Pope Benedict's progressive legacy

This story appears in the Benedict Resigns feature series. View the full series.

"Pope Benedict leaves behind an important but frequently overlooked legacy on social justice issues. A pope largely viewed in the media as a staunch conservative for his opposition to gay marriage and abortion also trumpeted views to the left of most Democrats in Congress when it came to economic justice and the environment." - John Gehring, senior writer and Catholic outreach coordinator at Faith in Public Life.

Gehring looks at the often-overlooked teachings of Pope Benedict on the economy and the environment that are, in many ways, more forward-thinking than what passes for progressive politics in the U.S. today.

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