tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14247942.post113902042958736988..comments2023-08-10T05:32:21.163-04:00Comments on An Examined Life: I'm Shocked--Shocked!--to Find Love Being Praised Here!Vitae Scrutatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12808120163472036743noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14247942.post-1139117840220333282006-02-05T00:37:00.000-05:002006-02-05T00:37:00.000-05:00As I had mentioned in discussion with other RFCers...As I had mentioned in discussion with other RFCers, there are two strains of interpretation of <I>Deus Caritas Est</I> that I am very uneasy with, the first contrasting the "kindler, gentler" Benedict with the "bad cop" Prefect of the CDF. <BR/><BR/>Rocco Palmo does this a bit on his blog -- On one hand, it's legitimate to understand the CDF as a restrained role in which, of course, only one side of the Cardinal was revealed to the public (not so for those who read his texts, especially his devotional works). <BR/><BR/>On the other hand, I think it's a mistake to take this comparison of pre/post 2005 Joseph Ratzinger to the extreme, as if to suggest that the 'new' Benedict is a repudiation of the old. Küng pursues this route to the extent that he requested that "Joseph Ratzinger would be a great pope if he were to draw from these true and important words on love [in <I>Deus Caritas Est</I>] the courageous consequences for church structures and canon law," asking Benedict to heed his personal agenda for the reform of the Church. <BR/><BR/>The other strain of interpretation, which Crittendon exemplifies, is the placing of Benedict's pontificate in opposition to Pope John Paul II. On his blog Palmo joined Crittendon in pronouncing the end<BR/>of John Paul II's "theology of the body," noting its absence from the encyclical. (But was it truly <I>absent</I>? -- reading the encyclical made me think of it as well).<BR/><BR/>Of course there are key differences in thought, tone and style between Benedict and his predecessor, but I would view them -- as you did -- as being complimentary rather than in conflict. <BR/><BR/>p.s. Thanks for the link!Christopher Blosserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08385159494196923575noreply@blogger.com