Let God's Light Shine Forth
The Spiritual Vision of Pope Benedict XVI
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- £6.99
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- £6.99
Publisher Description
Published at the beginning of Pope Benedict XVI's papacy in 2005, Let God's Light Shine Forth, introduced the world to his spiritual vision of hope.
The election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as successor to Pope John Paul II aroused tremendous interest not only among Catholics but throughout the world. Formerly the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith and known for his stand against liberation theology and social activism on issues such as homosexuality, in his first days as Pope demonstrated a pastoral and very human face to the world. His deep faith, his theological learning and his intellectual gifts are without peer, and provided the foundation for his Papacy until his abdication in 2013,
This book, from the editor of Inside the Vatican, explores Benedict's beliefs and policies through his own writings. Robert Moynihan sets the scene for his momentous election and then surveys his writings: on Jesus, Mary and the Sacrements, on the wider issues of faith and spirituality, and on the world today. In conclusion he reveals Benedict XVI's views expressed since his election and shows how these relate to his spiritual vision for the Church and the world.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
When Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected pope in April 2005, he had long been the second most powerful man in the Vatican, but his own writings had often been overlooked. This sampler of those writings--doubtless the first of many such collections--promises to give readers a taste of the theology and teachings of the man who is now Pope Benedict XVI. After a helpful biographical essay by Moynihan, the founder and editor of Inside the Vatican magazine, the book dashes through excerpts spanning Ratzinger's whole career, from his earliest days as a young professor to his first utterance as pope. Since these excerpts are undated and Moynihan gives them no historical context, the book is more useful as a devotional text than as a window into the evolution of Ratzinger's spiritual development. In any case, it would be useful to have an index that could help readers find the specific topics addressed here (Christmas, Islam, poverty, marriage, in vitro fertilization, pride, Easter, etc.). However, the reflections are loosely grouped in very general topical chapters and organized with helpful subheads. The readings are short, usually just a paragraph or two long, and representative of a wide variety of spiritual and social issues. Readers who are eager for a taste of the new pope's stance on topics like Protestant-Catholic relations, cloning, or the liturgy will enjoy leafing through this compilation.
