While the Reuters headline, “Error in book shows Pope not infallible”, is tongue-in-cheek, it is not necessarily obviously so to everyone and I’m left asking what the point is.
The article notes that several bloggers have found a minor error in Pope Benedict’s new book, Jesus of Nazareth, one so small I have to wonder that anyone has noted it:
In a paragraph citing important recent books about Jesus, he identifies Notre Dame University professor John Meier as a member of the Jesuit order of Catholic priests. Meier is not a Jesuit but a priest of the New York diocese.
Is that it? What’s the big deal? Is this Reuters just taking the usual step of ridiculing the Catholic faith at every step?
At the end they provide the disclaimer:
Papal infallibility, which says the Pope cannot err in declaring doctrine on faith and morals, is rarely invoked and would not apply to this book. But catching the meticulous Pope in a mistake proved too tempting for the bloggers to pass up.
So reporting on the minor doings of bloggers is news now? Geez, I can’t wait for Reuters to start publishing the minutiae from my blog.
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