One may think that politics and religion are two mutually exclusive activities or that religious people are somehow above the grubby, mundane maneuverings usually associated with the very earthly practice of the political arts.

At least when it comes to the College of Cardinals, nothing could be further from the truth.

The fact is, the College is made up the same kinds of people we find in leadership positions in western politics, albeit men with a great deal more humility (in most cases) and good deal less pomposity. But the fact is the heirarchy of the church has been engaged in this kind of political maneuvering for more than 1600 years, since the at least the First Council of Nicaea. In short, the Catholic church has a long (sometimes dishonorable) history of its heirarchy maneuvering for power.

It was a dirtier proposition when being in the Church heirarchy meant wealth, secular power, and status worthy of some Kings. Until the rise of secular democracies, Catholic prelates enjoyed privileges and advantages that surpassed all but the richest citizens and competition for “the red hat” was fierce. At that time, church politics was much more of a contact sport with candidates using tactics that would have made Boss Tweed or Mayor Daly proud.

That’s not the case today. The Church has accepted its diminished secular role and now seeks more of a pastoral function for its Bishops. This changed status hasn’t dimmed the fires of ambition that burns in many cardinals who seek to wear the white robes and sit in the chair of St. Peter. In the modern world where the media is the message, the jostling for power is carried out knowing that the glare of television will bring the decision making process – no matter how secret – into the light of day.

The recent conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI is a fascinating example of the politics of perception. According to this article in the International Herald Tribune, the elevation of Cardinal Ratzinger was a result of both the future Pope’s careful lobbying as well as the conclave bowing to the inevitable:

Joseph Ratzinger of Germany became Pope Benedict XVI in rapid fashion, rushing to election by a scant four votes over less than 24 hours in conclave. How it happened began to emerge Wednesday once the cardinals who chose him left the secret gathering and were no longer bound by a gag order imposed by Ratzinger the week before it started

Ratzinger was widely believed to be a leading vote-getter going in, but was thought by some Vatican analysts and prelates to have only a modest chance of election. His age, 78, and reputation for divisiveness were blamed. Most thought he would swing his votes to a fellow conservative.

But the cardinals defied those expectations.

In picking Ratzinger, they were clearly drawn to his defense of traditional Roman Catholic doctrine in the face of what he called the “dictatorship of relativism,” or shifting winds of belief in a secular society, during the Mass that opened the conclave on Monday.

His choice also indicated that they believed shoring up the fundamentals of the faith was a main priority, despite extensive discussion about the needs of the church in Latin America and elsewhere outside Europe.

But it was also his dignified celebration of John Paul’s funeral Mass on April 8; his guiding hand in the cardinals’ daily meetings during the interregnum, or period between popes; and the preconclave Mass that helped to convince the cardinals. Ratzinger fulfilled those roles by virtue of his position as dean of the college.

Spending more than 20 years at the top of the Vatican heirarchy, the new Pope was in an excellent position to orchestrate the series of events that led to his election. In addition, prior to the death of John Paul II, it seems pretty clear that then Cardinal Ratzinger had been busy lining up conservative supporters both in the Vatican and elsewhere:

Most agreed that Ratzinger entered the conclave as the man with the most support – perhaps 30 to 50 votes out of the necessary two-thirds, or 77. During the first vote Monday night, it must have become clear that his position was strong enough to be a viable candidacy. Two ballots on Tuesday morning sealed the deal, and he was elected on the fourth.

Going into the conclave, he had active help in mustering votes from powerful cardinals of the Roman Curia in charge of major departments, including Darío Castrillón Hoyos, Alfonso López Trujillo and Julián Herranz, a member of Opus Dei. Giovanni Battista Re, Crescenzio Sepe and Angelo Sodano were also mentioned as Ratzinger backers, perhaps in the second round.

The tipping point came, Politi wrote, when two crucial Italians – Camillo Ruini, John Paul’s longtime vicar of Rome, and Angelo Scola, the patriarch of Venice who had often been mentioned as a candidate – threw their support to Cardinal Ratzinger. Scola had worked in Ratzinger’s congregation.

The prospect of a drawn-out battle most likely scared off the opposition, and their leader, Carlo Maria Martini, sent his votes to Ratzinger.

Were there any other candidates? As I speculated here the Italian contingent of Cardinals did indeed coalesce around one candidate, Cardinal Martini, but it must have become apparent by the weekend that history would pass him by:

Cardinal Martini may have had an inkling of what was ahead. On the weekend before the conclave, a priest who had seen him said he appeared to be distressed.

As in secular politics, there are winners and losers.

Pope Benedict’s political skills will be put to the test early and often as he seeks to unite a divided church. Many more moderate and liberal elements will question his call to resist the “dictatorship of relativism” because of his strict formulation of canon law. Others will seek to wrest more control from the centralized power structure of the Vatican and attempt to act with more independence. And then there are already questions about the 77 year old Pontiff’s health which could lead to a mindset among some that if they can delay implementing church directives long enough, a new Pope could be elected more to their liking.

These are indeed political calculations. And the men who make them, although guided as they believe by the holy spirit, nevertheless do not operate in a vacuum. The real world decisions they make have consequences both for the Church and for the almost billion adherents to the Catholic faith who look to their bishops for leadership and guidance in an ever more secular and changing world.

UPDATE

Jay Tea at Wizbang has some excellent thoughts on the inevitability of Benedict’s elevation:

1) Ratzinger was, for about twenty years, the closest advisor, assistant, and confidante of Pope John Paul II, to the point of some calling him John Paul’s “alter ego.”

3) Even before the Conclave, nearly every observer had him pegged as the likely winner, and I don’t recall any other Cardinal even being named as a possible rival.

He also has a look at the chances that the new pope will initiate drastic changes (not likely!).