Word: popes
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...When Pope Benedict XVI travels to Turkey this week, most of the world's attention will be focused on the Christian-Muslim religious divide. But the pontiff is also crossing a political fault line: The gulf between Europe and the Near East has been much in the news lately because of Turkey's troubled attempts to join the European Union. Ankara is keen to become a full member, but Europeans are having second thoughts. Skeptics, including the Pope himself, are openly questioning whether a mostly Muslim nation of 70 million can ever really be part of Europe...
...growing number of Turks and Europeans are now voicing second thoughts about the whole idea. The Pope is hardly alone in publicly questioning whether Turkey can ever be part of Europe. French Presidential aspirant Nikolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel both oppose full membership. In Turkey, meanwhile, a growing number of nationalists are arguing that Turkey should not be making sacrifices to join the E.U. because it will infringe on Turkey's sovereignty. For the first time, a majority of Turks say they do not believe Turkey will ever be accepted into the Union. And a majority of Europeans...
...blessed perks of absolute monarchy. Pope Benedict XVI is one who knows them well. The 265th successor of St. Peter is the unchallenged head of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, with the last word on everything from the naming of bishops to his regular rewritings in stone of the church's opposition to abortion, euthanasia and women priests. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, also carries a big spiritual stick as the leader of the world's 70 million strong Anglican Church. But his rule is neither monarchical nor absolute, since he is appointed by the Queen (or King...
...potential schisms facing Williams. While the 79-year-old pontiff has said he wants to give greater voice to bishops, his Church can count on the stability that comes in having one man with the authority to resolve any internal dispute. Democracy-in-Catholicism advocates, however, argue, that the Pope's absolute authority does not allow for truly honest and open debate of evolving issues facing the Church. Another downside - as was on display in Regensburg, Germany with Benedict's provocative speech about Islam and violence - is that the singular pull and stature of just one man can sometimes weigh...
...serious obstacles" to closer communion between the Churches - a clear reference to the Anglican openness to gays and women in the clergy. Williams, who was accompanied by his wife and two children, timed his trip to mark the 40th anniversary of a historic meeting between Archbishop Michael Ramsey and Pope Paul VI. On that first formal encounter between the heads of the two Churches since England's King Henry VIII broke with Rome in the 16th century, the Pope gave Ramsey the ring that symbolizes his papal authority. Williams was wearing that same ring in his meeting with Benedict...