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April 11, 2021 (Steven O’Reilly) – I saw an article today on the great Marco Tosatti’s website. The article, by Andrea Cionci, was entitled Cionci: The Possible Reconstruction of Benedict XVI’s “Plan B”. I recommend all interested in the “Benedict is (still) Pope” (BiP) debate to read the article as it is, to a degree, a variant of the standard BiP theory.
The more “standard BiP” theory put forward by its leading lights [1] suggests Pope Benedict XVI’s renunciation statement, Declaratio, was plagued with a variety of errors, and or the misuse of Munus/Ministerio, and or Benedict’s deficient intent, e.g., some BiP-ers believe Benedict thought he could bifurcate the papacy, and keep part of it to himself, or even surrender the episcopacy of Rome but not the papacy (see The Summa Contra Dr. Mazza). The end result of it all is, according to the BiP-ers, Benedict’s resignation is invalid, and therefore, he is still pope…or so the BiP theorists would have you believe.
The linked article above is yet the latest attempt to keep the “Benedict is (still) Pope” (BiP) theory alive. While we understand and sympathize with the attraction of the BiP theory to many — rooted as it is in the valid observation there are significant problems posed by the Francis pontificate — the position of Roma Locuta Est is, and remains, that the BiP theory as put forward by its leading lights is absolute bunk. This blog has commented on many of the troubling aspects of the Bergoglian pontificate [2]. However, in terms of explaining it, we have long stated that a bad theory is no substitute for a good one. Given we believe BiP is insufficient in evidence, we have posted a series of articles debunking various BiP arguments, now included in a compendium entitled Summa Contra the BiP Theory (Why Benedict XVI is NOT the pope).
Now, the latest BiP theory seems to resurrect an old BiP theory which suggests Benedict’s errors in his renunciation, referenced above, were in fact intentional. While seemingly presented as new, I believe this variant of the BiP theory goes back at least a couple of years. Regardless, Marco Tosatti in introducing the article speaks of this theorized, supposed intentional action by Benedict as Benedict’s “plan B.” Here Tosatti references the theory, citing an article (i.e., Cionci’s above), that Benedict intentionally faked his resignation, essentially to draw out the modernist enemies of the Church, to one day crush them. Andrea Cionci writes of this plot:
Continued below.
Benedict’s Plan “B” from Outer Space
The more “standard BiP” theory put forward by its leading lights [1] suggests Pope Benedict XVI’s renunciation statement, Declaratio, was plagued with a variety of errors, and or the misuse of Munus/Ministerio, and or Benedict’s deficient intent, e.g., some BiP-ers believe Benedict thought he could bifurcate the papacy, and keep part of it to himself, or even surrender the episcopacy of Rome but not the papacy (see The Summa Contra Dr. Mazza). The end result of it all is, according to the BiP-ers, Benedict’s resignation is invalid, and therefore, he is still pope…or so the BiP theorists would have you believe.
The linked article above is yet the latest attempt to keep the “Benedict is (still) Pope” (BiP) theory alive. While we understand and sympathize with the attraction of the BiP theory to many — rooted as it is in the valid observation there are significant problems posed by the Francis pontificate — the position of Roma Locuta Est is, and remains, that the BiP theory as put forward by its leading lights is absolute bunk. This blog has commented on many of the troubling aspects of the Bergoglian pontificate [2]. However, in terms of explaining it, we have long stated that a bad theory is no substitute for a good one. Given we believe BiP is insufficient in evidence, we have posted a series of articles debunking various BiP arguments, now included in a compendium entitled Summa Contra the BiP Theory (Why Benedict XVI is NOT the pope).
Now, the latest BiP theory seems to resurrect an old BiP theory which suggests Benedict’s errors in his renunciation, referenced above, were in fact intentional. While seemingly presented as new, I believe this variant of the BiP theory goes back at least a couple of years. Regardless, Marco Tosatti in introducing the article speaks of this theorized, supposed intentional action by Benedict as Benedict’s “plan B.” Here Tosatti references the theory, citing an article (i.e., Cionci’s above), that Benedict intentionally faked his resignation, essentially to draw out the modernist enemies of the Church, to one day crush them. Andrea Cionci writes of this plot:
Continued below.
Benedict’s Plan “B” from Outer Space
