Breaking. No name yet.
UPDATE (which I’m correcting on the fly): It’s Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, 78 years old, reportedly now Pope Benedict XVI, one of the few cardinals appointed before the papacy of John Paul II. Ratzinger is considered, in common parlance, a “conservative” on matters of Church doctrine. He’s the 265th pope, and – I believe – the first German. [Correction: first in a very, very long time; this article on papal names says the first German pope was in 996]
MORE: Sam Ser in the Jerusalem Post on Ratzinger’s time in the Hitler Youth (membership was compulsory – the Nazis, you will recall, were big fans of compulsion – but Ratzinger was exempted from activities due to his religious studies) and his years in Nazi Germany (he lived under Nazi rule from age 6 to 18, and only becoming a priest saved him from induction into the SS). All of which may make the timing of this unfortunate.
8 thoughts on “RELIGION: New Pope”
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F the 9th Circuit. And Benedict fled the HY when he could.
Is Vatican Bank a private company, or more like the US Federal Reserve? The Vatican is an independent nation (there is a US ambassador); I don’t see how you can sue a sovereign nation unless they let you.
I left the Catholic church a long time ago, and have no plans to return, but I was curious what direction it would take in naming a new Pope.
I was hoping for a more progressive choice. A Latin American or African selection would have been nice, as well as perhaps someone leaning to the left to address certain issues like contraception, women preists, etc.
Oh well, looks like we’re turning back the clock instead…
Ironically, many of the Third World candidates, esp. the Africans, are the least sensitive to American obsessions like women/married priests.
Ironically, many of the Third World candidates, esp. the Africans, are the least sensitive to American obsessions like women/married priests.
That’s my understanding too. It’s the Africans in the Anglican Church who are standing firm against gay priests. They are foregoing big sums in order to hold firm to the orthodox teaching.
The more organized religion blows with the times the less appeal it has to the more fervent adherents, who are the core, the backbone of religion. Without these people the Church has no life and no converts. It seems counter-intuitive to change to suit those who are probably gone for good anyway.
The most dynamic churches in Christianity are the evangelical Protestant churches from the American heartland. Winning converts in the US, Russia, Korea, Africa and, especially, Latin America.
I believe Benedict XVI recognizes this and rose to the papacy on the strenght of his commitment to re-evangelization of W. Europe & N. America.
I left the Catholic church a long time ago, and have no plans to return, but I was curious what direction it would take in naming a new Pope—Mr. Furious
Why does it matter to you what sort of Pope we have if you’ve left the Church?
Why is it that some people feel the church should change to include their beliefs, instead changing themselves to uphold the church’s beliefs?
Oh well, looks like we’re turning back the clock instead…
Another common idiotic statement. The Catholic church has been around for over 2000 years and it really hasn’t changed. How is continuing to uphold current doctrine turning back the clock?
Some people won’t be happy with Catholicism until it gets a Pope named John Paul George and Ringo.
As far as I can see “progressives” want a Pope who pretty much shares the faith and morals of Keith Richards….
re: we have a pope
actually it should be in greek since technically the pope’s election had to be ratified by the Emperor of Rome, who usually resided in Constantinople until 1453.
The fiction that Charlemagne or anyone else is the Emperor of the West or the Emperor of Rome was invented by the Pope in 800 ad because Irene, a woman, was sitting on the throne at the time.
–art kyriazis
–philly