The Pope is Resigning

So long, and thanks for all the lawsuits.

Pope Benedict XVI has announced that he is stepping down as Pope, a really amazing turn of events considering that a Pope hasn't stepped down in 600 years. It kind of makes me dizzy contemplating an institution that has that much of a history you can reference.

First off, good for Benedict to make this choice and hopefully set a president. Elderly, sick leaders, obvious puppets of their young aids, do no one any good, in the Church, Boardroom, Presidential Palace or Senate. The rest of Benedict's record is pretty bad. He has renewed the Church's commitments on social justice issues, but has doubled down on the social issues - no to birth control, female priests, and so on. Benedict was neck-deep in the child abuse scandal, a issue which in a better world than this would have completely destroyed the Church's moral authority for at least a generation.

The Conclave to elect a new Pope with kick off next month. A better world is possible. There are cardinals, including leading candidates that are reformers and will change the Church for the better. (Current candidates and odds are here) Of course, its not in the hands of the people, just the select few. Oh and God, I guess. For the political science of Pope selection, see here.