What do you think?
Rate this book
Jesus Christ, the Holy One of God
This work consists of a series of meditations on Christ. Of the various methods of approaching the person of Jesus, Father Cantalamessa has chosen the Christological dogmatic way, which, very early, the tradition of the Church developed by selecting and organizing the relevant biblical data. These are the fundamental truths concerning Christ as defined in the early ecumenical councils, most notably the Council of Chalcedon, and are summed up in three Jesus Christ is true man, he is true God, he is one sole person. In his meditations Father Cantalamessa has approached the person of Christ by following this classic way of the Church. The meditations consist of six two are devoted to the humanity of Christ, two to his divinity, and two to his unity of person. The concluding chapter is a kind of excursus, which amounts to a critical evaluation of the theses recently advanced in certain so called "new Christologies," more particularly on the problem of the divinity of Christ.
- GenresTheology
166 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
3 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Raniero Cantalamessa
161 books85 followersFather Raniero Cantalamessa is a Franciscan Capuchin Catholic Priest. Born in Ascoli Piceno, Italy, 22 July 1934, ordained priest in 1958. Divinity Doctor (Fribourg 1962) and Doctor in classical literature (Milan 1966). Former Ordinary Professor of History of Ancient Christianity and Director of the Department of Religious Sciences at the Catholic University of Milan. Member of the International Theological Commission (1975-1981) and for 12 years member of the Catholic Delegation for the dialogue with the Pentecostal Churches.
In 1979 he resigned his teaching position to become a full time preacher of the Gospel. In 1980 he was appointed by Pope John Paul II Preacher to the Papal Household and confirmed in that position by pope Benedict XVI in 2005. In this capacity he preaches a weekly sermon in Advent and Lent in the presence of the Pope, the cardinals, bishops an prelates of the Roman Curia and the general superiors of religious orders. He is also frequently invited to speak in many countries around the world, both to Catholic and Protestant audiences.
He has received an Honorary degree in Laws from Notre Dame University (Indiana), in Sciences of communication from the University of Macerata (Italy) and in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio).
In addition to his early scholar books on patristic Christology, Easter in the Ancient Church and other topics he has published numerous books on spirituality fruit of his preaching to the papal Household, translated in more than twenty foreign languages.
For 14 years, from 1994 to 2010 he has run a weekly program on the first channel of the Italian state television (RAI) on the Gospel of the following Sunday.
From 2009, when he is not engaged in preaching, he lives in an hermitage, at Cittaducale (Rieti) ministering to a small community of cloistered nuns.
The 18 July 2013 he has been confirmed by pope Francis as Preacher to the Papal Household.
In 1979 he resigned his teaching position to become a full time preacher of the Gospel. In 1980 he was appointed by Pope John Paul II Preacher to the Papal Household and confirmed in that position by pope Benedict XVI in 2005. In this capacity he preaches a weekly sermon in Advent and Lent in the presence of the Pope, the cardinals, bishops an prelates of the Roman Curia and the general superiors of religious orders. He is also frequently invited to speak in many countries around the world, both to Catholic and Protestant audiences.
He has received an Honorary degree in Laws from Notre Dame University (Indiana), in Sciences of communication from the University of Macerata (Italy) and in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio).
In addition to his early scholar books on patristic Christology, Easter in the Ancient Church and other topics he has published numerous books on spirituality fruit of his preaching to the papal Household, translated in more than twenty foreign languages.
For 14 years, from 1994 to 2010 he has run a weekly program on the first channel of the Italian state television (RAI) on the Gospel of the following Sunday.
From 2009, when he is not engaged in preaching, he lives in an hermitage, at Cittaducale (Rieti) ministering to a small community of cloistered nuns.
The 18 July 2013 he has been confirmed by pope Francis as Preacher to the Papal Household.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 26, 2020
A brief but powerful series of reflections on classic christological themes. Here is one example of the author’s brilliant insight, summarizing what Albert Schweitzer discovered about the early quests for the (so-called) historical Jesus:
“Each generation of theologians had set out intent on releasing Christ from the shackles of ecclesiastical dogmatics, so as to bring him nearer to the writer and his pre-occupations. The result was that each age clothed Christ in the ideas and tendencies successively pre-occupying society. It dressed him in the clothes then in fashion. They used Christ as a laboratory for trying out their own theories.”
“Each generation of theologians had set out intent on releasing Christ from the shackles of ecclesiastical dogmatics, so as to bring him nearer to the writer and his pre-occupations. The result was that each age clothed Christ in the ideas and tendencies successively pre-occupying society. It dressed him in the clothes then in fashion. They used Christ as a laboratory for trying out their own theories.”
November 3, 2013
Very interesting description of the dual nature of Christ: the hypo static union. The author splits the book into several chapters on Christ's divinity, then his humanity, then his dual natures. The last part of the book describes how dogma is foundational and necessary for protecting the truths of Christ. The author points out that the "new understandings" of Christ are really nothing more than old heresies resurrected under a veneer of relativism.
I thought it was fascinating that in the early church Christ's divinity was accepted without much question. Rather it was His humanity that was the subject of intense debate and clarification.
Pretty heady stuff and not a quick read for me. Still it was worth the time and effort.
I thought it was fascinating that in the early church Christ's divinity was accepted without much question. Rather it was His humanity that was the subject of intense debate and clarification.
Pretty heady stuff and not a quick read for me. Still it was worth the time and effort.
November 30, 2010
I was genuinely moved by this book. Although I am not a Roman Catholic, I found Cantalamessa's meditations to be thoughtful and profound. It made the hypostatic union comprehensible to me - when I finished the book, I felt that I had a much better idea of that key Christian dogma. Special mention to the translator for rendering the text into such warm, limpid English. I would especially commend this to anyone looking for spiritual reading during Lent.
March 11, 2022
Vote: 3,50
Class: P-A1 (FP)
E' stata una lettura abbastanza faticosa, probabilmente perché avevo a disposizione solo una copia in spagnolo e la traduzione non rende il linguaggio, normalmente semplice, dell'autore.
Restano comunque molte idee chiare e centrali per la Fede cristiana.
Bello.
Class: P-A1 (FP)
E' stata una lettura abbastanza faticosa, probabilmente perché avevo a disposizione solo una copia in spagnolo e la traduzione non rende il linguaggio, normalmente semplice, dell'autore.
Restano comunque molte idee chiare e centrali per la Fede cristiana.
Bello.
April 16, 2009
Another excellent book by Cantalamessa. However, this might be too theological for some.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews