Table of Contents

Title Page

PREFACE

Part One - “AT THE WINDOW OF THE FATHER’S HOUSE”

Chapter One - THE FINAL DAYS OF JOHN PAUL II

THE FINAL DAYS

TAKING STOCK

Part Two - “HABEMUS PAPUM”

Chapter Two - THE FUNERAL EFFECT

BACKGROUND: GRUMBLING ABOUT A POPE AD EXTRA

LYING IN STATE

THE FUNERAL

THE HOMILY

THE IMPACT

A RATZINGER BOOST

Chapter Three - THE INTERREGNUM

THE PRESS BLACKOUT

COMPLEXITY THAT PRODUCED SIMPLICITY

ISSUES

THE RATZINGER SOLUTION

PUBLIC PERFORMANCES

PRIVATE PERFORMANCES

NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

THE OPPOSITION

Chapter Four - THE CONCLAVE

THE PROCESSION

INSIDE THE SISTINE CHAPEL

A POPE IN FOUR BALLOTS

“HABEMUS PAPAM”

WHY RATZINGER WON

REACTION

THE EXPECTATIONS GAME

FIRST MOVES

A BROADER MANDATE

Part Three - A PAPACY OF EPIC AMBITION

Chapter Five - WHO IS JOSEPH RATZINGER?

CHILDHOOD

NATIONAL SOCIALISM

RATZINGER THE THEOLOGIAN

ARCHBISHOP OF MUNICH

RATZINGER IN THE VATICAN

A FINAL CASUALTY

A COMPLEX MAN

Chapter Six - BATTLING A “DICTATORSHIP OF RELATIVISM”

TWO CAUTIONS

WHY “BENEDICT”?

“THE GRAVEST PROBLEM OF OUR TIME”

BRINGING DOWN THE “DICTATORSHIP OF RELATIVISM”

EUROPE

THE UNITED STATES

THE AMERICAN CHURCH

Chapter Seven - CHANGING THE CULTURE OF THE CHURCH

POPE BENEDICT AND BUREAUCRACIES

CURIAL REFORM

APPOINTMENT OF BISHOPS

BISHOPS’ CONFERENCES

ECCLESIASTICAL INSTITUTIONS

THE SEXUAL ABUSE CRISIS

CULTURE SHOCK

Chapter Eight - SURPRISES AND CHALLENGES

A POPE OF SURPRISES

CHALLENGES

SUMMARY

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