I maintain that Jesus is a fictional character. Or at least, the one I wrote about--White Prettyface Jesus--is a fictional character. That the common mythology may be based on a person who lived, but that the character depicted in popular religious artwork is fair game. (Also. No guarantee the character in the story was Jesus, rather than something else using his image. When paintings come to life & start talking to you, you should use something other than their face to identify them.)

Ratzinger, however, is alive; if there's a no-RPF rule, can't have him in fic. (I *looked* for a "no-RPF" rule. There wasn't one. Still isn't, as far as I can sort out.)

If there's a no-RPF rule, does that mean no "Shakespeare in Love" fanfic? No Blackadder fanfic? No Warehouse 13, with HG Wells?