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Credo for Today: What Christians Believe
What do Christians believe? What gives meaning to our life? What is the purpose of life? The Christian answer to these questions is found in the Creed, in the profession of faith. But what do the articles of this confession actually mean? And how to they affect our lives? Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, takes a fresh look at these timeless questions. This work is a reflection of the profound, personal insights of Benedict XVI, but also of the great foundations of faith, hope, and charity. Ratzinger writes eloquently and persuasively about the importance for followers of Christ to understand well what they believe so one can live as a serious Christian in today's secular world. He talks in depth about the true meaning of faith, hope, and love—the love of God and the love of neighbor. He also discusses the crucial importance of a lived faith, for the believer himself as well as being a witness for our age, and striving to bring faith in line with the present age that has veered off into rampant secularism and materialism.
225 pages, Hardcover
First published August 16, 2006
About the author
Pope Benedict XVI
940 books981 followersOriginally
Joseph Ratzinger
, a noted conservative theologian before his election in 2005, Benedict XVI strove against the influence of secularism during his papacy to defend traditional Catholic teachings but since medieval times first resigned in 2013.
After Joseph Ratzinger served a long career as an academic and a professor at the University of Regensburg, Pope Paul VI appointed him as archbishop of Munich and Freising and cardinal in 1977. In 1981, he settled in Rome as prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, one most important office of the Roman curia. He also served as dean of the college of cardinals.
Benedict XVI reigned 265th in virtue of his office of bishop of Rome, the sovereign of the state of Vatican City and the head of the Church. A conclave named him on 19 April 2005; he celebrated his inaugural Mass on 24 April 2005 and took possession of his Lateran cathedral basilica of Saint John on 7 May 2005.
Benedict XVI succeeded Saint John Paul II, predecessor and his prolific writings on doctrine and values. Benedict XVI advocated a return to fundamental Christian values to counter the increase of many developed countries. Relativism denied objective truth and moral truths in particular; he viewed this central problem of the 21st century. With the importance of the Church, he understood redemptive love of God. He reaffirmed the "importance of prayer in the face of the activism" "of many Christians engaged in charitable work." Benedict also revived a number and elevated the Tridentine Mass to a more prominent position.
Benedict founded and patronized of the Ratzinger foundation, a charitable organization, which from the sale of books and essays makes money to fund scholarships and bursaries for students across the world.
Due to advanced age on 11 February 2013, Benedict announced in a speech in Latin and cited a "lack of strength of mind and body" before the cardinals. He effectively left on 28 February 2013.As emeritus, Benedict retained the style of His Holiness, and the title and continued to dress in the color of white. He moved into the newly renovated monastery of Mater Ecclesiae for his retirement. Pope Francis succeeded him on 13 March 2013.
(more info on Ratzinger Foundation: https://www.ewtn.com/library/Theology...)
After Joseph Ratzinger served a long career as an academic and a professor at the University of Regensburg, Pope Paul VI appointed him as archbishop of Munich and Freising and cardinal in 1977. In 1981, he settled in Rome as prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, one most important office of the Roman curia. He also served as dean of the college of cardinals.
Benedict XVI reigned 265th in virtue of his office of bishop of Rome, the sovereign of the state of Vatican City and the head of the Church. A conclave named him on 19 April 2005; he celebrated his inaugural Mass on 24 April 2005 and took possession of his Lateran cathedral basilica of Saint John on 7 May 2005.
Benedict XVI succeeded Saint John Paul II, predecessor and his prolific writings on doctrine and values. Benedict XVI advocated a return to fundamental Christian values to counter the increase of many developed countries. Relativism denied objective truth and moral truths in particular; he viewed this central problem of the 21st century. With the importance of the Church, he understood redemptive love of God. He reaffirmed the "importance of prayer in the face of the activism" "of many Christians engaged in charitable work." Benedict also revived a number and elevated the Tridentine Mass to a more prominent position.
Benedict founded and patronized of the Ratzinger foundation, a charitable organization, which from the sale of books and essays makes money to fund scholarships and bursaries for students across the world.
Due to advanced age on 11 February 2013, Benedict announced in a speech in Latin and cited a "lack of strength of mind and body" before the cardinals. He effectively left on 28 February 2013.As emeritus, Benedict retained the style of His Holiness, and the title and continued to dress in the color of white. He moved into the newly renovated monastery of Mater Ecclesiae for his retirement. Pope Francis succeeded him on 13 March 2013.
(more info on Ratzinger Foundation: https://www.ewtn.com/library/Theology...)
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 8, 2011
I had kind of wanted to read a book by the current pope and when I found this one as I was wandering around my local library I thought I'd give it a shot. This book was written prior to him becoming pope and it is more of a collection of separate essays on various topics than an original book (well, I did not actually check to make sure that's what it was before I returned it, but it read like that).
Overall this was a pretty good book as an introduction to Catholic Christianity. That said, he does not get into much that tends to divide Catholics from Protestants. For example, in the chapter on Mary he does not really mention the immaculate conception or her being assumed into heaven. There was little on the catholic view of the Lord's Supper. So if you are looking to learn what makes Catholics unique, this is probably not your book.
As I think about it, I am not sure who this book is for. Maybe that's why it has no reviews here on Goodreads. It is a bit too deep and theological at points for the average Christian, but it also does not seem overly academic. Perhaps it would be a good read for pastors who are curious about Catholicism, have a little prior knowledge, but are willing to search for common ground.
Overall this was a pretty good book as an introduction to Catholic Christianity. That said, he does not get into much that tends to divide Catholics from Protestants. For example, in the chapter on Mary he does not really mention the immaculate conception or her being assumed into heaven. There was little on the catholic view of the Lord's Supper. So if you are looking to learn what makes Catholics unique, this is probably not your book.
As I think about it, I am not sure who this book is for. Maybe that's why it has no reviews here on Goodreads. It is a bit too deep and theological at points for the average Christian, but it also does not seem overly academic. Perhaps it would be a good read for pastors who are curious about Catholicism, have a little prior knowledge, but are willing to search for common ground.
April 20, 2019
I'm a pretty big fan of Pope Benedikt XVI so you should take my review with a grain of salt. I rated it five stars because I think it's worth reading but it is not, for the author, an unbroken string of triumphs. There are basically two Benedikts writing this book. One, is the moral philosopher, and when writing in this way, he is at his best. The other, is something of a pedant about the technical aspects of theology. It is interesting to see so logical a mind attack problems that he would be the first to say simply call for faith, but he applies reason to them in a way that I think is not really effective. When discussing the supernatural, or the Christological, in order for one premise to lead naturally to the next you have to accept a large number of precepts to begin with and some of them, quite obviously can never be proven. So to take their proof as a given, without acknowledging that, places a logical weight on a structure that cannot really bear it and weakens the rest of it. Though when talking about how the faith should engage the world, and how the adherents of Roman Catholicism should not kid themselves about the immutability of the articles of the faith, he is ingenious and his robust defense of these is why I have given the work five stars.
March 10, 2020
An interesting look into the Catholic Church's canons.
June 6, 2014
A bit dry, but this is Benedict the academic philosopher bringing all of his academic chops to exploring the Credo (Nicene Creed). If anyone thinks that faith and reason are opposites, try this on for size. Not only full of gems of faith, but also sound arguments against the modern, atheistic world. I am plodding through it, hopefully I will finish it by the end of the month, but I need to push myself.
Update: I went back to the book with a fresh determination to finish it. The more I read, the more I appreciated Benedict's sharpness in his reasoning, the sense of wonder in his appreciation in the creation and God's love. He is an ease man for the cynics to dismiss, old and frail, but they do so at their loss to understand his attempt to preserve the faith against modern relativism, which when taken completely, leave little of substance to bear down on.
I wish the book had an index. Since it is a collection of his writings and lectures, it does not. I hope at one point to sit down and type of my margin notes and underlinings, in some sort of organized manner, because I feel that is quite a bit here to grab on to, especially for those who want to better understand how our faith provides a bulwark against modern laziness of thought and the lack of appreciation to what is present before us.
Update: I went back to the book with a fresh determination to finish it. The more I read, the more I appreciated Benedict's sharpness in his reasoning, the sense of wonder in his appreciation in the creation and God's love. He is an ease man for the cynics to dismiss, old and frail, but they do so at their loss to understand his attempt to preserve the faith against modern relativism, which when taken completely, leave little of substance to bear down on.
I wish the book had an index. Since it is a collection of his writings and lectures, it does not. I hope at one point to sit down and type of my margin notes and underlinings, in some sort of organized manner, because I feel that is quite a bit here to grab on to, especially for those who want to better understand how our faith provides a bulwark against modern laziness of thought and the lack of appreciation to what is present before us.
June 8, 2016
A piecemeal redo of Introduction? Some good parts such as time and eternity.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews