Above, as Archbishop of Munich, Joseph Ratzinger sings alongside a Protestant woman minister at a common prayer service. Later, as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he was the one who penned the Catholic-Lutheran Accord that compromised the doctrine of justification defined by the Council of Trent.

As Pope, Benedict XVI has consistently given Protestants great prestige and support.

Below first row, he receives a framed prayer written by Luther from Mark Hanson, President of the Lutheran World Federation on April 13, 2007. Second row, he wecomes representatives of the Lutherans of Finland to his private library, where he tells them that joint prayer is the "royal door of ecumenism." Third row, he hosts a delegation from the World Alliance of Reformed Churches on January 7, 2006 and agrees to the call for a new era of partnership.

Related Topics of Interest

  Card. Ratzinger gives Communion to a Protestant

  Catholic-Lutheran Accord

  JPII kisses the hand of Anglican bishop

  Benedict: Brother Schutz is in Heaven

  Brother Schutz did not convert

  Protestant Oscar Cullmann and Ratzinger

  Benedict continues to be what he always was

  Praying with heretics

  Fr. Ratzinger under suspicion of heresy