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Daughter Zion: Meditations on the Church's Marian Belief
Daughter Zion explores the biblical witness to the Church's Marian dogmas―Mary’s role as Mother of God, her virginity, the Immaculate Conception, and her Assumption into heaven. Cardinal Ratzinger examines how these beliefs are linked to the Church’s faith in Jesus Christ. Far from competing with the truth about Christ, the Church’s Marian beliefs uphold and underscore that truth. Mary’s role in salvation, according to Cardinal Ratzinger, was anticipated in the Old Testament. She was prefigured in Eve, the Mother of the Living; in the holy women of the Old Testament, such as Sarah, Hannah, Deborah, Esther, and Judith; and in the prophetic image of the daughter Zion. Cardinal Ratzinger also considers Mary’s place as the embodiment of created wisdom, who faithfully received the Uncreated Wisdom of the Word of God in the Incarnation. Daughter Zion avoids the extremes of ignoring the biblical foundation for Marian doctrine on the one hand and fundamentalistic proof-texting on the other. Instead, the author beautifully and lucidly develops key biblical themes to help readers understand and appreciate the Mother of God.
60 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1977
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 5, 2013
The first portion of the book provides one of the best explorations of Mary as Virgin and Mother, as Theotokos, that I've encountered. The meditations in the portions on the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption included some beautiful insights into the Catholic faith. For such a short work, Daughter Zion is certainly quite an accomplishment. Readers should be aware going in, however, that the book is a theological meditation... it goes into more theological and exegetical detail than a prayerful meditation, but it doesn't really seek to be a rigorous theological proof. The sections on the Immaculate Conception and Assumption are thought provoking and spiritually uplifting, and they point in an interesting direction for rational consideration of these Marian doctrines, but they leave a lot of room for questioning. I'm not sure that this is a weakness, but I think that readers will get a lot more out of the work if they go in expecting insightful observations rather than a complete theological defense of controversial doctrines.
January 3, 2012
Great book on the Church's Marian Doctrine. In his typically simple and accessible style, Joseph Ratzinger gives a broad overview of the Church's Marian teaching. His simplicity and beauty in explaining these teachings is remarkable. There are tons of little gems in this little gem of a book!
September 22, 2016
Yesterday I finished the first book I’ve ever read by then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. I’m quite proud of myself. This isn’t the first one I’ve started. One of the Lay Dominicans in my chapter has made the argument that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will one day be declared a Doctor of the Church. To be declared a Doctor of the Church, you have to be someone that people generally agree wrote or spoke in such a way as to clarify or develop Christian doctrine. Many commentators have pointed out that Benedict XVI was much more of a scholar and professor compared to his more charismatic predecessor St. John Paul II or successor Francis. This is very apparent in all of his writings, this book being no exception.
Even for someone like me with a Master’s degree in church stuff, I could only take this book in small chunks with long breaks. I highly recommend reading until it doesn’t make sense anymore then put it down. When you pick it back up with a fresh mind, it’ll all make perfect sense again.
It’s dense. As he explains in the introduction, it’s basically three college lectures elaborated, revised and edited into book form. It’s only 90 pages, the last 10 or so of which are end-notes.
It does, however, look deeply and thoroughly into our Marian dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and Assumption. He actually digs into the Old Testament for proof and explanation. He shows how Mary is truly a daughter of Israel found in the Old Testament writings and prophets just as much as her Son. As an old hymn states:
O Mary of all women,
You are the chosen one,
Who, ancient prophets promised,
Would bear God’s only Son;
All Hebrew generations
Prepared the way to thee,
That in your womb the God-man
Might come to set us free.
O Mary, you embody
all God taught to our race,
For you are first and foremost
In fullness of His grace;
We praise this wondrous honor
That you gave birth to Him
Who from you took humanity
And saved us from our sin.
It was a very appropriate book to work on last week during the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady.
If you would like to better understand how the Catholic faith fits into the Old Testament, give this book a chance. If you’d like to understand the role of Our Lady better especially in light of her identity as a Jewish woman, give this book a chance. If you wish you could brag to all your intellectual friends that you’ve read something by Benedict XVI, give this book a chance.
I’m glad I did for all of those reasons.
Daughter Zion is hard to find unless you look online. It is available in e-book and paperback format from several sources. You just need to let your fingers do the walking.
Review originally appeared on blog: https://truedignityofwomen.wordpress....
Even for someone like me with a Master’s degree in church stuff, I could only take this book in small chunks with long breaks. I highly recommend reading until it doesn’t make sense anymore then put it down. When you pick it back up with a fresh mind, it’ll all make perfect sense again.
It’s dense. As he explains in the introduction, it’s basically three college lectures elaborated, revised and edited into book form. It’s only 90 pages, the last 10 or so of which are end-notes.
It does, however, look deeply and thoroughly into our Marian dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and Assumption. He actually digs into the Old Testament for proof and explanation. He shows how Mary is truly a daughter of Israel found in the Old Testament writings and prophets just as much as her Son. As an old hymn states:
O Mary of all women,
You are the chosen one,
Who, ancient prophets promised,
Would bear God’s only Son;
All Hebrew generations
Prepared the way to thee,
That in your womb the God-man
Might come to set us free.
O Mary, you embody
all God taught to our race,
For you are first and foremost
In fullness of His grace;
We praise this wondrous honor
That you gave birth to Him
Who from you took humanity
And saved us from our sin.
It was a very appropriate book to work on last week during the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady.
If you would like to better understand how the Catholic faith fits into the Old Testament, give this book a chance. If you’d like to understand the role of Our Lady better especially in light of her identity as a Jewish woman, give this book a chance. If you wish you could brag to all your intellectual friends that you’ve read something by Benedict XVI, give this book a chance.
I’m glad I did for all of those reasons.
Daughter Zion is hard to find unless you look online. It is available in e-book and paperback format from several sources. You just need to let your fingers do the walking.
Review originally appeared on blog: https://truedignityofwomen.wordpress....
December 5, 2016
This presentation of three lectures maintains the style of a lecture but packs a lot of theology into a short work. Classic Ratzinger, the work is extraordinarily CLEAR, and presents some deep insights (with great developments and citations of some inportant 20th c. Germans). The three sections following the introductions discuss Mary's perpetual virginity, the Immaculate Conception, and the Assumption on the basis of biblical typology (OT and NT), and show the relationship between Mariology and Ecclesiology (the development of the former from the latter)
Want to read
December 14, 2009Recommended by James Schall in Another Sort of Learning, Bibliography.
May 14, 2017
Classic Ratzinger: clear, beautiful, and brilliant.
December 26, 2023
I found certain passages in this little book very difficult to understand, but for the most part, especially in his conclusions, Pope Benedict XVI's writing is so lucid and so precise I have no word for it but beautiful. This book is Beautiful.
July 8, 2025
A brilliant meditation on important aspects of Mariology in the Church's teachings. Central to Ratzinger's thought are the unity of Old and New Testaments and the importance of Typology in understanding Mary's position in the Church. Always, always, anything predicated of her is consonant with, connects to, and gives the glory to her son Jesus. Amid many deep insights, Ratzinger's discussion of Eve and Mary, the paradox of barrenness as the perfect ground for fruitfulness, and of Mary as the embodiment of Israel stand out for the light they shine on the mystery that is the "Mother of God" and why we venerate her.
October 8, 2023
Definitely my least favorite book of Ratzinger I’ve read so far. I was hoping for greater explanation on the association of Mary with the title “Daughter Zion,” as well as a background explanation on the ties between the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) with the prophecy of Zephaniah (Zephaniah 3:14-18), but this text is primarily a defense of Mariology and the dogmas of the Church. I should have expected this from the title and this alone would not have been the reason for me giving this book three stars, but rather, I felt very uncomfortable with Ratzinger’s seeming separation between historicity and typology with regards to his explanations of original sin (e.g. the Immaculate Conception) and the Assumption. I think that his dismissal of the (neo)scholastics also rubbed me the wrong way.
December 29, 2014
A very concise and cogent theological reflection on a few of Mary's titles (Mother, Mother of God), and the connection between the theology of the Church, and the theology of Mary. Ratzinger's theology is, as usual, almost poetry.
August 21, 2016
Marian Dogma Explained
One of Pope Benedict's earlier writings, this short treatise on Marian dogma is a jumbled mix of a relatable, easy to understand writing style and a scholarly, put you to sleep lecture.
One of Pope Benedict's earlier writings, this short treatise on Marian dogma is a jumbled mix of a relatable, easy to understand writing style and a scholarly, put you to sleep lecture.
March 24, 2016
Answered the question of Mary, Mother of God vs Mother of Christ.
A real stretch for me to read. Lots of new vocabulary words. ;)
A real stretch for me to read. Lots of new vocabulary words. ;)
December 18, 2021
Another book for my upcoming Mariology course. I would not have picked up this book otherwise, and while there are some good thoughts and themes in the book I must confess that I did not understand most of what was presented. The book is scholarly, aimed at scholarly people. I've been out of school for years and reengaging that part of my brain for this short work was challenging.
There were a few nuggets that I walked away with. Pope Benedict (or am I meant to say Ratzinger because he wasn't pope yet?) spells out something I've missed in the reading of the David line that's presented in Matthew's gospel. When Matthew gets to Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in the long line he does not use the same language to indicate Jesus' relationship to Joseph. The genealogy is presented as "so and so is father of such and such", but when Matthew gets to Jesus he says, "...Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ." Here, Pope Benedict says we can see that from the beginning of the early church, the church knew that Jesus was conceived and born from a virgin and was not Joseph's biological son. Pope Benedict says many more eloquent things on that, but that was my main takeaway.
At the very end of the book, Pope Benedict talks about the word joy and leap used to talk about John leaping in Elizabeth's womb at the visitation, and that they're the same Greek words used when we talk about David dancing before the Ark of the Covenant. He exhorts us to have that same joy before the Lord. If you're intimidated by his writing (I still am!) but want to read a beautiful reflection it's worth picking up the book just for the last paragraph.
There were a few nuggets that I walked away with. Pope Benedict (or am I meant to say Ratzinger because he wasn't pope yet?) spells out something I've missed in the reading of the David line that's presented in Matthew's gospel. When Matthew gets to Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in the long line he does not use the same language to indicate Jesus' relationship to Joseph. The genealogy is presented as "so and so is father of such and such", but when Matthew gets to Jesus he says, "...Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ." Here, Pope Benedict says we can see that from the beginning of the early church, the church knew that Jesus was conceived and born from a virgin and was not Joseph's biological son. Pope Benedict says many more eloquent things on that, but that was my main takeaway.
At the very end of the book, Pope Benedict talks about the word joy and leap used to talk about John leaping in Elizabeth's womb at the visitation, and that they're the same Greek words used when we talk about David dancing before the Ark of the Covenant. He exhorts us to have that same joy before the Lord. If you're intimidated by his writing (I still am!) but want to read a beautiful reflection it's worth picking up the book just for the last paragraph.
February 2, 2025
‘Daughter of Zion: Meditations on the Church’s Marian Belief’ (1977) [Die Tochter Zion] by then Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger reproduces 3 lectures presented in the spring of 1975 in Punchberg bei Linz. The Renaissance castle, built in 1595 & expanded in 2002, is the educational center of the Catholic diocese of Linz & for almost 70 years a center of adult education in Austria. It is located in the north of the city of Wels.
In the Preface he thanks ‘my respected friend Hans Urs von Balthasar for having patiently wrested this manuscript from me. & for having, once again, seen through the press after my call to become archbishop of Munich & Freising...’.
In the Preface he thanks ‘my respected friend Hans Urs von Balthasar for having patiently wrested this manuscript from me. & for having, once again, seen through the press after my call to become archbishop of Munich & Freising...’.
July 16, 2023
Excerpt from what I told my friend about this book: "[Pope Benedict] doesn’t even pull punches when steel-manning arguments. I legitimately doubted some doctrine before he slam dunked it". It certainly requires more study after, but as a primer, one cannot be thankful enough for his wisdom. Eternal rest grant upon his soul, O lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace, amen.
October 4, 2019
The Virgin Mary the new Ark of the New Covenant
In a very lucid and rigorously thought book , one of the greatest theologians of the XX century demonstrates that Mary is truly the new Israel , the Blessed Woman , the Immaculate , and the Virgin mother of God , who is the full human answer to the invitation of God
In a very lucid and rigorously thought book , one of the greatest theologians of the XX century demonstrates that Mary is truly the new Israel , the Blessed Woman , the Immaculate , and the Virgin mother of God , who is the full human answer to the invitation of God
January 7, 2020
Being Protestant, I could not follow Benedict everywhere but really appreciated this book. I find the Pope Emeritus to be a beautiful reader of scripture with much to cause a Protestant to pause and reflect deeply on the word. Particularly, I found his typological work in the Old Testament wonderful.
June 8, 2023
This is not a beginner’s book - read only after you’ve read several books on Mary! Giving it 4 stars for my own limitations in receiving, not Ratzinger’s writing (it’s not you, it’s me). Some beautiful gems in this essay arguing the Marian dogmas!
July 17, 2019
Excellent!
February 24, 2024
Conférences données par Ratzinger dans la période précédant sa nomination comme archevêque de Munich.
Propos de grande qualité, liant ancien et nouveau testament et creusant les 3 dogmes de la Vierge Marie (Vierge et Mère de Dieu, Immaculée conception, Assomption).
Un peu court, il s'en excuse d'ailleurs dans son ouverture.
Propos de grande qualité, liant ancien et nouveau testament et creusant les 3 dogmes de la Vierge Marie (Vierge et Mère de Dieu, Immaculée conception, Assomption).
Un peu court, il s'en excuse d'ailleurs dans son ouverture.
July 18, 2015
While as an affirmation of Roman Catholic Marian theology this little book goes beyond what I would affirm as a Protestant, there is much here that is of benefit to any Christian. Ratzinger/Benedict is at his best when explaining those doctrines which have been most universally accepted by the church.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews