A book review from The Movie Snob

Benedict XVI: The Man Who Was Ratzinger, by Michael S. Rose (Spence Publishing 2005). This slim volume (155 pages or so) is a short survey of Pope Benedict XVI’s career as a cleric with an eye to predicting the direction of his papacy. In so small a space, obviously only a few issues can be covered, but Rose’s coverage of those issues is interesting nonetheless. For example, he discusses Cardinal Ratzinger’s disagreement with Pope John Paul II over the mechanics of the 1986 interfaith meeting in Assisi, Italy, at which many Catholic churches were turned over to non-Christian religions for their own religious ceremonies, and perhaps broader disagreement over ecumenism generally. Rose also debunks the popular myth that, as a cardinal, Pope Benedict XVI vigorously and unfairly persecuted dissenting Catholic theologians; the portrait that emerges is one of restraint, patience, and concern that due process be afforded anyone accused of teaching non-Catholic views under the guise of Catholicism. The Pope's take on the sex-abuse scandals in America and the rise of radical Islam are briefly noted. On the whole, Rose leaves no doubt that Pope Benedict is not likely to introduce the innovations most agitated for by progressive quasi-Catholics in this country or abroad. A good, quick introduction to the thought of the new Pope.