Most Ball State students witnessed for the first time Tuesday the election of a Roman Catholic pope. However, they should not expect to see any dramatic changes in the Catholic Church as Joseph Ratzinger begins his reign, a religious studies instructor said.
"Any Ball State student under 30 years old never witnessed this before, so it's kind of a grand thing," James Barton, instructor of religious studies, said. "His ordination as pope will be a grand thing for people to see."
German Cardinal Ratzinger, also called Benedict XVI, was named the 265th pontiff in St. Peter's Square Tuesday. Ratzinger, who turned 78 on Saturday, once served as the archbishop of Munich, Germany, and served as John Paul II's chief theological adviser for 20 years.
Deemed a conservative like Pope John Paul II, Ratzinger will likely move the Catholic Church in the direction Pope John Paul II intended for it to go when he began his reign in 1978, Barton said.
"He won't make any radical changes," Barton said. "He will stay the course that they've been on, which is a conservative church, non-changing."
Ratzinger has avidly cracked down on religious pluralism and liberation theology and challenged issues such as homosexuality and women's ordination. His conservative ideas should not strongly influence the lives of Americans, however, said senior Tom Steiner, president of Ball State's Catholic Student Union.
"I don't think his conservatism will be a problem because obviously in America and Europe we're more secular," Steiner said. "But I think the church is more than a United States or European organization. It's an international organization, and I don't think the rest of the world has a problem with conservatism."
Although some people believe Ratzinger is too old to be pope, especially when Pope John Paul II assumed the position at age 58, his age has no bearing on what he is capable of accomplishing, Steiner said.
"I just don't think you being young or being old has a dramatic impact on how you are spiritually or your leadership capabilities," he said. "If the cardinals are willing to elect him, then regardless of his age, he will be a good leader of the church."
Ratzinger's greatest challenge is to improve the image of the Catholic Church following the widely publicized sex-abuse scandals, especially those in the United States, Barton said.
"What he needs to do is to continue restoring integrity to the church, to the priesthood, to the way the church relates to the world," Barton said. "If he continues this road of bringing integrity to the forefront of the priesthood, that will be a great thing."
Steiner said he didn't expect the papal election to take place as quickly as it did. However, after collectively praying for the conclave during a mass at St. Francis of Assisi Parish Monday, he said he is glad the Catholic Church has a pope again and hopes Ball State students, whether Catholic or non-Catholic, recognize his importance.
"He's another world leader, and we take note when Britain has a new prime minister and when Russia elects a new president," Steiner said. "I think we should take note when the Vatican has a new official because in today's world, the pope plays a role in international politics and relations, and to ignore that is kind of foolish."
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