Pope Benedict XVI’s first year has been quiet and at times confusing to his critics. But experts caution against reading too much of a theological shift into the pope’s tranquil beginnings.

The election of pope to lead the world’s one billion Catholics stirs debate over the spiritual authority of the pontiff and the church’s role in the world.

U.S.-Vatican relations remain uneven following Joseph Ratzinger’s accession as Pope Benedict XVI, particularly as the Obama administration pursues a more liberal social agenda.