No. The papacy is not a fourth degree of holy orders. Benedict remains a bishop, and the indelible mark of his episcopal consecration (the fullness of the priesthood) will remain on his soul for all eternity, but he is not now and will never again be “the pope”. The pope has greater power of jurisdiction than other bishops, but he does not have a greater power of orders - he has the same orders - there is no degree of holy orders higher than that of bishop. Of course, as Father pointed out in the post above me, in terms of honours, he will be treated as a pope out of respect for the office he once held.
While, of course, you are correct that the papacy is not a fourth step in the sacrament of Order…Benedict’s reflections on what he was doing in February 2013 and its implications were actually quite remarkable to a theologian and to an ecclesiologist. He makes clear distinctions and clear expressions.
In the end, he chose to modify the pope’s soutane rather than take up again the soutane of a Cardinal. While resigning the office of governance, which he clearly signfied to those who understand these things through the wearing of the white soutane but without the pelerin, he said that he was not walking away from aspects of the Petrine ministry that he could no longer separate himself from. It is a remarkable formulation, theologically, with implications beyond himself personally but going to the very nature of the Petrine ministry itself, ecclesiologically.
I think he also wanted to make it quite clear that the papacy was more than something which could be taken up and set aside like a Cardinal taking up the white cassock and then simply laying it aside…the former being exactly what every Cardinal does at his election as Pope.
As a theologian, I remember very vividly my first reading of that reflection – it was quite breath-taking, to tell the truth, and went in a direction that was quite unexpected.
I think that reflection, actually, theologians and the Church herself will have occasion to come back to – it sounds uncharted waters and uncharted depths that will ultimately enrich both Vatican I and Vatican II relative to the Council Fathers’ treatment of the papacy in
Pastor Aeternus and
Lumen Gentium respectively.
It is a topic I know he was considering long before he himself was even elected pope. The one who crafted those reflections was not only the best theologian to undertake the reflection, he also happened to be the one who was most affected and, actually, the one who was living and would live this reality.
He makes it exceedingly clear being “pope emeritus” is a distinct thing from being a retired bishop of a diocese.
And it would be nothing less than what he deserves. God bless him. 