RT Article
T1 The Father Said Goodbye: The German Press’ Reactions to the Resignation of Pope Benedict xvi and the Conclave
JF Journal of religion, media and digital culture
VO 7
IS 3
SP 381
OP 399
A1 Grünenthal, Hannah
LA English
PB Brill
YR 2018
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1767681577
AB This paper analyzes the different constructions, interpretations and understandings of authority in the German journalistic press coverage in spring 2013, when Benedict xvi declared his resignation from the papal office, and the following time until his successor - Pope Francis - was elected. Pope Benedict’s resignation was an occasion that caused a stir in the journalistic field. The pope, the highest religious authority of the Roman Catholic Church, had brought his own power up to discussion. The opportunity was favourable for the journalistic, secular media to start an extensive critique and deconstruction of the Pope’s religious authority - but surprisingly enough, this did not happen. So, how and to whom is religious authority ascribed in the German press discourse? In this article I argue that the secular German press discourse not only refrains from deconstructing traditional religious authority, but reinforces it on various levels.
K1 Benedict XVI
K1 Catholic Church
K1 Catholicism
K1 German press
K1 Pope
K1 religion and media
K1 Authority
K1 conclave
K1 religious authority
K1 Resignation
DO 10.1163/21659214-00703010