Without Roots: The West, Relativism, Christianity, Islam

by Pope Benedict XVI, Marcello Pera, George Weigel (Foreword)

On May 12, 2004, Pope Benedict XVI - then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger-addressed the Italian Senate on the state of the West; the very same day, Joseph Pera, President of the Italian Senate, spoke before the Lateran College of the Papal University. Together they called upon the West to confront the spiritual, cultural, and political malaise that have afflicted it in the earliest years of the 21st century. In the months that ensued, before Cardinal Ratzinger's election to the papacy, they developed their ideas into the eloquent dialogue that is Without Roots - a book that quickly became an Italian bestseller and is even more timely today than ever. With Europe shaken by the war in Iraq, terrorism, security, Israel, relations with the U.S., immigration, and the rejection of the EU constitution in both France and the Netherlands, the issue of European identity has profound implications for the rest of the world. Bringing together their unique vantage points as leaders of Church and State, Pope Benedict XVI and Pera challenge us to imagine what can be the future of a civilization that has abandoned its history for a relativist secularism. They call on the West to embrace a spiritual rather than political renewal-and to accept the moral beliefs that alone can help us to make sense of changes in technology, economics, and society. Pope Benedict XVI joins the President of the Italian Senate to offer a provocative critique of the spiritual, cultural, and political crisis afflicting the West.

Genres: Religion, Philosophy, Theology, Catholic, History, Nonfiction, Islam

175 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Originally 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...)

Reviews

[Javier Villar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Former president of Spain, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, used to say that an alliance of civilizations between Europe and the Islam world was needed. That president is a sinister and ominous character and what he was talking about is what pope Benedict expresses so accurately in this book: relativism and Islam are a threat to Western civilization and the values and freedom that represents.

The Western civilization can only be destroyed from within, when its moral foundations are questioned and attacked. This is not an impossible thing to happen, let's face it, tyranny has been the rule throughout human history. It's up to this generation to defend civilization so that it can prevail from barbarianism; and the pen, as always, is mightier than the sword.

Pope Benedict is a person I profoundly admire.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book. The humanist progressive assault on religion in the public square has transformed modern society - and not it a good way. This exchange of letters between the premier Christian intellectual of the age and a clear thinking Italian atheist political figure show that rational thought can still bring people of good will to similar conclusions about modern society.

A short book, not a difficult read.

[Kevin Estabrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this exchange between Italian Senate President Marcello Pera and Cardinal Ratzinger most intriguing.

Ratzinger's insight and clarity of thought are simply unparalleled. Unfortunately, he is a vox clamantis in deserto, his warnings concerning the problem of culture relativism both in Europe in the United States continue to go unheeded.

As his analysis is primarily concerned with Europe, I would like to see greater application of his insights to the American problem.

[Ian Hodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

The history of Europe is the history of Christianity -- good and bad. In this short book, Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, explores the loss of faith and the abandonment of Christendom. That Europe is no long Christian is hardly a topic worth debating. But the roots of faith are deep, and there are people within Europe who still work for the ascendency of Christianity as the predominant cultural force.

The author gets to the heart of the issue very well. Without a common faith, there is no community, no civilization. And it was the common faith of Christianity that created civilization. The idea that all truth is relative eliminates the possibility of genuine dialogue. Multiculturalism cannot truly take place outside of a common force providing the cohesion amongst different cultures.

In other words, the West is now without roots. Relativism "has paralyzed the West, when it is already disoriented and at a standstill, rendered it defenseless when it is already acquiescent, and confused it when it is already reluctant to rise to the challenge" (p. 33). Until the problem of relativism is resolved, there is no Christian Europe and no Christian future.

One hopes and prays that his clarion call will be heeded.

[Santeri Marjokorpi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edellinen paavi Benedictus XVI keskustelee vielä kardinaalina olleessaan italialaisen ateistiprofessorin Marcello Peran kanssa Euroopan olemuksesta ja ideasta. Kuulostaa lähtökohtaisesti tylsältä, mutta kirjassa mentiin syvälle ajankohtaisiin kysymyksiin ja keskustelijat olivat huippuluokkaa.

Suurin kritiikki kirjassa osoitetaan Euroopan vallannutta relativismia kohtaan. Molemmat vastustavat relativismia, jossa kaikki uskonnot, aatteet ja ideologiat nähdään saman arvoisina. Peran mukaan tulisi kyetä esimerkiksi sanomaan, että läntinen kulttuuri on parempi kuin islamilainen kulttuuri. Tämän ei kuitenkaan tarvitse johtaa konfliktiin. Benedictuksen mukaan länsi yrittää olla avoimempi ja ymmärtäväisempi muiden arvoja kohtaan, mutta on samaan aikaan menettänyt kykynsä rakastaa itseään. Hänen mukaansa Euroopan tulisi hyväksyä taas itsensä ja ymmärtää, että se on rakennettu juuri kristinuskon perinnölle, ei mille tahansa aatteelle tai ideologialle.

[Barnaby Bienkowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pope Benedict is obviously one of the great minds of our generation. He is very polite and thorough in the arguments he makes... though not very clear. his ideas are engaging but his punchlines and summaries are nonexistent. Pera is a smart and cohesive politician who is probably not someone I would vote for bases on their views. But does raise a good point of we should be proud of who we are and not assume everyone else is just as correct as we are. If everyone is right, then nobody is right. etc.

I enjoyed this book, but not sure I would recommend it.

[Ruben · Rating 4 out of 5]

For lectures and an exchange that took place 20 years ago or so, the content is very revealing. One can even see how some of the authors’ concerns played out two decades later.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Generally, anything that includes writing by Pope Benedict XVI automatically warrants five stars. Regardless of your religious position, his intellect, logic, and simple prose has to be admired. This little volume, which takes the form of a dialogue with Marcello Pera, the sometime President of the Italian Senate, is a fascinating example of intelligent and respectful debate. Pera, a prominent philosopher and atheist, and the then Cardinal Ratzinger each contribute a paper and responding letter in a discussion about a deep moral malaise gripping Europe. They both identify Europe's purposeful amnesia bordering on self-hatred as the root of a cultural crisis. There is no spittle-flecked Richard Dawkins diatribe here, but a true dialogue between thinking men, which undoubtedly will reveal many more layers with future re-readings.

I'm on Twitter: @Dr_A_Taubman

[Bojan Tunguz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most remarkable thing about this little book is not so much the particular issues that are discussed in it. The last few years have seen an increased concern expressed by many Europeans (and others) about the direction in which that continent is headed. What is remarkable is that there is increasingly a convergence of ideas that point to the solution of Europe's long term ills. In this book two extraordinary intellectual giants (one a Pope and another a philosopher and the president of the Italian senate) present their views of those ills from an essentially the same vantage point. There is yet a hope that not everything is lost.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a collection of speeches by the former Pope, as well as his correspondence with an Italian politician. Most of the material has been discussed elsewhere, and it seems to focus on Christianity as synonomous with European civilization, rather than discussing actual Christian faith apart from cultural context.

[Rick Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

"They call on the West to embrace a spiritual rather than a political renewal - and to accept the moral values that alone can help us to make sense of changes in technology, economics, and society." It is also a timely book taking the direction our nation is moving towards.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read how relativism has affected Europe and see America's future. Wake up!

[Frederick Dotolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A series of letters between Pera and Cardinal Ratzinger about the decline of Western Civilization (due to Relativism) and what (if anything) can be done to reverse it.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating to listen in on European discussions about the West, and in particular, about America in relation to Europe.

[Luís Branco · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the book and some of the definitions applied to it as well as well based criticism of Protestantism. However, it left more open questions than giving solutions.

[Célis Nights dos Anzóis Pereira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Em ‘Without Roots: The West, Relativism, Christianity and Islam’ somos apresentados a duas conferências e a duas cartas, de Ratzinger e Marcello Pera (à época da publicação, Presidente do Senado italiano).

A conferência de Pera cheira a naftalina neocon, perde-se na defesa boba e, hoje, ainda bem, insustentável da ação da OTAN no Iraque. Delira na paranóia da invasão islâmica da Europa. A transição demográfica é inegável, mas o seu sentido só é obviamente negativo de uma perspectiva secularista radical e acovardada. O pensamento cansado de uma sociedade moribunda.

A carta por ele escrita ao então Cardeal Ratzinger é mais interessante, embora contenha uma apologia pretensamente conservadora e na verdade alucinada das inovações da legislação italiana no campo da bioética. A defesa da reprodução artificial e da legislação do aborto, como uma evolução orgânica dos valores do Ocidente. Pensamento que já deu seus frutos e apresenta os seus paroxismos para todos verem. Há poucas semanas, o Tribunal da Província Latina decidiu que o genitor masculino também tem direito (assim como a genitora) de processar o médico ginecologista que falhou na interrupção da gravidez. E por aí se vai.

Os textos de Ratzinger são uma beleza. Mais do que um erudito, era homem de pensamento muito ordenado e bom professor. Quanta generosidade e disposição ao diálogo! Quanto desse esforço realmente se aproveita?

Ambos debatem sobre a possibilidade do desenvolvimento de uma “religião civil” para a Europa, que surgisse organicamente, e não como transplante de gabinetes. Uma religião cristã não denominacional, que unisse os esforços dos cristãos de todos os matizes e dos leigos de boa vontade na defesa dos valores e instituições da Europa e da sua civilização contra (esse sim o seu verdadeiro inimigo e não a caricatura feita do Islã) o relativismo e o desconstrucionismo.

Lembra o debate de Ratzinger e Habermas no ‘Dialética da Secularização’ sobre o substrato cristão que mantém de pé todo o edifício das democracias pluralistas contemporâneas.

Mais que dialoguismo a ação social cristã pressupõe abertura ao martírio, tão rara numa sociedade em que a caridade esfriou e o relativismo impera.

[یاسر میردامادی · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book features lectures by Joseph Ratzinger, the former Catholic Pope (Pope Benedict XVI), who resigned in 2013, and Marcello Pera, an Italian atheist philosopher and conservative politician who served as the President of the Italian Senate from 2001 to 2006. The book concludes with a series of letter exchanges between Ratzinger and Pera.

Both authors argue in a somewhat different language that multiculturalism and relativism have eroded or lost Europe's deep-rooted Christian heritage in the late modern era. They advocate for a return to Europe's Christian roots, emphasizing the need for Christian culture to regain prominence over other cultural influences. They argue that Europe is ill-prepared for this shift. It's important to note that while they compare Christianity favourably to Islam regarding cultural impact, they also clarify that this comparison should not be used to mistreat Muslims.

Some readers may find the book's approach reminiscent of 18th-century missionary colonial treatizes, where the aim was to convince other cultures of their need for colonization and conversion to the "true" religion. It's worth noting the irony that one of the primary advocates for Christian values in this book is an atheist.

One notable statement by Ratzinger in the book is, "If colonization could be considered a success, it is in the sense that contemporary Asia and Africa can also pursue the ideal of a world shaped by technology and prosperity" (p. 64). This statement highlights the connection between his speech at the University of Regensburg in 2006, widely viewed by Muslims as anti-Islamic and ultimately led to his Papal resignation and the ideas presented in the book.

[Carlo Calleja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without Roots is a thought-provoking dialogue in the form of letters and talks between (then) Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and (then) President of the Italian Senate, Marcello Pera. The book is worth turning to especially at this moment in history when the idea of a united Europe is being cast into doubt even by some contemporary Catholic thinkers. This collection of essays must not be approached with the aim of finding some straightforward solutions to phenomena that Europe is currently facing, such as immigration, secularization and relativism. The authors’ views in the book diverge on certain issues and converge on others but the central tenet remains constant throughout: Europe was founded on Christian values and when these are lost, then the very dignity of every human person is at risk. Several hot button issues are explored in the book, of which I will mention just a few. First, the value of solidarity not only with the poor within Europe, including with immigrants, but also solidarity in terms of dialogue and mediation with countries experiencing the terrors of war. Second, what a wholesome secularisation looks like and why it is desirable. Third, the difference between pursuing the Catholic identity simply as a form of elitism versus an authentic embracing of Christian values, which would allow all to flourish in Europe, no irrespective of one’s religious convictions. This is a sobering book which helps us rethink current situations in the light of a history and a tradition and which calls for a critical eye in a society where these values are fast being lost.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. In one sense, it is well written – these are both incredibly capable thinkers, and if anything, I would say Pera seems to be even clearer in his arguments than Ratzinger, which is saying a lot since Ratzinger is quite an intellect in his own right. (I do probably need to re-read this to get deeper into it and think it through more carefully.)

That said, I feel like this book’s subtitle is misleading. Bioethical questions take up more space and thought than Islam, the latter of which barely features at all in this book. Also, this book has a heavy focus on Europe and its constitution and values, speaking only of the United States (and not at all of Canada) in order to make a comparison with what is going on in Europe. So if I had to subtitle it myself, it would be more like “The Erosion of Christian Identity in Contemporary Europe.” It was an interesting read, but since I don’t know that much about the details of the history of modern Europe, and don’t specifically feel passionate about it either as a North American, I felt a bit disappointed – the subject matter was somewhat different from what I thought it would be.

Also, since this book was written in 2006 and there has been a lot of sliding down slippery moral slopes since then, it feels out of date in the sense that things seem much more dire now than they were at the time of writing.

[Lance Cahill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting dialogue on what many see as the rootlessness of western society. This book was published in 2006 and the issues identified within the book (a lack of a civil religion in Europe and general listlessness) seem to have accelerated in a world shorn of normal human interaction through COVID precautions and dominance of social media platforms. The centripetal forces seem on pace to continue and the diagnosis laid out in this book are worth considering.

For what it is worth, the inclusion of Islam in the title is odd and it is only discussed briefly in the book. Cant help but think it was an effort to sell books.

[Peter Gallaher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Interesting

Both parts of this little text are well written, argued, supported and presented by two very, very intelligent men. It was a pleasure, an enlightening pleasure, especially now when relativism, a kind of disease of plague dimensions of mind and soul the way I see it, has swept across the West. About all that is left which isn't loosened by the disease are the dual threats to live in earth of Communism and radical Islam. And, that ain't much.

[Jaime Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent but difficult read. The dialogue between Pope Benedict and the Italian leader was excellent, but I must admit that I had to research quite a few terms in order to understand the context. Nevertheless, this book preempts the substantial mess that Europe currently faces in the midst of terrorism and advanced (might I say harmful?) secularism. I dare the doubter to read and consider their arguments concerning universal truths.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joseph Ratzinger and Marcello Pera present lectures and letters of correspondence which I found to be a fascinating and thought provoking read. How do we judge the cultural worth of our traditions? This book presents a decisive argument against relativism and deconstructionism, which has become almost a faith unto themselves in our popular culture.

[Ammar Anwer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brilliant discussion between a secularist Marcello Pera(Italian Politician), and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger(Who later on became Pope Benedict XVI). Marcello, despite being an atheist, claims that people of Europe can and should call themselves Christian. This discourse shows how believers and unbelievers can unite in their reverence for Europe's religious and spiritual heritage.

[Anna Bliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, easy read - hits the nail on the head as far as Europe's cultural/social crises. Foretells the potential decline of Europe as a hegemon on the global stage (even though the US is already #1 World Leader) and how it will be a crisis to reckon with.

[Todd Hains · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought-provoking re the current state of Western culture and relativism.

Always enjoy Ratzinger. But this was my first time reading Pera. He was fun too. Clear crisp thinking. Looking forward to reading some other works by him.

[joseph schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughtful bold warning and counsel

Intellectually honest, insightful awareness of our progressive slide into moral relativism. Why he has been rejected is clear, he not PC

[George Bastedo IV · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick read, and a great analysis of the effects of relativism on European society. it is not hard to see many parallels to American society.

[Tom Barmaryam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pp Benedict - greatest intellectual of our time

[giulia · Rating 1 out of 5]

non ho rimpianti nella vita, tranne quello di aver preso in mano questo libro.
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i have no regrets in life, except picking up this book.