Pope Benedict's life, ministry influenced by university experiences

Published: 2008-02-15

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Although he has not been a full-time professor since 1977, Pope Benedict XVI's life and ministry have been heavily influenced by his university experiences. He made his reputation as a theologian and still meets annually with a group of his former doctoral students. But, he has written, the student revolt of the 1960s, specifically the upheaval at the University of Tubingen, Germany, where he was teaching, shocked him and convinced him that in the name of the "reform" started by the Second Vatican Council too many Catholics were willing to abandon essential Catholic teachings. Since becoming pope in 2005, two more university-related incidents have put him in the eye of a storm: His 2006 speech at the University of Regensburg, Germany, offended many Muslims; and in January a threatened protest led him to cancel his visit to Rome's premier state university. Still, his personal comfort in the academic environment and his conviction that universities have a crucial role to play in promoting both intellectual and spiritual maturity explain why he wants to address a university audience during his April trip to the United States.

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