Editorial: Pope guided by timeless principles

The outpouring of grief and adoration that accompanied the passing of Pope John Paul II decreed that his successor would be a man of similar doctrine, dedication and values. To depart from such a course would have been to disregard the spiritual nuances which underpinned that wave of emotion. Thus, the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church, the vast majority of whom were, in fact, appointed by John Paul II, did not dwell long over their decision. Duly, they selected the German cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who has taken the name Pope Benedict XVI.

Despite that background, the election has surprised and frustrated some. Much has been made of the new Pope's uncompromising defence of Catholic orthodoxy during his 23 years as head of the church's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Detractors have described him as "God's rottweiler" and "the panzer cardinal". His papacy, they predict, will be too distant, too divisive and governed by reactionary policies.

It is far too early to make such forecasts. Indeed, Benedict XVI cannot be judged on the basis of his past role as the Vatican's enforcer of doctrinal purity. The office of Pope can make or remake the man. In his previous position, Benedict XVI did not possess the power - one enjoyed by few in the world - to lead, to persuade, to reach out and to open doors. It remains to be seen what he will make of these.

Equally, it is illogical to shower plaudits on one man and then immediately decry another, given their shared conservative principles and sense of moral certitude. It may even be too premature to suggest that Benedict XVI does not possess the charisma or personal gifts which allowed his predecessor to captivate people of all ages and to win over diverse communities. At John Paul II's funeral, he demonstrated a strong sense of humanity, both in the tone of his homily and in the tears he shed for the former pontiff. This was not a figure lacking warmth or spontaneity.

It is obvious, however, that this Pope will operate in a different manner. At 78, he is not equipped to undertake a heavy schedule of worldwide travel. His focus is likely to be on Europe, the seat of a brand of secularism that he sees as the greatest threat to Christianity. The Pope's view is outlined in his newly published book, Values in Times of Upheaval, in which he writes: "In the hour of its greatest success, Europe seems to have become empty inside, paralysed by a life-threatening crisis to its health and dependent on transplants." This, he says, is not the time to compromise on issues such as abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, the ordination of women and the celibacy of priests. Rather, the Catholic Church should be upholding timeless principles of life and faith.

Earlier this week, this view was spelled out further when Cardinal Ratzinger appealed for an "adult faith" that withstood ideologies, sects and an "anything goes" mentality. "A dictatorship of relativism is being formed," he said, "one that recognises nothing as definitive and has as its measure only the self and its desires."

Such sentiment echoes that of an earlier Benedict, the founder of Western monasticism during the dying days of the Roman Empire and the man seen by the new Pope as responsible for keeping the flame of Christianity alight. The assumption of the name Benedict XVI is far from coincidental. Fifteen centuries later, in what he sees as a similarly confused age, he assumes the papacy with a background that suggests a similar ideological purity.

An even bigger influence on the new Pope will, of course, be the legacy of John Paul II. Inevitably, his every move will be compared with that of his predecessor. Yet Benedict XVI does not assume the papacy as a weak or compromised figure. He moves into a realm far more extensive than that of his previous Vatican brief, with the conclusive backing of the College of Cardinals. We are still to see his personal touch. It may yet surprise.