Pope Francis has replaced the Catholic Church's top theologian in a major shake up of the Vatican.

It emerged today that Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller - the Church's hardline doctrinal watchdog who has publicly clashed with the pope over divorce reforms - will not have his five-year mandate renewed.

The position will instead be filled by his deputy, Jesuit Archbishop Luis Ladaria.

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Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Mueller has been the Catholic Church's top doctrinal watchdog for the past five years

Mueller, 69, from Mainz in Germany, was appointed by the former Pope Benedict in 2012 as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith.

He has been in charge of keeping the church's orthodoxy and presiding over sexual abuse allegations.

His conservative ideology has led to him clashing publicly with Pope Francis several times, as the pontiff forges ahead with his vision of a more inclusive church.

In 2015 Mueller was one of 13 cardinals who signed a secret letter complaining that a meeting of bishops discussing family issues was biased in favour of liberals.

Mueller will now be replaced by his deputy, Jesuit Archbishop Luis Ladaria

In 2016 he criticised the papal treatise called 'The Joy of Love', which was an attempt by Pope Francis to make the Catholic Church more inclusive and less condemning.

In the document the pontiff sided with progressive proposal to allow some divorced and remarried Catholics to receive communion.

This horrified traditionalists, who believed divorcing and remarrying was adultery and therefore a sin.

Mueller, who was appointed by Pope Benedict (pictured left) has publicly clashed with Pope Francis several times of ideology

Mueller then became a conservative hero by saying there should be no exceptions to the rule, because in the eyes of the Church their first marriage is still valid.

During a trip to Philadelphia in September 2015, he said 'it's not possible' for violators of doctrine on divorce, homosexuality and abortion to be welcomed completely back into the church.

Mueller is an ardent traditionalist, and has argued that it is 'not possible' for violators of doctrine to be welcomed back into the church

Mueller's resignation is seen as a chance for the pontiff to reorganise the Catholic church in his vision.

Reverend James Martin told the New York Times: 'This gives the pope the chance to finally place his own man in a very important spot.

'For many admirers of Benedict, Cardinal Mueller was the last link to Benedict's way of doing things.'

However not all within the Vatican were fans of new appointment Luis Ladaria.

Mueller's resignation is seen as the chance for the pope to build a more progressive church

One priest who knows both men said: 'They [Francis and Ladaria] speak the same language and Ladaria is someone who is meek. He does not agitate the pope and does not threaten him.'

In March, a prominent church reform group called for Mueller's resignation after accusations that senior officials had willfully ignored Pope Francis' decision to create a new tribunal to judge bishops who cover up sexual abuse.