John L. Allen Jr.

January 6, 2006

Benedict XVI is a man of his word; First encyclical nears release; John Paul II's Marian spirituality; Conclave campaigning; A letter from the Neocatechumenal Way

Benedict's oft-cited dictum that Christianity is destined to be a "creative minority," concluding that it doesn't matter whether the pope reaches the masses, as long as he's shaping a future generation with a strong sense of Catholic identity and passion. Certainly the size and enthusiasm of turnout in St. Peter's Square so far, and in Cologne in August for World Youth Day, suggest that one should not underestimate that potential.

Yet the "creative" part of Benedict's formula is at least as important to him as the "minority." He wants a church with an impact on the culture, one that radiates joy and conviction, and thereby points the way to a different future. In other words, he wants a church the world takes seriously.

Benedict's gamble seems to be that, for all its superficiality, the post-modern world will still respond to the force of unadorned argument -- at least enough of the world to make a difference. For all those who take the pope for an Augustinian pessimist, it's actually a rather hopeful stance. Whether he's right -- and whether his particular arguments are winning ones -- will shape the drama of his papacy...

For more on B16 & "creative minorities" go here.