Yes, he's been a flawed leader. But the departing pope was a champion of future technologies and the possibilities they offer humanity.

Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI Wikimedia Commons


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Pope Benedict XVI is stepping down at the end of this month, the first pontiff to willingly leave his post in more than six centuries. His decision sent shock waves through the Catholic community Monday, in no small part because this just isn’t done. Popes die in office, they don’t step aside. But the former Joseph Ratzinger, 85, said he is leaving because “I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise” of papal duties.

Vatican leadership will now mobilize to elect a new Pope, in one of the oldest and most secretive processes in western civilization. They will have to replace a man who has shown an impressive--especially in terms of Catholic leadership--grasp of the possibilities science, technology and the future can offer us. And no, it’s not because he looks a lot like Emperor Palpatine. [Excuse me while I make the sign of the cross]

Click through our slideshow to see how Benedict XVI embraced science and technology during his eight-year papacy.

7 Comments

Don't forget supporter of alter boy scandal cover ups!

Ms. Boyle - it wouldn't hurt you to show some respect for the current leader of this large Christian denomination. I'm not a member of this group, but still, I think we should show some respect. Why go out of your way to offend?

Second - isn't PopSci a science-oriented magazine and blog? What qualifies any of us to be making these kinds of comments about religious leaders?

i guess his alter boys grew up and he had no reason to stay... no seriously, im sorry. he heard kmart had little boys pants half off.
seriously what kind of people with critical thinking skills could believe that bs anyway?

Don't forget he was Hitler youth

y'know I think that 'controversial' or even 'often criticized' would have been a better choice than 'flawed' .

But, I forget that PopSci has decided that it has infallibility.

http://youtu.be/fHRDfut2Vx0



June 2013: American Energy Independence

Five amazing, clean technologies that will set us free, in this month's energy-focused issue. Also: how to build a better bomb detector, the robotic toys that are raising your children, a human catapult, the world's smallest arcade, and much more.


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