Church Fathers and Teachers: From Saint Leo the Great to Peter Lombard

by Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger

After meditating on the Apostles and then on the Fathers of the early Church, as seen in his earlier works  Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church  and  Church Fathers , Pope Benedict XVI devoted his attention to the most influential Christian men from the fifth through the twelfth centuries. In his first book,  Church Fathers , Benedict began with Clement of Rome and ended with Saint Augustine. In this volume, the Holy Father reflects on some of the greatest theologians of the Middle Benedict, Anselm, Bernard, and Gregory the Great, to name just a few. By exploring both the lives and the ideas of the great popes, abbots, scholars and missionaries who lived during the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of Christendom, Pope Benedict XVI highlights the key elements of Catholic dogma and practice that remain the foundation stones not only of the Roman Catholic Church but of Christian society itself. This book is a wonderful way to get to know these later Church Fathers and Teachers and the tremendous spiritually rich patrimony they have bequeathed to us. “Without this vital sap, man is exposed to the danger of succumbing to the ancient temptation of seeking to redeem himself by himself.” 
? Pope Benedict XVI

Genres: Catholic, History, Religion, Faith, Theology

215 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Originally 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...)

Reviews

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This marks the 29thj volume by Pope Benedict I have read over the last few years. In that time I have read a number of books by and about Pope Benedict XVI. Of the popes in my lifetime, I find his writings of immense spiritual benefit. I would state that I underappreciated him until his resignation. And since then, I have read much. And with each piece I read I appreciate his wisdom, faith, and stand against modernism to an even greater extent. This is an excellent read, even though it overlaps with other volumes I have read.

The description of the edition of the book is:

“After meditating on the Apostles and then on the Fathers of the early Church, as seen in his earlier works Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church and Church Fathers, Pope Benedict XVI devoted his attention to the most influential Christian men from the fifth through the twelfth centuries. In his first book, Church Fathers, Benedict began with Clement of Rome and ended with Saint Augustine. In this volume, the Holy Father reflects on some of the greatest theologians of the Middle Ages: Benedict, Anselm, Bernard, and Gregory the Great, to name just a few. By exploring both the lives and the ideas of the great popes, abbots, scholars and missionaries who lived during the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of Christendom, Pope Benedict XVI highlights the key elements of Catholic dogma and practice that remain the foundation stones not only of the Roman Catholic Church but of Christian society itself. This book is a wonderful way to get to know these later Church Fathers and Teachers and the tremendous spiritually rich patrimony they have bequeathed to us.”

The chapters in this edition are:

1. Saint Leo the Great
2. Boethius and Cassiodorus
3. Saint Benedict of Norcia
4. Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite
5. Saint Romanus the Melodist
6. Saint Gregory the Great (1)
7. Saint Gregory the Great (2)
8. Saint Columban
9. Saint Isidore of Seville
10. Saint Maximus the Confessor
11. John Climacus
12. Saint Bede, the Venerable
13. Saint Boniface, the Apostle of the Germans
14. Ambrose Autpert
15. Germanus of Constantinople
16. John Damascene
17. Saint Theodore the Studite
18. Rabanus Maurus
19. John Scotus Erigena
20. Saints Cyril and Methodius
21. Saint Odo of Cluny
22. Saint Peter Damian
23. Symeon the New Theologian
24. Saint Anselm
25. Peter the Venerable
26. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
27. Monastic Theology and Scholastic Theology
28. Two Theological Models in Comparison: Bernard and Abelard
29. The Cluniac Reform
30. The Cathedral from the Romanesque to the Gothic Architecture: The Theological Background
31. Hugh and Richard of Saint-Victor
32. William of Saint-Thierry
33. Rupert of Deutz
34. John of Salisbury
35. Peter Lombard

The volumes that overlap with this one are:

Fathers and Writers of the First Millennium - Pope Benedict XVI - The Spiritual Masters (Chapters 10-20)
The Medieval Fathers and Writers - Pope Benedict XVI - The Spiritual Masters (Chapters 21-35)

Those two volumes are preceded by:
Church Fathers From Clement of Rome to Augustine - Pope Benedict XVI
The Fathers of the Church - Pope Benedict XVI - CTS Books

Which are preceded by:

Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church and Church Fathers - Pope Benedict XVI

Which I only discovered while reading the description of this volume, while working on this review but have now added to my wish list. But back to this volume. It should also be noted there is no introduction of conclusion to the volume.

I have read much about the church fathers and by the church fathers over the years. Both in school and personal reading, much of it by Mike Aquilina. This is an absolutely fantastic volume. You can read it from beginning to end, or jump around and pick and choose the Fathers in a random order.

This is a wonderful volume to read and having read a chunk of it in a different edition it was a refresher on the church fathers and teachers. This volume at the start of each chapter had the name, date of the audience and location, for example:

35
Peter Lombard
WEDNESDAY, 30 DECEMBER 2009
Paul VI Audience Hall

It is a great resource that any Catholic would benefit from reading, it would be great for any Christian. An excellent volume.

This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read a book by Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI, I am amazed by his scholarship and by his ability to explain challenging theological principles clearly. What a gift he has been to the Church!

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pope Benedict XVI is so readable. Highly recommended.