring ancestors or traditional healing practices are sometimes integrated into Catholic worship. While this enriches African Catholicism, it can be viewed with suspicion by the Vatican, which prioritizes doctrinal purity. Cardinals, particularly those from the West, may perceive African candidates as less aligned with the Church’s universal teachings due to these cultural integrations. This perception could lead to concerns that an African pope might struggle to enforce global doctrinal consistency, diminishing support for such a candidate.
Political Resistance from African Leaders
The election of an African pope could face opposition from African political leaders, who might fear a powerful religious figure challenging their authority. Many African governments have tense relationships with religious institutions, particularly when religious leaders critique corruption or human rights abuses. An African pope, as a global moral authority, could amplify such critiques, prompting political leaders to lobby against a compatriot’s candidacy. This internal resistance could indirectly influence cardinals, who may seek to avoid geopolitical tensions in Africa that could complicate the Church’s mission. The Vatican’s diplomatic considerations often play a role in papal elections, and avoiding such conflicts may favor non-African candidates.
Educational Disparities
Cardinals from the West are often highly educated, with advanced degrees in theology, canon law, or philosophy from prestigious institutions like the Pontifical Gregorian University. In contrast, African cardinals, while increasingly educated, may have less access to such elite training due to resource constraints and historical educational disparities. The conclave values intellectual rigor and familiarity with Vatican governance, areas where Western cardinals may have an advantage. For example, African cardinals like Peter Turkson or Robert Sarah, while prominent, are exceptions rather than the norm in terms of global academic exposure. This educational gap may lead cardinals to favor candidates with more formal theological or administrative credentials, sidelining African contenders.
Despite these challenges, the growing African Catholic population and the increasing number of African cardinals—13 as of 2023 —suggest potential for change. Popes like John Paul II and Francis, from Poland and Argentina, respectively, broke historical molds, indicating that the conclave can embrace non-traditional candidates. Additionally, the Church’s emphasis on universality could push cardinals to consider Africa as a symbol of Catholicism’s global future.
However, the structural and perceptual barriers outlined above remain significant hurdles, requiring shifts in Vatican culture, global perceptions of Africa, and African Church infrastructure.
