Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, and a Post-Christian Media

Man.  Just...man.  Excerpts:

...it is notable that the English press, as is its custom, has treated the publication of the Pope’s book–which is intended as a theological reflection and is explicitly set forth as something to be subjected to comment, criticism and argument among other theologians who may even correct the Pope in his personal views (as is the way with the scholarly community)–is treated as though it is an edict from a dictator.  So the Pope does not “say”.  He “declares”.  This is of a piece with the press’ tendency to perpetually speak of the Vatican “cracking down” on this and that...

The happy thing about the normal train wreck of press coverage of the Pope’s new book is, of course, that the Pope’s new book is getting a lot of exposure.  People who read it looking for sound scholarship and serious theological reflection will be rewarded in spades as they always are whenever anybody takes up something written by Benedict XVI.  Put it on your Christmas list for any Christian who wants to see how a smart and faithful scholar reads his Bible.