Pope Smooth Talker?

While the historical importance of the election of new Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger of Germany) may not be great enough for people to remember where they were when they first heard the news (ala the Kennedy Assasination or Sept 11), I know I'll always remember how I first heard.

I was in Theology Hall at Queen's University, intending to do some studying for my upcoming exams. I dropped in to see Richard Ascough (a professor of mine) and thank him for writing a letter of recommendation for me to the Theological Fellowship which I got (see previous post). We were chatting amiably when suddenly we are startled by a howl of protest from next door: "Not Ratzinger!"

Another professor had been watching the video feed on his computer, and seen everyone's favourite scary-eyed conservative Catholic German emerge onto the Balcony. Needless to say, he was not impressed.

Prof. Ascough looked unsurprised, and proceeded to tell me how he thought this was actually a good thing, since the new Pope Benedict's conservative policies may force the theological comflict between he less numerous, but richer and more liberal North American Catholics with the numerous conservative Catholics in South America and Africa. He quite cheerfully said "This could be the start of the next Reformation."

When I left his office, I found little worried knots of theologians discussing the news. It was v. amusing.

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From what I can tell, though, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is nothing to laugh about. As the CBC biography on him so dryly puts it, when he was 14 in 1941, he was "required by law to join the Hitler Youth." I mean, he seemed to have no love for the Nazi forces -- he deserted the army in 1945 -- but that could simply be because they were losing at that point. Also, for the last 24 years he's been "prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith", which doesn't sound too scary until you remember the name it used to go by until 1908: the Holy Office of the Inquisition.

Holy Crap.

Of course, I could be jumping to conclusions. He could turn out to be a sweet old man who wants nothing more than for everyone to hold hands and sing "Kumbaya". Or, he could be an arch-conservative who will tear the church apart. Only time will tell.

One last thought: My cursory knowledge of Latin tells me that "Benedict" means something like "Good Speech" (bene + dictus). I find that higly ironic, considering this is the man who's been slowly dismantling the forward-looking precepts of Vatican II for years. Also, considering his predecessor was the one known as "The Great Communicator".