Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger) was pope of the Catholic Church from 2005 to 2013 and one of the most influential Catholic theologians of the modern era. Before his election to the papacy, he served as Archbishop of Munich and Freising and as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. A prolific author and scholar, his writings explore Scripture, theology, liturgy, and the relationship between faith and reason.
