Ratzinger's Faith: The Theology of Pope Benedict XVI

by Tracey Rowland, George Cardinal Pell

Overview

The first serious assessment of the Pope's theological vision, this thoughtful volume situates the thought of Benedict XVI within the intellectual history and academic circles of his time, exploring topics such as the interpretations of the Second Vatican Council, Benedict's relations with other important scholars and theologians, and his attitudes on moral and political theology, western culture, the structure of the Catholic Church, liturgy, and love. It is a common observation that Pope Benedict has been influenced by the thought of St. Augustine in contrast to many of his predecessors in the papacy who were much more strongly influenced by St. Thomas Aquinas. This work therefore addresses the topic of in what way Benedict is an Augustinian. The volume also includes a bibliography arranged thematically for those who want to explore his thought more deeply in a particular area. A penetrating account of the thought of the reigning pontiff, this volume offers a wealth of insight for everyone interested in Pope Benedict.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199570348
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	09/28/2009
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	230
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Tracey Rowland is Dean and Associate Professor of Political Philosophy and Continental Theology at the John Paul II Institute, Melbourne.

Table of Contents

Foreword, His Eminence George Cardinal PellIntroduction1. Ratzinger and Contemporary Theological Circles2. 'Gaudium et spes' and the Importance of Christ3. Revelation, Scripture, and Tradition4. Beyond Moralism: God is Love5. The Structure of the Communion6. Modernity and the Politics of the West7. Liturgy since Vatican IIConclusion

Editorial Reviews

"The pope's deep and passionate love for the adventure of theology shines through this text, which is geared to the reasonably educated lay reader. Not only papal enthusiasts but also libraries and professional theologians will want to have this book." —Theological Studies

"I have never read an author who identifies and explains all the essential questions with such intelligence and clarity...It should be the number one choice of anyone who wants to understand more fully the contemporary predicament in which both Church and culture find themselves...It is not too much to say that if you haven't read this book-as the best way to understand the thought of Pope Benedict XVI-you are doomed to have significant gaps in your own analysis of how things are. So if you can read only one more intellectually serious book this year, read Tracey Rowland's Ratzinger's Faith." — Dr. Jeff Mirus, CatholicCulture.org

"Tracey Rowland's excellent exposition of his thought...Ratzinger's Faith is meant to be an exploration of the Pope's thinking, not a thematic biography. But Professor Rowland treats Benedict's ideas with a keen eye to his life, and she largely succeeds in giving us a well developed theology-in-history." — Jeremy Lott, Catholic World Report

From the Publisher

These texts provide accessible overviews of Pope Benedict's theological foundation, a foundation that influenced his priesthood as a young cleric and continues to direct his thinking as leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Unlike many other recent popes, Benedict has been deeply influenced by the teachings and writings of St. Augustine, which have flavored his understanding of issues of morality, politics, ecclesiology, worship, and history. Here, Rowland (political philosophy & continental theology, John Paul II Inst., Melbourne, Australia) brilliantly identifies the subtle influences between Benedict and his theological peers and speculates on the direction of his pontificate. Her work is more theoretical than Thomas E. Woods Jr.'s Sacred Then and Sacred Now: The Return of the Old Latin Mass, which provides a useful handbook in understanding the reasons why Benedict restored the Missal of 1962 as well as commentaries on the liturgy's actual actions. Woods's book, with its practical focus, is better suited to lay worshipers, though it nicely complements Rowland's more academic text. Both are recommended for select theological collections.
—John-Leonard Berg

Library Journal