versusdebates's video: The Catholic Church is Beyond Redemption: Pope Francis Cannot Save It - 24th April 2013

http://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/versus-catholic-church-is-beyond-redemption 24th April 1100 PDT / 1400 EDT / 1900 GMT+1 Event info: Mired in allegations of sexual abuse, corruption in the Vatican, and the first papal resignation in six centuries, the Catholic Church is in crisis. Two thousand years of arcane methods, tired dogma and unpalatable lies have left the papacy crippled and out of touch. The secularised West has lost faith in notions of infallibility, of temporal power and of a world in which gay marriage, abortion and the use of condoms remain outlawed. The Catholic Church stands on the brink of entropy, and no amount of confession can save it. It is beyond redemption. Or is it? In the wake of Benedict's departure, Pope Francis has emerged as a beacon of hope for downtrodden Catholics worldwide. Finally there's a leader who can reconcile the principles of the traditional church with the needs of young church-goers in search of a spiritual path: a man of humility, concerned for those in want and committed to promoting dialogue between faiths and cultures. Moreover, as Catholicism in the West declines, the numbers of the faithful have surged across Africa and Southeast Asia, which as the West slumps into economic decline, must give grounds for optimism. The Catholic Church has come through a hell of a lot worse over the centuries, and with a new captain at the helm it can surely weather the storm. Pope Francis can save it. Following last month's sell out debate on gun control, we're back for the latest in our series of monthly Versus debates with Google+. This time, the Catholic Church is in the dock. Combining the flair of Intelligence Squared debates with the innovative technology of Google+ Hangouts, we're bringing the world's best speakers to the fray, either hosting them on stage at the Sadler's Wells Lilian Baylis Studio in London or beaming them in from wherever they are in the world. And you'll be able to join us either at the venue or by tuning in on the Versus Google+ and Versus YouTube channels.