The retired Pope Benedict XVI. sees itself as the victim of a "malicious distortion of reality". “The spectacle of reactions that came afterwards from German theology is so foolish and so vicious that it is better not to speak of it. I don't want to analyze the real reasons for simply wanting to turn my voice off, ”he says in the new biography“ Benedict XVI - One Life ”with a view to reactions to his contribution on the relationship between Christianity and Judaism for theological "Communio" magazine in 2018.
The biography of author Peter Seewald came onto the market on Monday. Critics accuse Benedikt, who was pope from 2005 to 2013, of behaving like a “shadow pope” since his resignation. This criticism became particularly loud when a contribution from him appeared in a book by Cardinal Robert Sarah about celibacy last year. The Catholic reform movement "We are Church" is also a critic. "In view of his extremely large number of publications before, during and after his term as Pope, there can be no question of wanting to turn off Joseph Ratzinger's voice," said her spokesman Christian Weisner on Monday. "However, many are irritated, and I rightly think that despite the announcement at the time that he was 'living hidden from the world',
Former Cardinal Ratzinger emphasized in the new biography: "The claim that I regularly intervene in public debates is a malicious distortion of reality." Pope Benedict, who is now 93 years old, says he has a very good relationship with his successor Francis . "As you know, personal friendship with Pope Francis has not only remained, but has grown."
Criticism expressed, "We are church " also that Ratzinger's biography creates a connection between the Antichrist and gay marriage. "If Joseph Ratzinger now sees an anti-Christian social excommunication of those who position themselves, for example, against homosexuality and abortion, that may be his perception," said Weisner. "In reality, however, there is an increasingly militant and Christian fundamentalism in evangelical as well as Catholic circles at world level."