Conversations with the Pope - Simon Ioannou

Conversations with the Pope is an attempt to present, within an entertaining literary framework, a strong and persuasive body of historical facts and religious arguments all supportive of a change by the Catholic Church in its attitude toward the concept of reincarnation.

An Australian journalist specializing in religious affairs, Albert Magnusson, has been awarded the biennial Journalist-in-Residence opportunity to visit the Vatican and talk openly with the pope for a period of six weeks. His first-hand account of his conversations with the Pontiff forms the framework for the presentation of the arguments, and his request to the pope that the church should make a renewed examination of the facts. Obviously, any decision by the Roman Catholic Church to adopt reincarnationist elements, which do not conflict with Christian dogma, would be a revolutionary and pivotal development in the history of Christianity.

However, going beyond the attempt at reconciling the two religious viewpoints, the book also sets out a chilling account of contemporary Vatican Curial politics. It looks at the attempts by conservatives in the Curia to avoid the serious religious changes, which would result to the ordination of women and changes to power within the hierarchy, were Catholicism and reincarnationism to be reconciled. The portrait is drawn of a contemporary conservative papacy attempting to turn back the liberalizing reforms instigated by the Second Vatican Council of 1962-1965.