Free Republic

THE PAPACY is the oldest and most successful institution in the world. Asking the Pope to abandon or water down Catholic doctrine would be like asking him to abolish his own office. Joseph Ratzinger has been the most powerful figure in the Church after John Paul II for the past two decades. It is entirely right that he should have the opportunity to serve the Church in the capacity for which he is so obviously head and shoulders above the rest. Among so many eminences, he was pre-eminent. As usual, the BBC got the story all wrong. The task for...

The renowned Swiss theologian, Hans Küng, is to receive an award by the Japanese Niwano Peace Foundation. The laureate said he would use the prize, which is worth SFr224,000 ($192,275), for his Global Ethic Foundation. The award ceremony is to take place in Tokyo on May 11. The panel said the understanding and insight of the Catholic theologian were indispensable for peace in the world, notably in the Middle East, Iraq and Sri Lanka. "Together with his contributions to interfaith dialogue and cooperation, Dr Küng’s advocacy of a global ethic as a way of realising peace has won him recognition...