Joseph Ratzinger a.k.a. Pope Benedict

@fmf said
His admirers called him a "brilliant theologian".

What is a "brilliant theologian"?

The definition of a "brilliant theologian" is somewhat subjective, but the generally accepted definition is someone who is not only well educated in scriptural text but has a deeper understanding of it than most.

- and I would suggest there is no way to determine if these 40,000 denominations you speak of have at least one "brilliant theologian" since this would involve many interviews, tests, as well as a provable method to determine what a brilliant theologian is.

All of this reminds me of a quote from a Rabbi who once said (paraphrased) The test of ones knowledge of the Holy books lies not only in the answers he gives, but of the questions he asks"

@mchill said
The test of ones knowledge of the Holy books lies not only in the answers he gives, but of the questions he asks

Kellyjay wouldn’t agree with you on that.