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Doctors of the Church
They are saints and teachers, monks, priests, bishops, and nuns. They faced opposition and exile. They lived in periods of confusion and conflict.
Their teachings and insights not only brought peace and understanding to the Church of their time, but continue to anchor the Church of today. They brought clarity to the fragments and simplicity to the complex.
They used speeches, documents, poems, and songs to reach the people of their time. Now Pope Benedict XVI explores the lives and significance of thirty-two of the Doctors of the Church like no one else can. Taken directly from the pope's addresses in his weekly audiences, Doctors of the Church is an incredible journey through time to better understand these individuals who explored and explained the critical questions of the Church.
---Who is Christ?
---How do we know Christ?
---How do we act as Christ's disciples?
---How are we in Christ?
"The mission of the Church in every age is to introduce the world to Christ, its savior. The Church cannot accomplish her mission without learned men and women who are saints of God."---
Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Archbishop of Chicago
Their teachings and insights not only brought peace and understanding to the Church of their time, but continue to anchor the Church of today. They brought clarity to the fragments and simplicity to the complex.
They used speeches, documents, poems, and songs to reach the people of their time. Now Pope Benedict XVI explores the lives and significance of thirty-two of the Doctors of the Church like no one else can. Taken directly from the pope's addresses in his weekly audiences, Doctors of the Church is an incredible journey through time to better understand these individuals who explored and explained the critical questions of the Church.
---Who is Christ?
---How do we know Christ?
---How do we act as Christ's disciples?
---How are we in Christ?
"The mission of the Church in every age is to introduce the world to Christ, its savior. The Church cannot accomplish her mission without learned men and women who are saints of God."---
Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Archbishop of Chicago
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
11 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Pope Benedict XVI
943 books935 followersOriginally
Joseph Ratzinger
, a noted conservative theologian before his election in 2005, Benedict XVI strove against the influence of secularism during his papacy to defend traditional Catholic teachings but since medieval times first resigned in 2013.
After Joseph Ratzinger served a long career as an academic and a professor at the University of Regensburg, Pope Paul VI appointed him as archbishop of Munich and Freising and cardinal in 1977. In 1981, he settled in Rome as prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, one most important office of the Roman curia. He also served as dean of the college of cardinals.
Benedict XVI reigned 265th in virtue of his office of bishop of Rome, the sovereign of the state of Vatican City and the head of the Church. A conclave named him on 19 April 2005; he celebrated his inaugural Mass on 24 April 2005 and took possession of his Lateran cathedral basilica of Saint John on 7 May 2005.
Benedict XVI succeeded Saint John Paul II, predecessor and his prolific writings on doctrine and values. Benedict XVI advocated a return to fundamental Christian values to counter the increase of many developed countries. Relativism denied objective truth and moral truths in particular; he viewed this central problem of the 21st century. With the importance of the Church, he understood redemptive love of God. He reaffirmed the "importance of prayer in the face of the activism" "of many Christians engaged in charitable work." Benedict also revived a number and elevated the Tridentine Mass to a more prominent position.
Benedict founded and patronized of the Ratzinger foundation, a charitable organization, which from the sale of books and essays makes money to fund scholarships and bursaries for students across the world.
Due to advanced age on 11 February 2013, Benedict announced in a speech in Latin and cited a "lack of strength of mind and body" before the cardinals. He effectively left on 28 February 2013.As emeritus, Benedict retained the style of His Holiness, and the title and continued to dress in the color of white. He moved into the newly renovated monastery of Mater Ecclesiae for his retirement. Pope Francis succeeded him on 13 March 2013.
(more info on Ratzinger Foundation: https://www.ewtn.com/library/Theology...)
After Joseph Ratzinger served a long career as an academic and a professor at the University of Regensburg, Pope Paul VI appointed him as archbishop of Munich and Freising and cardinal in 1977. In 1981, he settled in Rome as prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, one most important office of the Roman curia. He also served as dean of the college of cardinals.
Benedict XVI reigned 265th in virtue of his office of bishop of Rome, the sovereign of the state of Vatican City and the head of the Church. A conclave named him on 19 April 2005; he celebrated his inaugural Mass on 24 April 2005 and took possession of his Lateran cathedral basilica of Saint John on 7 May 2005.
Benedict XVI succeeded Saint John Paul II, predecessor and his prolific writings on doctrine and values. Benedict XVI advocated a return to fundamental Christian values to counter the increase of many developed countries. Relativism denied objective truth and moral truths in particular; he viewed this central problem of the 21st century. With the importance of the Church, he understood redemptive love of God. He reaffirmed the "importance of prayer in the face of the activism" "of many Christians engaged in charitable work." Benedict also revived a number and elevated the Tridentine Mass to a more prominent position.
Benedict founded and patronized of the Ratzinger foundation, a charitable organization, which from the sale of books and essays makes money to fund scholarships and bursaries for students across the world.
Due to advanced age on 11 February 2013, Benedict announced in a speech in Latin and cited a "lack of strength of mind and body" before the cardinals. He effectively left on 28 February 2013.As emeritus, Benedict retained the style of His Holiness, and the title and continued to dress in the color of white. He moved into the newly renovated monastery of Mater Ecclesiae for his retirement. Pope Francis succeeded him on 13 March 2013.
(more info on Ratzinger Foundation: https://www.ewtn.com/library/Theology...)
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 17, 2013
As part of his ongoing Wednesday catecheses, Pope Benedict XVI discussed various important figures in the history of the church. Some of these figures are known as the Doctors of the Church. The sense of the word "doctor" here is not the medical one; rather these men and women are great teachers (as in the Latin docere, to teach) and witnesses to the truth of the Christian faith. Their writings and teaching were not only important in their own time, but continue to enrich Christian life. This volume collects Benedict's words on 32 of the 35 doctors officially recognized by the Catholic church. When the volume was published, Benedict had not yet presented on Peter Chrysologus; also, he had not yet declared Hildegard of Bingen and John of Avila doctors. His catechesis on Hildegard is available in the Holy Women volume of Benedict's catecheses.
The book is a valuable resource, providing brief biographies and overviews of the major works and theological contributions of these holy men and women. Reading it is inspirational without being difficult, and has pointed me to further reading, i.e. what the doctors themselves wrote.
It also points out the historical challenges of the church which always seem to return again. St. Bonaventure, a Franciscan in the 1200s, had to deal with the "Spiritual" Franciscans, who assumed that St. Francis had ushered in an entirely new age of the church where the old, hierarchical structure should be abandoned as a new utopia begins. One immediately thinks of modern people who are "spiritual" but not "religious," because they don't want to be tied down to any doctrines or obligations.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to catching up on Hildegard in Holy Women.
Sample text: on St. Jerome, who lived in the late 300s...
The book is a valuable resource, providing brief biographies and overviews of the major works and theological contributions of these holy men and women. Reading it is inspirational without being difficult, and has pointed me to further reading, i.e. what the doctors themselves wrote.
It also points out the historical challenges of the church which always seem to return again. St. Bonaventure, a Franciscan in the 1200s, had to deal with the "Spiritual" Franciscans, who assumed that St. Francis had ushered in an entirely new age of the church where the old, hierarchical structure should be abandoned as a new utopia begins. One immediately thinks of modern people who are "spiritual" but not "religious," because they don't want to be tied down to any doctrines or obligations.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to catching up on Hildegard in Holy Women.
Sample text: on St. Jerome, who lived in the late 300s...
Moreover, an aspect rather disregarded in ancient times but held vital by our author [i.e. Jerome] is the promotion of the woman, to whom he attributes the right to a complete formation: human, scholastic, religious, professional. [p. 77]
December 13, 2020
Beautiful short sermons/essays on the Doctors of the Church, great Saints of high intellect and low, who were able to communicate their love for God and for the Church marvellously well to the Church at large. And so we honour them as Doctors - teachers - and carefully read through the literary masterpieces they have left behind. Five stars, but I normally give Pope Benedict's material five stars. Few other Catholic writers, and certainly bishops of the Church, have been as clear as he has been in the last few decades.
March 21, 2014
Doctors of the Church is a collection of audiences (or talks) given by Pope Benedict XVI during his papacy, which provides a biography and summary of the teachings of 32 Doctors of the Church. At the time this book was compiled (2011), there were 33 Doctors of the Church, and Pope Benedict XVI had yet to give a talk on St. Peter Chrysologous. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI declared two more people to be Doctors of the Church, John of Avila and Hildegard of Bingen, which brings our count up to 35.
But what exactly is a Doctor of the Church? They are certain saints whose writings and preachings are considered inspired by the Holy Spirit and that have contributed significantly to the formulation of Christian teaching. Looking at the Table of Contents in this book, I'm ashamed to admit that there are names on this list I do not recognize. There are of course familiar names like Athanasius, Augustine, Aquinas, and Ambrose. However, the names Robert Bellarmine and Lawrence of Brindisi stump me, so I immediately want to read about them. I am also drawn to reading about the Eastern Fathers, like Chrysostom, Basil, and Gregory Nazianzus.
Pope Benedict XVI didn't talk about all of these great men and women in chronological order, but the book is arranged that way. This provides the reader one way to read it, but you could also do like me and just skip around, depending on who you want to learn more about. I particularly enjoyed reading about St. Ephrem the Syrian. Even though this chapter was only a few pages, it made me want to buy a book of his hymns and dive into them. Here is a brief sample of one, "The Lord entered her and became a servant; the Word entered her, and became silent within her; thunder entered her and his voice was still; the Shepherd of all entered her; he became a Lamb in her, and came forth bleating."
It takes a brilliant mind to know other brilliant minds, and Pope Benedict XVI can definitely be considered a brilliant mind. It's a shame how many Catholics are missing out on his writings and audiences. I thoroughly recommend this book and other books from Our Sunday Visitor, like The Apostles, Great Teachers, Holy Women, The Fathers Volume 1, and The Fathers Volume 2. Reading through these will provide you with a wealth of knowledge on the great men and women of our Faith.
But what exactly is a Doctor of the Church? They are certain saints whose writings and preachings are considered inspired by the Holy Spirit and that have contributed significantly to the formulation of Christian teaching. Looking at the Table of Contents in this book, I'm ashamed to admit that there are names on this list I do not recognize. There are of course familiar names like Athanasius, Augustine, Aquinas, and Ambrose. However, the names Robert Bellarmine and Lawrence of Brindisi stump me, so I immediately want to read about them. I am also drawn to reading about the Eastern Fathers, like Chrysostom, Basil, and Gregory Nazianzus.
Pope Benedict XVI didn't talk about all of these great men and women in chronological order, but the book is arranged that way. This provides the reader one way to read it, but you could also do like me and just skip around, depending on who you want to learn more about. I particularly enjoyed reading about St. Ephrem the Syrian. Even though this chapter was only a few pages, it made me want to buy a book of his hymns and dive into them. Here is a brief sample of one, "The Lord entered her and became a servant; the Word entered her, and became silent within her; thunder entered her and his voice was still; the Shepherd of all entered her; he became a Lamb in her, and came forth bleating."
It takes a brilliant mind to know other brilliant minds, and Pope Benedict XVI can definitely be considered a brilliant mind. It's a shame how many Catholics are missing out on his writings and audiences. I thoroughly recommend this book and other books from Our Sunday Visitor, like The Apostles, Great Teachers, Holy Women, The Fathers Volume 1, and The Fathers Volume 2. Reading through these will provide you with a wealth of knowledge on the great men and women of our Faith.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews