A lucid account of Ratzinger’s long theological career and likely manner of leadership in the future; of particular interest...
Vatican watcher Weigel (The Truth of Catholicism, 2001, etc.) considers the course of the church under the previous pope and the possible changes that the new one will bring.
Joseph Ratzinger, elected pope by the College of Cardinals on April 19, 2005, is said to have been a less-than-willing candidate, feeling himself unfit “by reason of age and temperament.” Certainly many cardinals shared his reservations, though for complex reasons: Writes Weigel, there were those who wished to see greater engagement with globalization and human-rights issues, extending the concerns of John Paul II through the appointment of a Latin American pope; those who opposed Ratzinger because of his conservatism (and who promoted an apparently unfair Ratzinger-as-Nazi trope); and those who, as true hardcore clerical conservatives, wished to see the papacy restored to an Italian pope after a long turn in the hands of Karol Wojtyla of Poland. Weigel is at his best when documenting, in diary-like form, the ins and outs of Vatican politics and the inside deals that are struck in order to produce a puff of white smoke; his account here joins very nicely with recent intramural books, such as John L. Allen’s Conclave (2002) and John-Peter Pham’s Heirs of the Fisherman (2005). Less effective is his exposition of the problems now facing the church, some of which, as one of the faithful, he is presumably reticent to discuss at much length; one thinks of priestly marriage, women in the priesthood, the rooting out of sexually abusive clerics and the church’s stance on contraception. Nonetheless, Weigel looks squarely at plenty of difficult issues and offers a few prescriptions, including one by which the ecumenical Catholic Church would more actively help “those courageous Islamic scholars and religious leaders who want to challenge Islamist radicals and extremists.”
A lucid account of Ratzinger’s long theological career and likely manner of leadership in the future; of particular interest to reform-minded Catholics.Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-06-621331-2
Page Count: 288
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2005
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
