Editing Pope Benedict XVI (section)

== Pre-papal career: 1951–2005 ==
=== Academic career: 1951–1977 ===
{{Theology of Pope Benedict XVI sidebar}}
{{Catholic philosophy}}

Ratzinger began as assistant pastor (curate) at the parish [[St. Martin, Moosach]], in Munich in 1951.<ref>{{cite news |first= Junno Arocho |last=Esteves |url=https://catholicreview.org/pope-congratulates-retired-pontiff-on-anniversary-of-priestly-ordination/ |title=The Turning Point |magazine=Catholic Review |date=29 June 2021 |access-date=27 January 2022 }}</ref> Ratzinger became a professor at the [[University of Bonn]] in 1959, with his inaugural lecture on "The God of Faith and the God of Philosophy". In 1963, he moved to the [[University of Münster]]. During this period, he participated in the [[Second Vatican Council]] (1962–1965) and served as a ''[[peritus]]'' (theological consultant) to [[Josef Frings|Cardinal Frings of Cologne]]. He was viewed during the time of the council as a reformer, cooperating with theologians like [[Hans Küng]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Hans Küng and Pope Benedict |url=http://www.noisiamochiesa.org/Archivio_NSC/attual/Allen.Kung.26.9.05.htm |publisher=noisiamochiesa.org |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref> and [[Edward Schillebeeckx]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Between Context and Christology: The Role of History in the Reconstruction of Christological Images |date=4 June 2021 |url=https://theo.kuleuven.be/apps/press/theologyresearchnews/2021/06/04/between-context-and-christology-the-role-of-history-in-the-reconstruction-of-christological-images/ |publisher=Theology Research News |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref> Ratzinger became an admirer of [[Karl Rahner]], a well-known academic theologian of the ''[[Nouvelle théologie]]'' and a proponent of Church reform.<ref>{{cite web |title=Retrieving Rahner for Orthodox Catholicism |url=https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/retrieving-rahner-for-orthodox-catholicism-10028 |publisher=EWTN |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref>

In 1966, Ratzinger was appointed to a chair in dogmatic theology at the [[University of Tübingen]], where he was a colleague of Hans Küng. In his 1968 book ''[[Introduction to Christianity]]'', he wrote that the pope has a duty to hear differing voices within the Church before making a decision, and he downplayed the centrality of the papacy. During this time, he distanced himself from the atmosphere of Tübingen and the [[Marxist]] leanings of the student movement of the 1960s that quickly radicalized, in the years 1967 and 1968, culminating in a series of disturbances and riots in April and May 1968. Ratzinger came increasingly to see these and associated developments (such as decreasing respect for authority among his students) as connected to a departure from traditional Catholic teachings.<ref name="sobene">{{cite news |first=David |last=Van Biema |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C1053658%2C00.html |title=The Turning Point |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=24 April 2005 |access-date=7 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111215042935/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1053658,00.html |archive-date=15 December 2011}}</ref> Despite his reformist bent, his views increasingly came to contrast with the liberal ideas gaining currency in theological circles.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Daniel J. |last1=Wakin |first2=Richard |last2=Bernstein |first3=Mark |last3=Landler |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/24/international/worldspecial2/24ratzinger.html?position=&incamp=article_popular_5&pagewanted=print&position= |title=Turbulence on Campus in 60's Hardened Views of Future Pope |work=The New York Times |date=24 April 2005 |access-date=8 June 2005 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416205557/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/24/international/worldspecial2/24ratzinger.html?position=&incamp=article_popular_5&pagewanted=print&position= |archive-date=16 April 2009}}</ref> He was invited by Rev. [[Theodore Hesburgh]] to join the theology faculty at the [[University of Notre Dame]], but declined on grounds that his English was not good enough.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hesburgh sought Ratzinger for spot on ND faculty|url=https://news.nd.edu/news/hesburgh-sought-ratzinger-for-spot-on-nd-faculty/|access-date=15 March 2021|website=Notre Dame News|date=19 April 2005 |language=en}}</ref>

Some voices, among them Küng, deemed this period in Ratzinger's life a turn towards conservatism, while Ratzinger himself said in a 1993 interview, "I see no break in my views as a theologian [over the years]".<ref>{{cite news |magazine=Time |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C979775-1%2C00.html |title=Keeper of the Straight and Narrow |last1=Ostling |first1=Richard N. |last2=Moody |first2=John |last3=Morris |first3=Nomi |date=6 December 1993 |access-date=10 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120823043007/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,979775-1,00.html |archive-date=23 August 2012}}</ref> Ratzinger continued to defend the work of the Second Vatican Council, including ''[[Nostra aetate]]'', the document on respect of other religions, [[ecumenism]], and the declaration of the right to [[freedom of religion]]. Later, as the [[Joseph Ratzinger as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith|Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith]], Ratzinger most clearly spelled out the Catholic Church's position on other religions in the 2000 document ''[[Dominus Iesus]]'' which also talks about the Catholic way to engage in "[[Catholic Church and ecumenism|ecumenical]] dialogue". During his time at Tübingen University, Ratzinger published articles in the reformist theological journal ''[[Concilium (journal)|Concilium]]'', though he increasingly chose less reformist themes than other contributors such as Küng and Schillebeeckx.<ref>{{cite web |title=Really? |date=23 January 2006 |url=https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/really |publisher=Commonweal |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref>

In 1969, Ratzinger returned to [[Bavaria]], to the [[University of Regensburg]] and co-founded the theological journal ''[[Communio]]'', with [[Hans Urs von Balthasar]], [[Henri de Lubac]], [[Walter Kasper]], and others, in 1972. ''Communio'', now published in seventeen languages, including German, English, and Spanish, has become a prominent journal of contemporary Catholic theological thought. Until he was elected pope, he remained one of the journal's most prolific contributors. In 1976, he suggested that the [[Augsburg Confession]] might be recognised as a Catholic statement of faith.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Dulles, s.j.|first=Avery|date=October 1983 |title=The Catholicity of the Augsburg Confession|journal=The Journal of Religion|volume=63|issue=4|pages=337–354|doi=10.1086/487060|author-link=Avery Dulles|jstor=1203403|s2cid=170148693 |issn=0022-4189}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last1 = Fahlbusch | first1 = Erwin|first2=Geoffrey William |last2= Bromiley |first3=David B. |last3= Barrett | chapter=Evangelical Catholicity|title = The Encyclopedia of Christianity | publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |location = Grand Rapids | year = 1999 | isbn = 90-04-11695-8}}</ref> Several of Benedict's former students became his confidantes, notably [[Christoph Schönborn]], and a number of his former students sometimes meet for discussions.<ref name="zenit1">{{cite web |url=http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/cardinal-schonborn-explains-what-ratzinger-students-will-discuss |title=Cardinal Schönborn Explains What Ratzinger Students Will Discuss  |work=ZENIT |date=30 August 2012 |access-date=20 February 2013}}</ref><ref name="catholicherald1">{{cite web |last=Alexander |first=Fr |url=http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2012/08/31/ecumenism-is-of-primary-importance-to-the-pope-says-cardinal-schonborn/ |title=Ecumenism is of 'primary importance' to the Pope, says Cardinal Schönborn |work=Catholic Herald |date=31 August 2012 |access-date=20 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130430193631/http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2012/08/31/ecumenism-is-of-primary-importance-to-the-pope-says-cardinal-schonborn/ |archive-date=30 April 2013 }}</ref> He served as vice-president of the University of Regensburg from 1976 to 1977.<ref>{{cite web|agency=CNS |url=http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/2005/04/21/theologians/ |title=Pope Benedict One of Most Respected Theologians |publisher=Georgia Bulletin |access-date=17 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904043608/http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/2005/04/21/theologians/ |archive-date=4 September 2011}}</ref> On 26 May 1976, he was appointed a [[Prelate of Honour of His Holiness]].<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-68-1976-ocr.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-68-1976-ocr.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live|title=Segretaria di Stato  |trans-title=Secretariat of State |journal=Acta Apostolicae Sedis – Commentarium Officiale |department=Diarium Romanae Curiae |date=30 September 1976|volume=LXVIII |issue=9 |page=589 |language=it |access-date=9 July 2022}}</ref>

=== Archbishop of Munich and Freising: 1977&ndash;1982 ===
[[File:Palais Holnstein Munich.JPG|thumb|upright=1.1|right|[[Holnstein Palace|Palais Holnstein]] in Munich, the residence of Benedict as [[Archbishop of Munich and Freising]]]]

On 24 March 1977, Ratzinger was appointed [[Archbishop of Munich and Freising]], and was ordained a [[Bishops in the Catholic Church|bishop]] on 28 May. He took as his episcopal motto {{lang|la|Cooperatores veritatis}} ([[Latin]] for 'cooperators of the truth'),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/biography/documents/hf_ben-xvi_bio_20050419_short-biography.html |title=Biography of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI |date=19 April 2005 |website=The Holy See |publisher=Libreria Editrice Vaticana |access-date=21 July 2019 |archive-date=21 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190721194136/http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/biography/documents/hf_ben-xvi_bio_20050419_short-biography.html }}</ref> from the [[Third Epistle of John]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.osservatoreromano.va/en/news/2021-11/ing-047/to-be-cooperatores-veritatis.html |title=To be 'cooperatores veritatis' |work=L'Osservatore Romano |date=19 November 2021 |access-date=28 December 2022}}</ref> a choice on which he commented in his autobiographical work ''Milestones''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Milestones: Memoirs 1927–1977 |url=https://archive.org/details/milestonesmemoir00ratz/page/153 | url-access=registration |page=153 | publisher=Ignatius Press| year=1998 |isbn=978-0-89870-702-1 |last=Ratzinger |first=Joseph Cardinal |translator-last=Leiva-Merikakis |translator-first=Erasmo}}</ref>

In the consistory of 27 June 1977, he was named Cardinal Priest of [[Santa Maria Consolatrice al Tiburtino]] by [[Pope Paul&nbsp;VI]]. By the time of the [[2005 conclave]], he was one of only fourteen remaining cardinals appointed by Paul{{nbsp}}VI, and one of only three of those under the age of 80. Of these, only he and [[William Wakefield Baum]] took part in the conclave.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0502405.htm |publisher=Catholic News Service |first1=John |last1=Thavis |first2=Cindy |last2=Wooden |title=Cardinal Ratzinger, guardian of church doctrine, elected 265th pope |date=19 April 2005 |access-date=17 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110907074836/http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0502405.htm |archive-date=7 September 2011}}</ref>

=== Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: 1981–2005 ===
{{Main|Joseph Ratzinger as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith}}

On 25 November 1981, Pope John Paul{{nbsp}}II, upon the retirement of [[Franjo Šeper]], named Ratzinger as the Prefect of the [[Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith]], formerly known as the "Sacred Congregation of the [[Holy Office]]", the historical [[Roman Inquisition]]. Consequently, he resigned from his post in Munich in early 1982. He was promoted within the College of Cardinals to become [[Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni]] in 1993 and was made the college's vice-dean in 1998 and [[Dean of the College of Cardinals|dean]] in 2002. Just a year after its foundation in 1990, Ratzinger joined the [[European Academy of Sciences and Arts]] in Salzburg.<ref>[http://www.theology.de/theologie/theologen/papstbenediktxvi.php theology] → Biography Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger / Pope Benedict XVI → Mitgliedschaften → EuropAcad → 1991</ref><ref>[http://www.abitur-werne.de/english/religion/bio-pope-benedict.html Biography of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger / Pope Benedict XVI] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304114500/http://www.abitur-werne.de/english/religion/bio-pope-benedict.html |date=4 March 2016}} → Mitgliedschaften → EuropAcad → 1991</ref>

[[File:Ratzinger-Rom88.JPG|thumb|left|upright|Cardinal Ratzinger in Rome, 1988]]
Ratzinger defended and reaffirmed Catholic doctrine, including teaching on topics such as [[birth control]], homosexuality, and inter-religious dialogue. The theologian [[Leonardo Boff]], for example, was suspended, while others such as [[Matthew Fox (priest)|Matthew Fox]] were censured. Other issues also prompted condemnations or revocations of rights to teach: for instance, some posthumous writings of [[Jesuit]] priest [[Anthony de Mello (Jesuit priest)|Anthony de Mello]] were the subject of a [[Notification (Holy See)|notification]]. Ratzinger and the congregation viewed many of them, particularly the later works, as having an element of [[religious indifferentism]] (in other words, that Christ was "one master alongside others"). In particular, ''Dominus Iesus'', published by the congregation in the jubilee year 2000, reaffirmed many recently "unpopular" ideas, including the Catholic Church's position that "salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." The document angered many Protestant churches by claiming that they are not churches, but "ecclesial communities".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html|title=Dominus Iesus|website=vatican.va}}</ref>

Ratzinger's 2001 letter ''{{lang|la|[[De delictis gravioribus]]}}'' clarified the confidentiality of internal church investigations, as defined in the 1962 document ''[[Crimen sollicitationis]]'', into accusations made against priests of certain crimes, including [[sexual abuse]]. This became a subject of controversy during the [[Catholic Church sexual abuse cases|sex abuse cases]].<ref name="observer-2001-let">{{cite news | first=Jamie | last=Doward | url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1469055,00.html | title=Pope 'obstructed' sex abuse inquiry |work=The Observer |location=London | date=24 April 2005 |access-date=14 July 2007|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111031044043/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/apr/24/children.childprotection|archive-date=31 October 2011}}</ref> For 20 years, Ratzinger had been the man in charge of enforcing the document.<ref name="BBC2006Doc">''[[Sex Crimes and the Vatican]]'' ([http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/5402928.stm Quotation from an October 2006 BBC documentary]):
{{blockquote
| "The man in charge of enforcing it for 20 years was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the man made Pope last year. In 2001 he created the successor to the decree."
}}</ref>

While bishops hold the secrecy pertained only internally, and did not preclude investigation by civil law enforcement, the letter was often seen as promoting a coverup.<ref>{{cite news|title=UK Bishops Angered by BBC Attack on Pope |date=2 October 2006 |access-date=14 April 2008 |url=http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=71831 |agency=Catholic News Agency |publisher=Eternal Word Television Network |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128181538/http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=71831 |archive-date=28 January 2011}}</ref> Later, as pope, he was accused in a lawsuit of conspiring to cover up the molestation of three boys in [[Texas]], but sought and obtained [[diplomatic immunity]] from liability.<ref>[https://www.smh.com.au/news/world/pope-seeks-immunity-over-sex-abuse-suit/2005/08/17/1123958097061.html "Pope seeks immunity in Texas abuse case"], ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]'' 17 August 2005. Retrieved 8 October 2011 [https://web.archive.org/web/20111001054349/http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/pope-seeks-immunity-over-sex-abuse-suit/2005/08/17/1123958097061.html WebCitation archive]</ref>

On 12 March 1983, Ratzinger, as prefect, notified the lay faithful and the clergy that Archbishop [[Pierre Martin Ngô Đình Thục]] had incurred [[excommunication]] ''[[latae sententiae]]'' for [[valid but illicit|illicit]] episcopal consecrations without the apostolic mandate. It is reported that in 1997, when he turned 70, Ratzinger asked Pope John Paul{{nbsp}}II for permission to leave the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith and to become instead the head of the [[Vatican Secret Archives]] and of the [[Vatican Library]], but John Paul refused his assent.<ref>Caldwell, Simon [https://web.archive.org/web/20130212082125/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/the-pope/7928493/Pope-Benedict-wanted-to-be-a-librarian.html "Pope Benedict wanted to be a librarian"] ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', 5 August 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2011 [https://web.archive.org/web/20130212082125/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/the-pope/7928493/Pope-Benedict-wanted-to-be-a-librarian.html WebCitation archive]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=7114|title=Cardinal Ratzinger asked to resign in 1997, become Vatican librarian &#124; News Headlines|website=catholicculture.org}}</ref>

Ratzinger engaged in [[Jürgen Habermas#XVI|a dialogue with critical theorist Jürgen Habermas]] in 2004, published three years later by [[Ignatius Press]].<ref>{{Cite book |author1=Benedict XVI |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ERzoAPsS9usC&q=the+Dialectics+of+Secularization&pg=PP1 |title=Dialectics of Secularization: On Reason and Religion |last2=Habermas |first2=Jürgen |date=2006 |publisher=Ignatius Press |isbn=978-1-58617-166-7 |language=en}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=January 2023}}