‘Pope Francis unleashed’ vs the ‘conservative plot’ — are either real?

Many are claiming the death of Benedict will mark a new era for Pope Francis, and predicting a conservative backlash. Is either true?

After the death of Pope Benedict XVI on New Year’s Eve, some figures around the Vatican predicted that the death of the pope emeritus would usher in a “new era” of the Francis pontificate, unrestrained by his predecessor.

And even before Benedict’s funeral, some Church-watchers have also claimed there is a kind of renewed resistance to Pope Francis among…