[Salvation]

Definitely a transitional figure. I think he has surprised many Catholics in his kind way of delivering the message. But he has not bent the message or weakened it in any way.

[Mad Dawg]

HECK No! NO bending there! He's been a champ! I was delighted at his election. (Almost makes you believe in God, y'know?) He was just as sound as a bell, and steadfast. And his evident humility makes him a perfect sequel to John Paul the Great. He is not overpowered by the office, as far as I can tell, but he shows a sense of duty in accepting it and in the way he carries it out.

I do find his prose tough, though. Some of his academic stuff really shows the German background. But it's always worth it. I was slogging through Truth and Tolerance and took a vacation in one of the liturgical collections. Zowie!