"Pope Benedict leaves behind an important but frequently overlooked legacy on social justice issues. A pope largely viewed in the media as a staunch conservative for his opposition to gay marriage and abortion also trumpeted views to the left of most Democrats in Congress when it came to economic justice and the environment." - John Gehring, senior writer and Catholic outreach coordinator at Faith in Public Life.

Gehring looks at [1] the often-overlooked teachings of Pope Benedict on the economy and the environment that are, in many ways, more forward-thinking than what passes for progressive politics in the U.S. today.