On the new pope

From the Wall St. Journal:

After a relatively brief conclave, Roman Catholic cardinals selected German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, 78 years old, as the church's 265th pope, succeeding the late John Paul II. He chose the papal name Benedict XVI. He is the oldest pope selected in 275 years and the first German since the year 1055. Though Cardinal Ratzinger will likely be a transitional pope, he is controversial because of his 23-year role as the church's strict enforcer of conservative doctrine. At a time when the church is sharply divided on such matters as married priests, contraception and the role of women in the church, with a waning priesthood and slumping membership in North America and Europe, some Catholics had hoped for a more conciliatory figure. Tom Bethell, editor of the conservative American Spectator, praised Cardinal Ratzinger earlier this week, telling religion website Beliefnet.com that he wouldn't turn the church into "a Truth-of-the-Month Club." But conservative author Andrew Sullivan, a gay Catholic, today called the choice "radical" and warned of a "civil war within Catholicism." Some said the pope's choice of the name Benedict could hint at a willingness to keep the peace; Benedict XV, who ruled the church from 1914-1922, helped heal a divide between traditionalists and reformers.