New: "Fundamental Speeches from Five Decades" by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Fundamental Speeches from Five Decades

by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

"When we read through [these speeches] again, we were surprised by their lasting relevance and are therefore presenting them as...fundamental speeches that display the breadth and core of the theological thought of Pope Benedict XVI."
-Dr. Florian Schuller, Editor & Director of the Catholic Academy of Bavaria

While a professor of theology and throughout his rise in the Roman Catholic hierarchy, Joseph Ratzinger again and again delivered important speeches over the course of five decades at the Catholic Academy of Bavaria (1963-2004). The broad spectrum of topics-from the primacy of the papacy to the moral foundations of western society-demonstrated not only his breadth of knowledge but also his prescience, for these issues remain important for both the Church and modern man.

The fundamental speeches in this volume are arranged thematically. And before each one is a brief introduction written by Dr. Florian Schuller, the director of the Catholic Academy of Bavaria in Munich, who also contributed the foreword.

Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) is widely recognized as one of the most brilliant theologians and spiritual leaders of our age. As theology professor, prelate, prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine and now Pope, he has been an inspiring teacher and a prolific writer. As Pope he has authored important encyclicals, as well as the best-selling Jesus of Nazareth. Prior to his pontificate, he wrote many influential books that continue to remain important for the contemporary Church, such as Introduction to Christianity and The Spirit of the Liturgy.