Beirut (AsiaNews) -- Benedict XVI's election gives the world "an unequivocal sign of unity in the Church," Fr Samir Khalil Samir, S.J., professor of the History of Arab Culture and Islamic Studies at Beirut's Saint Joseph University, told AsiaNews. "There is great joy in Beirut for the very fact that a pope has been elected. My personal impression is that people are very happy that the election came about so quickly: this means there is consensus within the Church."
Fr Samir shares his personal memories of the new Pope. "I met Joseph Ratzinger in 1973 in Regensburg, Germany, where I spent 2 months. At that time, the Pope was a professor at the university there. I attended one of his seminars during that time." "In him," Fr. Samir goes on to say, "I discovered a very learned person, a very earnest person."
As for allegations of the new Pope's dogmatic closure and interpersonal coldness, Fr Samir has clear ideas: "Some say that he is rigid and closed. I see in him an earnest theologian, who does not speak for the sake of following the mainstream, but who studies issues. For me, this election means that a need was felt for clarity and strong indications on faith matters. His is not a harsh personality but one that speaks with due consideration. And this is a sign that the Spirit truly manifested itself today in the Church."
As for the situation in Lebanon, Fr Samir notes a happy coincidence. "We need change, not revolution. The election of Benedict XVI on the same day in which, finally, a new government was formed in Lebanon is a strong signal of hope and renewal for the whole population.