Pope Benedict XVI: Essential works

Ratzinger begins by discussing his own life, including his family life, seminary studies, being a theology professor and writer, becoming a Bishop, Cardinal, and the Pope's top authority on doctrine as head of the CDF. He then discusses the problems of the Catholic Church today, answering tough questions about the Church's position on divorce, celibacy, contraception, abortion, women's ordination, ecumenism, etc., and talks about the challenges and hopes of the future of the Church and the world at the beginning of the Third Millennium.

Based on Pope Benedict XVI's weekly teaching on the relationship between Christ and the Church, this book tells the drama of Jesus' first disciples -- his Apostles and their associates -- and how they spread Jesus' message throughout the ancient world. Far from distorting the truth about Jesus of Nazareth, insists Pope Benedict, the early disciples remained faithful to it, even at the cost of their lives. Beginning with the Twelve as the foundation of Jesus' re-establishment of the Holy People of God, Pope Benedict examines the story of the early followers of Christ. He draws on Scripture and early tradition to consider such important figures as Peter, Andrew, James and John, and even Judas Iscariot. Benedict moves beyond the original Twelve to discuss Paul of Tarsus, the persecutor of Christianity who became one of Jesus' greatest disciples. Also considered are Stephen, the first Christian martyr, Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, the wife and husband "team" of Priscilla and Aquila, and such key women figures as Mary, the Mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Phoebe. Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church is a fascinating journey back to the origins of Christianity. It reveals how Jesus' earliest disciples faithfully conveyed the truth about the "Jesus of history" and how they laid the foundations for the Church, through whom people today can know the same Jesus.

In 2007,Joseph Ratzinger published his first book as Pope Benedict XVI in order "to make known the figure and message of Jesus."Now,the Pope focuses exclusively on the Gospel accounts of Jesus' life as a child.The root of these stories is the experience of hope found in the birth of Jesus and the affirmations of surrender and service embodied in his parents,Joseph and Mary.This is a story of longing and seeking,as demostrated by the Magi searching for the redemption offered by the birth of a new king.It is a story of sacrifice and trusting completely in the wisdom of God,as seen in the faith of Simeon,the just and devout man of Jerusalem,when he is in the presence of the Christ child.Ultimately,Jesus ' life and message is a story for today,one that speaks to the sole truth which alone leads to profound joy.

A collection of writings and speeches by Pope Benedict XVI introduces his perspectives on key issues marking his papacy, addressing topics ranging from abortion and priesthood sexual misconduct to anti-Semitism and Christian relations with Islam.

“This book is… my personal search ‘for the face of the Lord.’” —Benedict XVI

In this bold, momentous work, the pope—in his first book written as Benedict XVI—seeks to salvage the person of Jesus from recent “popular” depictions and to restore Jesus’ true identity as discovered in the Gospels. Through his brilliance as a theologian and his personal conviction as a believer, the pope shares a rich, compelling, flesh-and-blood portrait of Jesus and incites us to encounter, face-to-face, the central figure of the Christian faith.

For Christians, Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, who died for the sins of the world, and who rose from the dead in triumph over sin and death. For non-Christians, he is almost anything else-myth, a political revolutionary, a prophet whose teaching was misunderstood or distorted by his followers. Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, and no myth, revolutionary, or misunderstood prophet, insists Benedict XVI. He thinks that the best of historical scholarship, while it can't "prove" Jesus is the Son of God, certainly doesn't disprove it. Indeed, Benedict maintains that the evidence, fairly considered, brings us face-to-face with the challenge of Jesus-a real man who taught and acted in ways that were tantamount to claims of divine authority, claims not easily dismissed as lunacy or deception.

This book bristles with elegant argumentation, profound reflections, and beautiful insights, and offers an excellent and accessible introduction to the subtle richness of Ratzinger's thought.

Aidan Nichols' timely book is the first full-scale investigation of Joseph Ratzinger's theology, from the 1950s to the present day. It presents a chronological account of the development of Ratzinger's writing that reflects a wide range of historical and theoretical interests. A comprehensive introduction to a figure who is in his own right, quite apart from his significance in the politics of the Church, a major German Catholic theologian of the twentieth century.

This work features the most discussed topics of the life of the Church, treated with unique frankness and depth by the Church's spiritual and theological leader. In this collection of essays, theologian Joseph Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI, tackles three major issues in the Church today--the nature of the Church, the pursuit of Christian unity, and the relationship of Christianity to the secular/political power.

This is a book of wisdom and insight that explains how providential are the trials through which the Catholic Church is now passing. The need of the Papal Primacy to ensure Christian unity; the true meaning of the Priesthood as a sacrament and not a mere ministry; the necessity of the Eucharist as the Sacrifice of the Savior now offering Himself on our altars; the role of the Bishops as successors of the Apostles, united with the successor of St. Peter, the Bishop of Rome; the value of suffering in union with Christ crucified; the indispensable service of the laity in the apostolate - all these themes receive from Cardinal Ratzinger new clarity and depth.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, one of the key persons responsible for the compilation of the "Catechism of the Catholic Church", offers new insights on the catechetical character and Biblical foundation of the worldwide bestselling "Catechism" that has had such a positive response from ordinary Catholics across the globe.But he ackowledges that the response of many theologians has been negative toward the Catechism. He says that if theologians don't want to be "shut out" of this worldwide development of the "sensus fidei" and lose touch with the common Catholic,they will have to engage the Catechism positively.The main purpose of this book is to offer an invitation to this changed approach to the Catechism.He wants people to see,as he shows here,how the Catechism is an excellent teaching tool that responds to man's deepest questions about the meaning of life,how to live a good life,and how to attain peace in this life and the fullness of joy in heaven.He shows how the Catechism affirms that man's happiness is love,and that the essence of true love has been manifested in the Person of Jesus Christ.

This is Ratzinger's first book as Pope. Written in conjunction with President of the Italian Senate, Marcello Pera--a partnering of the statesman and the holy man--the book is a reassessment of the European "West" and its struggle to define itself in the wake of war, terrorism, diplomatic and spiritual crisis. Pope Benedict reveals a thorough grasp of the contemporary global climate and the tentative and fractious bonds that tie Europe to the rest of the world. Though critical and cautionary, the new Pope ultimately offers an assertive message of hope to mend the West's fractured identity and reconnect with its spiritual roots.

This volume was written by a group of eminent Catholics, including Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger -- now Pope Benedict XVI. In these essays the authors contend that historical-critical interpretation of Scripture has long since run its course in both Protestant and Catholic exegesis. Instead, they argue, the future of interpretation lies in accepting that the Bible is not just a collection of historical documents but also a record of revelation conceived in faith. By this token, true exegesis involves the faith and humility of the exegete.

What we previously knew only in theory has become foe us a practical experience:the Church stands and falls with the Liturgy.When the adoration of the divine Trinity declines,when the faith no longer appears in its fullness in the Liturgy of the Church,when man's words,his thoughts,his intentions are suffocating him,then faith will have lost the place where it is expressed and where it dwells.For that reason,the true celebration of the Sacred Liturgy is the centre of any renewal of the Church whatever. But how,today,at the beginning of the third millennium,do we achieve "the true celebration of the Liturgy"? These are the issues that were discussed in the presence of Cardinal Ratzinger at the conference held at the Abbey of NotreDame at Fontgombault from July 22-24 2001.This volume makes available in English translation the papers from that conference-papers which inform and challenge,and which make a significant contribution to the consideration of the question of the Liturgy in our day.