The Rise of Benedict XVI: The Inside Story of How the Pope was Elected and Where He Will Take the Catholic Church [Hardcover]

John L. Allen Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 7, 2005

From the author of Conclave and All the Pope’s Men comes the story of Pope John Paul II’s last days, the behind-the-scenes dynamics within the College of Cardinals that led to the choice of Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI, and where the new pope is likely to lead the Catholic Church.

On April 18, 2005, the College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church gathered to elect a successor to Pope John Paul II. Faced with several potential candidates, the cardinals made a bold choice, entrusting the Keys of the Kingdom to 78-year-old Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, a man whose views on the challenges facing the Church and the broader culture could not be more unambiguous, or controversial.

Questions arose as the world watched while Ratzinger was installed as Pope Benedict XVI, the 266th pontiff of the Catholic Church. Why Ratzinger? Why someone so clearly identified with the previous pope? Why not a “compromise” choice? Why a Cardinal from Western Europe and not from Africa or Latin America? What would this mean for the future of the Catholic Church?

No one can tell the story of exactly what took place during the closed doors meeting, known as the conclave, when Cardinals from around the world cast their votes for the next pope, better than John L. Allen, Jr. As a correspondent for National Catholic Reporter and a Vatican analyst for CNN and National Public Radio, Allen has spent years covering Vatican politics and personalities, and his unique access to Roman halls of power has enabled him to write the ultimate behind-the-scenes account of the election of Pope Benedict XVI. The Rise of Benedict XVI is based on extensive research and exclusive interviews with eight cardinals representing five nationalities, guaranteeing readers an intimate glimpse into this monumental decision.

But Allen’s insight also means that he is in a unique position to evaluate the accomplishments and legacy of the man now known as Pope Benedict XVI, and to provide some analysis of the direction he will take the Catholic Church in the coming years. Ratzinger’s long career as a major Vatican insider, force of influence, and occasionally polarizing figure, has ensured that his pontificate will be one of the most fascinating in the history of the Catholic Church. Benedict XVI will certainly have a major impact on the lives of the faithful around the world, and John Allen’s riveting new book is the definitive work on this turning point in history.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When Pope Benedict XVI walked onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on April 19, it was the first time that many people had ever heard of him. But for the last 24 years, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany was a celebrity in Catholic circles, widely known for his intellectual prowess and his role as the Vatican's notorious defender of the faith. Allen's book seeks to fill in the blanks about the man known in the media as "God's rottweiler," revealing a person who cannot be summarized in a catchphrase. But this book isn't just an examination of the new pope's Christian principles; it is also a glimpse into the inner machinations of the Vatican, which Allen covers for the National Catholic Reporter and from time to time on CNN. Drawing on his many sources—including eight cardinals who participated in the conclave that elected Pope Benedict—Allen gives a play-by-play assessment of how the pope was chosen and what he might have in store for the church's 1.1 billion followers. Readers who want a cloak-and-dagger political whodunit should look elsewhere. Allen's book is much smarter than that; it's a rich and thoughtful analysis of the present-day Catholic Church and its complex new spiritual leader. (June 7)
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Review

Praise for John L. Allen, Jr.’s, Conclave

“An invaluable primer . . . highly informative.” —Washington Post

“Definitely a winner.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune

“It’s surprising how much you learn from this book . . . [Allen] explain[s] the process in an engaging way, and offers history, context and his own list of front-runners.” —Arizona Republic

Praise for John L. Allen, Jr.’s, All the Pope’s Men

“[A] superb book” —Chicago Sun-Times

“The National Catholic Reporter’s Vatican correspondent John L. Allen, Jr., unpacks several popular myths as well as the psychology, sociology, and theology that inform the Holy See’s worldview. But All the Pope’s Men is not a polemic. It’s a patient look at Vatican ways of thinking and acting.” —San Antonio Express-News

“An exceedingly valuable book.” —Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, First Things

“By turns enlightening and highly amusing, the book deserves a wide readership.”
—America

“ . . . this dispassionate book is the best written about the Vatican in a long time and belongs on the desk of every editor and religion writer in the English-speaking world.”
—Andrew Greeley, National Catholic Reporter

“An informative and readable look at Vatican structures, policies, and personalities . . . filled with useful data and engaging anecdotes.” —Crisis Magazine

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 249 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday Religion; 1st edition (June 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385513208
• ISBN-13: 978-0385513203
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,285,200 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

JOHN L. ALLEN, Jr., is the Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter and a Vatican analyst for CNBN and National Public Radio. He is the author of Conclave, All the Pope's Men, and Opus Dei, and writes the weekly Internet column, 'The Word from Rome.' He lives in New York City and Rome.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Allen shows again why he's so respected, August 1, 2005

By 

Andrew S. Rogers (Stamford, Connecticut) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Rise of Benedict XVI: The Inside Story of How the Pope was Elected and Where He Will Take the Catholic Church (Hardcover)

There's this thing called the "historian's fallacy," wherein anything that happens can be seen, retrospectively, as having been inevitable. And on one reading of John L. Allen's "The Rise of Benedict XVI," you'd be able to make a case that the election of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger to the papacy was pretty much inevitable. But it's to Allen's credit as a journalist that he doesn't succumb to the "historian's fallacy." In fact, I think he makes a good case that Ratzinger's election was not only not inevitable, but in some ways even more revolutionary than the election of Karol Wojtyla in 1978.

Prior to the 2005 conclave, conventional wisdom made Ratzinger's election look pretty unlikely. One "what's going to happen at the next conclave" book by a well-known writer on Catholic topics even said flat out, "Although Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger ... is a highly regarded theologian and intellectual, he is one of the least likely to be elected pope."

What made Ratzinger's election happen -- and the discussion of which makes this such an interesting book -- is what Allen calls "the funeral effect." Although leaders of the Roman Catholic Church knew Pope John Paul II was popular, it wasn't until they saw first-hand the world's response to his death that they realized the transforming effect he had on the Church's position in the world. Conventional wisdom said that the College of Cardinals would probably select a quiet, pastoral type with solid administrative skills to allow the Church some "breathing room" to process and assess the legacy of John Paul. But "the funeral effect" made it clear that the Church -- and the pope in particular -- now had a spot on the world stage that could not be filled by a largely unknown "smiling pope" like John Paul I. Only one man seemed to have the stature, the intellect, and the personality to fill, not only the shoes of the fisherman, but also the shoes of John Paul the Great: Joseph Ratzinger.

All this is fascinating enough. But Allen's journalistic narrative-cum-biography does something very important -- something that I think makes this book itself very important. Joseph Ratzinger's reputation prior to his elevation wasn't the most positive in the American church. Nicknames like "God's rottweiler" were common. And although he barely mentions it in this book, Allen himself may bear some of the responsibility for this because of his scathing 1999 biography "Cardinal Ratzinger: The Vatican's Enforcer of the Faith" (a book from which Allen himself has since backed away).

Allen here does an important service in showing that Benedict XVI is not in the least like his "enforcer" reputation -- a fact recognized by his brother cardinals when they elected him. According to cardinals Allen interviewed both before and after the conclave, Ratzinger is in fact a kind, thoughtful, even playful man who has a reputation for listening closely to those with whom he disagrees and conceding their arguments when he finds them to have merit. He is unwavering in his commitment to the truth, and believes there is no kindness or love in trimming or moderating the truth for those who may not want to hear it. But the image of him as a Vatican mafioso out to crack kneecaps just doesn't stand up to the testimony of those who know him.

This is not a perfect book. For one thing, I hate hate hate that it doesn't have an index, nor any footnotes or other citations to differentiate his own interviews from information from other sources. And while Allen's portrait of the pope does include some of his warts, the tone of this book is so different from that of the author's earlier look at the man, I wish he would have included more discussion about why his opinion changed. I'm afraid Ratzinger's persistent critics will find it too easy to accuse Allen of "sucking up" to power. (I would find that accusation nonsense, myself, but I can imagine it being made.)

On the whole, Allen paints a positive portrait of the new pontiff, and gives people inclined to like the man and willing to give him a chance many hopes for a great and important pontificate. Indeed, as Allen writes on pp. 179-180, "The great contribution of John Paul II, some confidants of Benedict XVI believe, was that he created such enormous interest in the papacy that the world will now be paying attention when Pope Benedict speaks. As one Belgian monsignor recently put the point, 'John Paul invited everyone to the feast, and now it's up to Benedict to cook the meal.'"

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Instant history but well done, June 23, 2005

By 

Martha H. Fitzgerald (Shreveport LA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Rise of Benedict XVI: The Inside Story of How the Pope was Elected and Where He Will Take the Catholic Church (Hardcover)

I found this book surprisingly satisfying for being "instant history" -- in print less than two months after the conclave selecting Pope Benedect XVI. John Allen does present an insider view in the sense of someone who covers the Vatican, knows the players and the issues. I wasn't left wanting for much, except perhaps more about Benedict's views on the decline of vocations and the corresponding rise in lay leadership as deacons and ecclesial ministers. My curiosity about his views on women sent me to the last chapter early. The only chapter a bit difficult for the nontheologian was "Battling a `Dictatorship of Relativism,'" but it is worth rereading passages to fully understand our new pope's world view. On the whole I think Allen succeeded in presenting a balanced view of recent historical events and of the new pope. I have a greater appreciation for the former Cardinal Ratzinger's gifts and his potential to grow into an entirely new role. I'm sure I will pick up this book often in months and years to come to help me understand the context of new developments in the church.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine Writing, Delivers On Its Premise, September 15, 2005

By 

Notnadia (Currently upstairs.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rise of Benedict XVI: The Inside Story of How the Pope was Elected and Where He Will Take the Catholic Church (Hardcover)

John Allen, author of Conclave, another book on Roman Catholicism's governing traditions, delivers this fine study of the recent transition from the sad last days of Pope John Paul II, to the nascent reign of one of the most intellectually-bright and morally intractable men ever to occupy the Holy See: Pope Benedict XVI.

Allen's work is partly a biography of Joseph Ratzinger's life up to his elevation to the Papacy last spring, and part study of the workings of the modern Church. Allen discusses at length the politics that put a conservative German Cardinal into religion's highest office, and also presents an educated guess at how the Pontificate of Benedict XVI might unfold. I think the most telling foreshadowing of what this man might concentrate on in his reign is detailed on page 174 of the hardcover edition in a chapter entitled, "The Gravest Problem Of Our Time". This crisis, according to Pope Benedict, is "relativism" a view common in the modern west and which has brought about unwavering criticism from Ratzinger as a priest, Cardinal and now as Pope. Basically Benedict argues that truth and morals, having being crafted by God and defined by Jesus, are neither mutable nor subject to the varying interpretations of humankind in each and every age. Benedict is deeply troubled by the popularity of the concept that each human must decide on personal morals, rather than trusting in the morality pre-defined by the Church, that steadfast custodian of Christ's teachings. Given the extent to which Ratzinger has made this much-debated question--humanism versus faith--a focus in his life, I believe we may safely expect him to make this a foremost issue in his time as head of the Church, and suspect he will soon author an encyclical that calls upon the faithful to search their consciences and find the answer to whether it is doctrine or individual conviction that should guide lifelong conduct.

The years of Benedict's Papacy should be interesting times and I found Allen's look ahead every bit as significant in this book as his many discussions of what has already passed.