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God and the world: believing and living in our time. (Book Review).


Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, God and the world: believing and living in our time, Ignatius Press Ignatius Press was founded in 1978 by Father Joseph Fessio SJ, a Jesuit priest and former pupil of Pope Benedict XVI [1]. Ignatius Press, named for Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order, is a Catholic publishing house headquartered in San Francisco, California. , San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden , 2002, pp. 460, $31.50 (Cdn)

In recent years Cardinal Ratzinger has granted two interviews for publication, the first with an Italian journalist, and the second with a German journalist, Peter Seewald. This new book records a third interview, again with Peter Seewald. It consists of questions and answers, each pair of them averaging about a page in length. The Cardinal and the journalist spent three days at the Benedictine Abbey at Monte Cassino Monte Cassino (môn`tā käs-sē`nō), monastery, in Latium, central Italy, E of the Rapido River. Situated on a hill (1,674 ft/510 m) overlooking Cassino, it was founded c.529 by St. , in Central Italy Central Italy is a geographic area in Italy that encompasses four of the country's 20 autonomous regions:
  • Lazio
  • Marches
  • Tuscany
  • Umbria
See also
  • Groups of regions of Italy
  • Northern Italy
  • Southern Italy
  • Insular Italy
. After the interview the Cardinal tidied up a few things he had said but, for the most part, left the answers as they were. The questions range over the whole area of Catholic theology. They are arranged under the following chief headings: faith, hope, and love; God; creation; order in creation; the two Testaments; the Law; love; Jesus Christ; revelation; the Light; the Way; the Truth; life; the Mother of God; the Cross; the Church; the Spirit; spiritual gifts; the Sacraments; and the future. There are few theologians who could deal competently with all these matters in three d ays. The question-and-answer format is a good one, more interesting, I think, than a monologue would have been.

As was true of the first two interviews, this one is not only very readable but also fascinating. The opportunity to quiz the Prefect prefect or praefect (both: prē`fĕkt), in ancient Rome, various military and civil officers. Under the empire some prefects were very important. The Praetorian prefects (first appointed 2 B.C.  of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) (Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei), previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, is the oldest of the nine congregations of the Roman Curia. , who is perhaps as well informed on all the affairs of the Church as is the Pope, is a rare privilege. In the case of nearly every answer one finds sound instruction and unexpected comments. Since the questions run the whole gamut of Catholic faith and practice, all readers will find many matters of special interest to them.

I might mention one series of questions and replies which will be of vital concern to every reader. It concerns the future of the Church, which is treated in the book's last twenty pages. The questioner quotes the Cardinal's earlier words: "The Church will become small, and will to a great extent have to start over again. But, after a time of testing, an internalized and simplified Church will radiate ra·di·ate
v.
1. To spread out in all directions from a center.

2. To emit or be emitted as radiation.



ra
 great power and influence; for the population of an entirely planned and controlled world are going to be inexpressibly in·ex·press·i·ble  
adj.
Impossible to express: inexpressible grief. See Synonyms at unspeakable.



in
 lonely... and they will then discover the little community of believers as something quite new. As a hope that is there for them, as the answer they have always been secretly asking for." The Cardinal then outlines his vision of the future.
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Copyright 2002, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Author:Kennedy, Leonard A.
Publication:Catholic Insight
Date:Dec 1, 2002
Words:434
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