So yesterday he totally surprises everyone, except for the chosen few in Vatican circles, by this intent to resign or abdicate. Now this is something that a pope did not do since the 1400's. It just proves that there are surprises now and then.
In his own way, Pope Benedict XVI caused a possible revolution in the Catholic Church: he re-set a precedent that a pope could resign, whether it be because he was physically or otherwise impaired, or he didn't have his heart in the job, or whatever. Now it's not a good idea for positions of awesome influence and responsibility being filled by ancients; but this was a trap that the Catholic Church had been in. Consider this: If they elect only old guys as pope, and a pope is elected for life, then it's a certainty that some part of many papalships will have a guy in it that's too old for the job.
This is a big, first step. What next?
Term limits for popes?
A woman being elected pope?
A vice-pope in addition to a pope?
These are interesting times.
He was just ducking a lot of blame for the mess in the church.
ReplyDeleteI hope some good comes out of this in the form of a pope that is more in touch with the real world.
ReplyDeleteA woman for Pope? I think you're asking the Roman Catholic church for way too much. Maybe in another thousand years or more.
ReplyDeleteAnything is possible.
ReplyDeleteDuck makes a good point. Benedict was a brilliant theological scholar, but - as we see in all religious traditions - a complete knowledge of every aspect of the religious texts doesn't necessarily help develop an understanding of the problems and issues of Real People trying to survive an imperfect world. I think we need another John XXIII, but I'm not sure there's one out there.
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