Ratzinger Chosen as Pope

Surprise, surprise. The equivalent of the Catholic Church's old boys' establishment candidate is the new pope.

Edit: Sorry for the double entry--I posted this right after someone else did.

Basically, Ratzinger is more conservative on social issues than John Paul II was. He doesn't believe in birth control or inter-religious dialogue and I doubt we will see much, if any, reform in the church with his election.

He has chosen to be named Pope Benedict XVI.

This is, more likely than not, a sad day for the progressive religious movement.

As a man of few words, that is all I have to say.