New papacy won't look too unusual, experts say

After Monday’s election of the 256th head of the Catholic Church, religious scholars and church officials said Pope Benedict XVI likely will remain faithful to traditional doctrine.

The College of Cardinals took just two days to elect Benedict XVI, whose real name is Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. He is the first German pope in almost a millennium, and at 78, he is the oldest elected pope in more than 200 years.

Teresa Berger, professor of theology at Duke Divinity School, said the election was quick because Ratzinger, one of former Pope John Paul II’s right-hand men, was the best-known cardinal in the conclave.

“He is really considered one of the most powerful cardinals in the Vatican,” Berger said. “He had a defining hand in the papacy of John Paul II.”

Along with being a trusted aide to the previous pope, who served in the Vatican for more than a quarter century, Ratzinger was head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, which oversees the protection of traditional church teachings.

But his life before he joined the priesthood and his conservative views — such as his condemnation of homosexuality and his stance against female priests — has some Catholics, especially in the United States, worried that his leadership will guide a more conservative church.

Some also have expressed concern that his background could hinder the church’s efforts to heal relations with the world’s Jewish community. In 1941, at the age of 14, Ratzinger was forced into joining the Hitler Youth and two years later was drafted into a Nazi aircraft unit. Ratzinger eventually deserted and in 1951 joined the priesthood.

Father Joe Vetter, campus minister at Duke’s Newman Catholic Student Center, said Jews already have reached out to the new pope.

“They recognized him as someone who has been respectful of their traditions,” Vetter said.

Also, Ratzinger’s conservative views on feminist interpretations of the Bible and religious pluralism have emerged as possible concerns.

But experts say Benedict is no more conservative than his predecessor. They note that he worked closely with John Paul II and shared many of his views, such as the admonishment of capital punishment and abortion and support for the oppressed.

“What you’ll see is a continuation of policies and the interpretation of doctrine that you saw with Pope John Paul II,” said David Hains, director of communications for the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte.

Frank Morock, spokesman for the Diocese of Raleigh, said that even though some Catholics in the United States expected a more liberal pope, Catholics worldwide accept Benedict’s relatively conservative views.

Hains said it is too early to determine the tone of Benedict’s papacy.

“He could really surprise us,” Hains said. “There are lots of precedents for that.”

Hains cited Pope John XXIII, who was believed to be a staunch conservative when he became the pontiff. But in 1962, he ordered the Second Vatican Council, which instituted the most widespread reforms in recent church history.

Still, Benedict’s adherence to many of John Paul II’s beliefs, along with his age, has prompted some to label him a “transitional” pope who would give the church time to contemplate John Paul’s legacy.

Morock rejected that thinking and said the “transitional” title is not valid.

“I’ve heard every person who becomes pope ends up putting their impression on the papacy.”

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.