When the new pope was initially announced, I was disappointed because of his age. I felt that he wouldn’t have time to make any impact. But, in his brief papacy, he’s proven to me that he’s not just a figurehead. He’s challenging the catholic Church and religious leaders of other faiths on a regular basis to – gasp! – use their brains.

In this article, Benedict XVI challenges not just the evolution/creationism debate, but also shows compassion for the Earth in general. His use of intelligent discourse really challenges me. I admire that he sees his power as a chance to do good things…so many have not.

I’ve disliked the papacy for many years, and was very conflicted about its dangers, such as the infallibility decree. But now, I’m being challenged on new intellectual and spiritual topics, and it helps me resolve some the discord between my scientific and spiritual needs. The pope is calling for people to ask intelligent questions and for faith not to be blind.

I like it.