Next Pope, the - Revised & Updated: A Behind-The-Scenes Look at How the Successor to John Paul II Will Be Elected and Where He Will Lead the Church

When the Pope has no idea of who his successor will be;and when the Cardinals gather for the Conclave,they are just as uncertain as to who among them will be chosen;don't expect an outsider will be able to predict the next Pope. So why bother reading a book like this and why did I give it 4 Stars? This book was published in 2000,but a lot of it was written in 1994 and earlier by Peter Hebblethwaith,who died in 1994 and later up-dated and added to by his wife,Margaret. At first glance one might think that this book will be a prediction of who will become the successor to Pope John Paul II.It doesn't even come close to that.What it does ,is give a brief history of the Conclaves ,and mainly in the last century.It also covers the process the Cardinals go through.It also gives a brief look at a number of Cardinals and what are the main characterists of them that might determine their chances of being elected by the Conclave.When this book was being put together,Pope John Paul II still had over 10 years left before his death.As you can see events in the Church and the Cardinals who would make up the Conclave would change dramatically.It would be difficult in predicting who would be chosen when the Conclave is assembled;but several years in advance;no way! However ,if the book is read and thought of in broad terms,and what thought processes might be involved;it is worth the read. However,specifics of any kind,are just not what will be involved when the Cardinals go into Conclave--called a conclave because they are locked up "con clave" ("with a key>),preventing communication with the outside. <br /> As a matter of fact,since the whole process is secret,we don't even know why that particular person was chosen---we can only surmise. <br /> At that time there are all sorts of people who pontificate about why the choice was made.They don't know even after the fact,and can be viewed only as "postdictors as opposed to predictors." <br /> I must correct what I stated in my title. There is a saying that "What happens in Las Vegas,stays in Las Vegas" . If there is any rule about choosing the next Pope it would have to be,"What happens in Conclave,remains in Conclave". <br /> Despite all I've said;it is still a worthwhile read.

Pius VI, the Lyndon Johnson of the prelacy once observed, "pope's aren't elected - they're made." In "Next Pope," acclaimed papal handicapper Peter Hebblethwaite provides an insider's guide to contesting - and winning - the ultimate ecclesiastical election. If your sights are set on the papal suite, where should you study (surprise - not the Ivy league!)? Where should you socialize, and what interests should you cultivate? Hebblewaite lays out the path -from first mass to white smoke. The final chapter - "Life in the Key of See," is written for those who make the grade. It includes a detailed map of Vatican City, a handy list of common Latin phrases and greetings, and a trove of hat balancing tips that you?ll wish you?d read before even becoming a Cardinal.

The most interesting part of the book for me was the first half where past conclaves in history are discussed. Some of the history is really fascinating. Although the tone of the book optimistically predicts a less severe papacy next time around, there is little evidence presented to back this up. The criticisms of John Paul II, while quite accurate, do little to help us understand who we might expect as the next pope. It is a well written book and very readable, but as time continues to go by and the current pope continues to live, the latter section on potential popes becomes less and less relevant due to the age restriction and deaths. Still, there is enough here to recommend a read.

The conclave (con clave: "with a key") process for electing popes has changed enormously in the last 40 years. THE NEXT POPE gives an overview of these changes, from how "eighty-something" cardinals no longer vote, to how the spartan conclave life has changed. The authors give: several concise but informative overviews of conclaves of the last 150 years, drawing some tongue-in-cheek but pertinent unwritten rules about the process; an overview of Pope John Paul II and his successful pontificate; the reasons that another non-Italian, or conservative, or reforming pope might or might not be chosen; and suggests likely candidates to be his successor. Among the trivia one picks up is why, though anyone who may be ordained a priest can be a pope, only cardinals are liable to be chosen; but the book's balance is toward the weightier issues of the modern papacy, considerations the college of cardinals will have to face, and examinations of likely candidates from Europe, the Americas, and the Third World. The book's writing is succinct, clear, and anecdotal. The only difficult part to follow where the authors go over the college of cardinals with a handicapper's eye, mentioning too many names possibly unfamiliar to the typical reader. Nevertheless this book is a gem for anyone who would like a brief crash-course in modern papal elections, and for political junkies who want to understand how the sovereign of the Vatican state is chosen -- both by the movement of the Holy Spirit and behind-the-scenes politics. The only reason I would refrain from giving a fifth star is its paucity of conclave history prior to Gregory XVI.

This is a fascinating look at papal elections. Hebblewaithe regales us with wonderful historical and behind-the-scenes details which alone make the book worthwhile. His descriptions of the likely candidates, though likely to be outdated when the actual event arrives, are informative. Hebblewaithe's own agenda tends to permeate the book; he seems intent to replace the "intricate and highly politicized process" with an intriccate and highly politicized process of his own, to ensure the election of what he hopes will be a more "liberal" Pope. Fortunately, this partisanship doesn't spoil an otherwise engaging work.