Saint Paul [Hardcover]

 

 

Create your own review

It is no secret that Pope Benedict XVI's (Joseph Ratzinger) greatest strength is his mind. He is without question a brilliant man who shines brightest when he is teaching. Such is the case with the book simply titled Saint Paul. The book is in fact a series of catecheses (teaching sermons) presented over the course of late 2008 and early 2009 in honor of the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of Saint Paul. As the title suggests the entire book is about Saint Paul but it is not a biography, rather it is a presentation of the theology of Paul firmly entrenched within the context of his time.

In offering us this brilliant little book Pope Benedict also offers some wonderful lessons on how to read the text of scripture to get the most out of it. The first part of the book lays the foundation of Paul's life and the time within which he lived. With that stage set Pope Benedict then delves into such themes as Christology, Eschatology, Justification, the Sacraments and Worship among others.

Although an incredibly deep text Pope Benedict manages to keep every section between 6-8 pages so it is quite readable.

I would consider the book foundational in nature and an excellent teaching resource for personal growth, small group study or Sunday school/Church Education.

It should be noted that you do not have to be Roman Catholic to appreciate and learn from the theology in this text. No where within the book did I encounter anything that a Protestant or Orthodox believer would disagree with...this is another of its strengths.

All in all a wonderful addition to anyone's library. I highly recommend it.

Great collection of the Pope's weekly general audiences, well translated and easy to digest. The chapters/section are only about 4-8 pages each, great for those who only get to read for a few minutes at a time. This would also make for a great daily meditation book. I found it very useful for understanding the life and teachings of Saint Paul and the early Church.

This brief book originated as a series of short talks ("Catecheses") given in General Audience during the liturgical year 2008-2009. It is not intended as a full-scale study of Paul, rather an overview of his life and thought which highlights the continuing relevance of one whom Benedict calls, "an outstanding and almost inimitable yet stimulating figure". In its very brevity the book once again displays Benedict's strength as a writer: his ability to express his learning and his conceptual skills in a style which is concentrated but always clear and comprehensible.

Though, as one would expect, there are no startling innovations in this presentation, Benedict pays particular attention to aspects of Paul's career which are likely to interest the contemporary reader. One of these is his humanism. Situated at the intersection of three different cultures--Roman, Greek and Jewish--Paul developed a universalist vision out of his new-found faith in Christ. This vision had elements in common with the broad currents of the Hellenistic culture which circulated widely within the Roman Empire. Benedict points to the example of the lofty values embodied in Stoicism with its doctrines of, "the universe understood as a single great harmonious body... and the equality of all people without social distinctions". Moreover, as in our day, a crisis of traditional religion impelled seekers of all kinds away from external ritual toward a more interiorized and intimate form of spirituality. This facilitated Paul's task as he fostered the growth of new Christian communities. Yet Benedict also recognizes that the uniformity of a seemingly tolerant and rational cosmopolitan culture may threaten the diversity of distinct traditions. Before his conversion Paul had sought to defend Jewish identity against what he saw as the disintegrating effect of the rising Christian movement. Only at the moment of his encounter with the Risen Christ, says Benedict, did Paul understand that, "the situation had changed radically. With Christ, the God of Israel, the one true God, became the God of all peoples". Unity in Christ "guarantees our true identity within the diversity of cultures. The wall is no longer necessary". And because the all-sufficient unifying force is faith itself, Benedict can make a connection with the father of the Protestant Reformation: "Luther's phrase: 'faith alone' is true, if it is not opposed to faith in charity, in love."

In another interesting chapter, Benedict tackles the thorny question of what Paul meant by his teaching on original sin. This concept seems hopelessly outdated in the context of current evolutionary thinking. How can a supposed "first sin" be passed right down through countless generations to the present? Benedict's response distinguishes between two aspects of evil. One is the empirical reality we all experience as a contradiction in our nature between the need and desire to do good and the opposing selfish impulse to do only what pleases ourselves. This evil impulse shows itself in the prevalence of violence and injustice which Benedict describes as, "a murky river... which poisons the geography of human history." But how can we account for this pervasive evil? Here Benedict admits to "an aspect of mystery". One view must however be rejected: that is the ancient view that good and evil are equal primal principles and that the contradictions in our nature are simply the reflection of this fundamental duality. Benedict sees a recurrence of this outlook in modern evolutionism which conceives of being as not simply good in itself but open to both good and evil. Human history simply carries on the original model of the mixed nature of being, good and evil each being an equal part of its fabric. Benedict comments: "This is a fundamentally desperate view: if this is the case, evil is invincible. In the end all that counts is one's own interest. All progress would necessarily be paid for with a torrent of evil, and those who wanted to serve progress would have to agree to pay this price. Politics is fundamentally structured on these premises and we see the effects of this. In the end, this modern way of thinking can create only sadness and cynicism." The answer then would be to return to the Biblical vision of being as the product of a single principle (God the Creator) which is only good. Evil is secondary: it "comes from a freedom created, a freedom abused." But how did it originate? "This remains obscure. Evil is not logical. Only God and good are logical, are light. Evil remains mysterious." We can see that this explication, though geared for a modern audience, remains within a traditional theological framework. Does it satisfy? Each reader will have to decide.

This stimulating book can't be adequately explored in such a brief review. I believe it will appeal to a wide range of readers interested in the foundations of Christian thought and practice.

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 5 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

 

5.0 out of 5 stars Prescotttom
This book is a must read for every Christian and indeed for everyone.
A series of talks given by the current Pope about the life and dogma of St.Paul. Read more

Published 6 months ago by Prescotttom

1.0 out of 5 stars Satan Paul
Paul killed thousands of Christians. He was a brutal murderer who got away with genocide and became a Saint in the church because he prayed. What a heart warming story.

Published 13 months ago by OppressedAtheist

Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

› See all 5 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Search Listmania!