In a new biography published Monday in Germany, former Pope Benedict XVI harshly attacks gay marriage and lashes out at critics who want to “silence him,” AFP reported.
In “Benedict XVI – A Life,” the 93-year-old former pope (whose original name is Joseph Ratzinger) said that “A century ago, anyone would have thought it absurd to talk about homosexual marriage. Today, those who oppose it are excommunicated from society,” according to excerpts published by German media and news agency DPA.
The former pope added that “It’s the same thing with abortion and creating human life in the laboratory.”
The Catholic Church in Germany has for some time been spearheaded by clergy more inclined towards reform than the stringent traditionalism adhered to by Benedict.
“The spectacle of reactions coming from German theology is so misguided and ill-willed that I would prefer not to speak of it,” Benedict said, explaining that “I would rather not analyze the actual reasons why people want to silence my voice.”
Benedict, who served as pope from 2005 until 2013, has been criticized for his attitudes towards both Islam and social questions, and has been accused of trying to undermine the modernization program initiated by his successor, Pope Francis.
In the biography, Benedict tried to counter such accusations by stating that his “personal friendship with Pope Francis has not only endured, but grown.”
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.