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Europe: Today and Tomorrow
Written in late 2004 shortly before his election as Pope Benedict XVI, Ratzinger raises serious questions about the issues facing Europe amidst the new European Union and forming of a European Constitution.
Some of the main issues he raises include: How did Europe originate and what are its boundaries? Who has the right to call himself European and be admitted into the new Europe? What about the spiritual roots of Europe and the moral foundation she is founded on?
Ratzinger sees the lack of focus on these fundamental questions in the forming of a new Europe as a very serious dilemma for the future of Europe, and the world. The ties that Europe has to the USA, and the rest of the world make these questions and reflections by the current Pontiff of critical importance for facing the future together.
- GenresReligionCurrent Affairs
117 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
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About the author
Pope Benedict XVI
943 books943 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 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 3, 2014
This is a collection of essays and addresses by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger published shortly before he was elected Pope Benedict XVI. They have all of the clarity and profundity that his regular readers have come to expect. Even if you've struggled a bit with some of his theological writing, these are very accessible.
The essays take up three related themes:
* The historic spiritual foundations of Europe and the dangers inherent in trying to forge a European identity that ignores its roots.
* More generally, the relation of politics and morality.
* Reflections on war and peace (four speeches on the 60th anniversary of the landing of Allied forces in France).
"Europe" in the first two essays, refers not so much to the geographic continent but to the cultural and historical civilization that was formed there. Thus, America, though it is an ocean away, is in some sense a part of it whereas Turkey, which actually includes some territory on the continent itself, is not. Among other things, he gives a great summary of the Christian roots of the separation of Church and State, the different approaches in the Christian East and West, the changes wrought by the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and the struggle with Nazi and Communist ideologies in the 20th Century. He is sympathetic with the AIMS of the post-war European Project but skeptical of its success if it continues down its path of replacing a healthy secularity with a radical secularism.
The middle section is a rich reflection, rooted in both History and Scripture, on the proper relations between politics, and morality, Church and State, reason and faith, freedom and order, power and law, progress, and science.
Finally, the 60th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in the second world war provided the occasion for these addresses to various audiences reflecting on the just use of force, the gap between true peace and the mere absence of war, the sources of terrorism, and the particularly Christian contribution to the pursuit of peace.
NB: This volume is a translation of a collection first published in Italian. All of these essays (and three additional ones) are available in a separate translation (also published by Ignatius Press) from a German collection: Values in a Time of Upheaval
The essays take up three related themes:
* The historic spiritual foundations of Europe and the dangers inherent in trying to forge a European identity that ignores its roots.
* More generally, the relation of politics and morality.
* Reflections on war and peace (four speeches on the 60th anniversary of the landing of Allied forces in France).
"Europe" in the first two essays, refers not so much to the geographic continent but to the cultural and historical civilization that was formed there. Thus, America, though it is an ocean away, is in some sense a part of it whereas Turkey, which actually includes some territory on the continent itself, is not. Among other things, he gives a great summary of the Christian roots of the separation of Church and State, the different approaches in the Christian East and West, the changes wrought by the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and the struggle with Nazi and Communist ideologies in the 20th Century. He is sympathetic with the AIMS of the post-war European Project but skeptical of its success if it continues down its path of replacing a healthy secularity with a radical secularism.
The middle section is a rich reflection, rooted in both History and Scripture, on the proper relations between politics, and morality, Church and State, reason and faith, freedom and order, power and law, progress, and science.
Finally, the 60th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in the second world war provided the occasion for these addresses to various audiences reflecting on the just use of force, the gap between true peace and the mere absence of war, the sources of terrorism, and the particularly Christian contribution to the pursuit of peace.
NB: This volume is a translation of a collection first published in Italian. All of these essays (and three additional ones) are available in a separate translation (also published by Ignatius Press) from a German collection: Values in a Time of Upheaval
November 14, 2008
I've just begun this book. It's certainly interesting to be reading a book by the Pope (though it was written by the then Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger before the passing of John Paul II). The endleaf biography is fairly succinct, essentially saying "Joseph Ratzinger is the Pope". What more does it need to say?
The book is an edited collection of speeches and essays from the last decade. Since he is German, and writes in Italian, the prose can be a bit dense, though the translation is certainly clear enough.
His first chapter deals with the concept of European identity, both geographically and culturaly/morally. I'm finding it very interesting. Pope Benedict is of course vary conservative and we obviously disagree on fundamental theological issues, and some more temporal ones as well. Nevertheless, his discussions of the fading sense of Eoropean self-identity and the challenges of multiculturalism are very compelling. He essentially says that multiculturalism is good in that it promotes tolerance and understanding of others, but this should not come at the cost of undermining original European culture.
As Europe and the United States face demographic challenges, both through migration but also through the globalization of trade and cultural exchange, this is a critical issue and the pope presents a very impassioned and well argued case for the need for a clear, unifying, moral identity. I'm not sure that I'd go with the one he'd suggest exactly, but the need is clear.
The book is an edited collection of speeches and essays from the last decade. Since he is German, and writes in Italian, the prose can be a bit dense, though the translation is certainly clear enough.
His first chapter deals with the concept of European identity, both geographically and culturaly/morally. I'm finding it very interesting. Pope Benedict is of course vary conservative and we obviously disagree on fundamental theological issues, and some more temporal ones as well. Nevertheless, his discussions of the fading sense of Eoropean self-identity and the challenges of multiculturalism are very compelling. He essentially says that multiculturalism is good in that it promotes tolerance and understanding of others, but this should not come at the cost of undermining original European culture.
As Europe and the United States face demographic challenges, both through migration but also through the globalization of trade and cultural exchange, this is a critical issue and the pope presents a very impassioned and well argued case for the need for a clear, unifying, moral identity. I'm not sure that I'd go with the one he'd suggest exactly, but the need is clear.
December 21, 2018
He is great here in explaining how reason can be destructive without religion and vice versa.
December 4, 2020
Ratzinger is such a brilliant teologian. In this book he talks about Europe her roots and problems, her oportunities and chalenges. The best part in book for me is way Ratzinger explains role of reason and faith in politics. To much faith and no reason and you get wich burning and wars of religion, to much reason and no faith and you get communism and nazism with all of it bloodbaths. Such a great explenation. It is short read but great insight in catholic view of the Europe.
January 28, 2020
O então cardeal Joseph Ratzinger (depois papa Bento XVI) faz belas leituras da Europa, seus fundamentos, suas características especialmente no pós-guerra, e como os cristãos e os fundamentos cristãos são essenciais para manter a paz e a harmonia na Europa e todo o mundo ocidental.
September 23, 2019
Un pequeño libro de un gran intelectual. Es una recopilación de conferencias en varias partes y ocasiones, que en su común denominador hablan de Europa en su dimensión política-religiosa, pero cuyas ideas tienen una aplicación universal, no solo europea. El título le resta el atractivo que tienen las ideas que expone Benedicto.
Los ocho textos son clasificados en tres partes: ¿qué es Europa?, política y moral, y responsabilidad para la paz. La segunda parte, con dos de esas conferencias, es realmente extraordinaria. Interesará a cualquiera que tenga inquietudes políticas, de cualquier signo.
Muy recomendable y posible de leer en poco tiempo. ¡Y luego dicen que la religión y la razón son incompatibles!
Los ocho textos son clasificados en tres partes: ¿qué es Europa?, política y moral, y responsabilidad para la paz. La segunda parte, con dos de esas conferencias, es realmente extraordinaria. Interesará a cualquiera que tenga inquietudes políticas, de cualquier signo.
Muy recomendable y posible de leer en poco tiempo. ¡Y luego dicen que la religión y la razón son incompatibles!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews