The Trouble With The Pope

Two days before the Pontiff's State Visit to Britain, Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell scrutinises the beliefs and policies of the leader of the Catholic Church, one of the most influential and powerful figures in the world today - Pope Benedict XVI.

For decades, Tatchell has campaigned on issues of human rights and equality - secular values broadly upheld by many faiths and branches of Christianity. In contrast, after five years in office, the current Pope is seen to be shaping a more conservative Catholicism. Tatchell looks at how many of his proclamations and decisions are in conflict with the values of modern day Britain and Western societies.

In this hour-long, authored film, Tatchell examines the impact that Benedict XVI's pronouncements have had on both the developing and western world - with filming in the Philippines, plus Italy, Germany and the UK. He questions the Pope's policies on a range of issues including his opposition to contraception, condom use and embryonic stem cell research as well as the Pontiff's handling of the child sex abuse scandal. The film examines the Pope's plans for the beatification of Cardinal Newman, a nineteenth century theologian and writer who lived for nearly 30 years with a fellow priest and the controversial readmission to the church of the holocaust denier, Bishop Richard Williamson.

The documentary includes first-person testimonial from sex abuse survivor, Sue Cox, who was raped by a priest and an interview with Catholic historian John Cornwell.

Interviewing both critics and supporters of the Pope, many of them Catholics, Tatchell explores Benedict's personal, religious and political journey since the 1930s, from liberal to conservative theologian. The film traces his early days as a supporter of the liberalising, reforming Second Vatican Council through to his moves to undermine it, including the appointment of many hardline, conservative bishops.

In the 1960s the Pope was a young theologian and lecturer, then known as Joseph Ratzinger. The Pope features an interview with a fellow theologian, Hans Kung, who was with him at university in Tubingen, Germany, and discovers the events that led him to become an arch conservative.

In the Philippines, Tatchell examines both the social and political impact of the Pope's teachings. In this country, as in most African and South American countries, the Pope is seen as an infallible figure who speaks on behalf of God. Tatchell sees first-hand the results of the Pope's policies on restricting contraception, sex education and condom distribution. Impoverished Filipinos tell Tatchell that their absolute belief in and obedience to the Pope's diktats has resulted in them having more children than they can care for adequately.

The Pope provides a serious assessment of the impact of Benedict XVI after five years in office and examines the conflict between some of his key values and those held by people in Britain and the world, including dissent from his policies by many Catholics.