Sometimes I dream of writing a book explaining Christianity for complete outsiders. I would write it without using any of the traditional jargon that can be a stumbling block to understanding a message that is meant to be for all. It would also help insiders who have been brought up on a jargon that has…

For all his towering theological acumen, Joseph Ratzinger was a very practical man. When asked by a Bavarian journalist in 1991 whether it was the Holy Spirit who chooses the pope, the then-Cardinal Ratzinger gave a down-to-earth answer: If electors heed the Spirit’s voice in such a way during any particular conclave, they will weigh…