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Pope Benedict XVI and His Battle with the Modern World

by David Gibson

“The Rule of Benedict” takes the reader from the dramatic moments in St. Peter’s Square, when the most unlikely candidate in the conclave was announced as the next pope, and goes back through Joseph Ratzinger’s life to decipher how he became Benedict XVI–and what that surprising journey means for his papacy and for the church. Gibson’s earlier book, The Coming Catholic Church , was almost a psychological profile of Catholicism. In the same way, The Rule of Benedict is a psychological profile of the man who heads the Catholic Church. “The Rule of Benedict” is the first biography of Ratzinger as a pope, not just as a priest and cardinal. It is also provides the first in-depth look at the legacy and final days of Pope John Paul, and the first inside look at the politics inside the secret conclave that led to Ratzinger’s election. All of this is placed in the wider historical and religious perspective of Catholicism then and now, providing novel insights into the present and future of the Catholic Church.

The Rule of Benedict: Pope Benedict XVI and His Battle with the Modern World

Available at Wellsprings for S$26.90

by John L. Allen, Jr.

When Pope Benedict XVI walked onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on April 19, it was the first time that many people had ever heard of him. But for the last 24 years, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany was a celebrity in Catholic circles, widely known for his intellectual prowess and his role as the Vatican’s notorious defender of the faith. Allen’s book seeks to fill in the blanks about the man known in the media as “God’s rottweiler,” revealing a person who cannot be summarized in a catchphrase.

But this book isn’t just an examination of the new pope’s Christian principles; it is also a glimpse into the inner machinations of the Vatican, which Allen covers for the “National Catholic Reporter” and from time to time on CNN. Drawing on his many sources -including eight cardinals who participated in the conclave that elected Pope Benedict -Allen gives a play-by-play assessment of how the pope was chosen and what he might have in store for the church’s 1.1 billion followers. Readers who want a cloak-and-dagger political whodunit should look elsewhere. Allen’s book is much smarter than that; it’s a rich and thoughtful analysis of the present-day Catholic Church and its complex new spiritual leader.

The Rise of Benedict XVI

Available at Wellsprings for S$21.90

by Pope Benedict XVI

George Weigel’s bestselling biography of Pope John Paul II, Witness to Hope, set the standard by which all portraits of the modern papacy are now measured. With God’s Choice, he gives us an extraordinary chronicle of the rise of Pope Benedict XVI as well as an unflinching view of the Catholic Church at the dawn of a new era.

When John Paul II lapsed into illness for the last time, people flocked from all over the world to pray outside his apartment. He had become a father figure to millions in a world bereft of strong paternal examples, and those millions now felt orphaned. After more than twenty-six years of John Paul II’s guidance, the Catholic Church is entering a new age, with its bedrock traditions intact but with pressing questions to address in a rapidly changing world. Beginning with the story of John Paul’s final months, God’s Choice offers a remarkable inside account of the conclave that produced Benedict XVI as the next pope, drawing on George Weigel’s unrivaled access to this complex event.

Weigel also incisively surveys the current state of the Church around the world: its thriving populations in Africa, Latin America, and parts of the post-communist world; its collapse in western Europe; its continued struggles in Asia; and the vibrancy of many aspects of Catholic life in the United States, even as the Church in America struggles to overcome its recent experience of scandal.

Reflecting on John Paul II’s greatness, drawing on firsthand interviews to paint an intimate portrait of the new Pope, and boldly assessing the Church’s current condition, God’s Choice is an invaluable book for anyone seeking to understand the Catholic future and the larger human future the Church will help to shape.

God’s Choice: Pope Benedict XVI and the Future of the Catholic Church

Available at Wellsprings for S$33.90

by Peter Seewald

In the person of Pope Benedict XVI, one of the most significant of Europe’s intellectuals is heading-up the Vatican. The journalist Peter Seewald, who has known Ratzinger since 1992, conducted the “longest interviews in church history” with him, for two books which were best-sellers world-wide, Salt of the Earth, God and the World.

Now he describes these intensive encounters in detail for the first time, and draws a portrait of this brilliant theologian who has put his life entirely at the service of the Catholic Church. Above and beyond that, this book is also the story of a long dialogue which changed Seewald’s life.

Many people are trying to understand who Benedict XVI really is. On one point they are all agreed: in the person of Joseph Ratzinger, the chair of Peter is occupied by one of the most brilliant minds in the world. Peter Seewald’s portrait of Benedict recounts details about the personality and life of Benedict which were hitherto completely unknown.

Benedict XVI: An Intimate Portrait

Available at Wellsprings for S$44.90

by Rupert Shortt

The latest offering in a flurry of books about Catholicism’s leader delves into the mind of the man and explores how his thinking is likely to affect the church and the world. Shortt, religion editor of the Times Literary Supplement and author of two previous books (one on Rowan Williams, archbishop of Canterbury), traces Benedict’s evolution from supporter of reform to agent of restoration.

In analyzing the pope’s past and present views, Shortt probed Benedict’s extensive writings and interviewed about three dozen individuals spanning various religious and academic realms in Europe, Latin America and the United States. He skillfully blends Benedict’s own words with the observations of others to create a balanced portrayal of the man who was first characterized by such appellations as “enforcer” and “God’s Rottweiler” (though Shortt seems to prefer casting Benedict as “The German Shepherd,” the title of his last chapter.) Throughout his concise assessment, the author touches on Benedict’s involvement in such issues as liturgy, the relationship of church to world, the ordination of women, ecumenism and liberation theology. Shortt’s book is commendable for its balance and thoroughness, though some readers may find its theological analyses a bit tedious.

Benedict XVI: Commander of the Faith

Available at Wellsprings for S$27.90

The Biblical Theology of Pope Benedict XVI

by Scott W. Hahn

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s election as Pope Benedict XVI brought a world-class biblical theologian to the papacy. There is an intensely biblical quality to his pastoral teaching and he has demonstrated a keen concern for the authentic interpretation of sacred Scripture. Here a foremost interpreter of Catholic thought and life offers a probing look at Benedict’s biblical theology and provides a clear and concise introduction to his life and work. Bestselling author and theologian Scott Hahn argues that the heart of Benedict’s theology is salvation history and the Bible and shows how Benedict accepts historical criticism but recognizes its limits. The author also explains how Benedict reads the overall narrative of Scripture and how he puts it to work in theology, liturgy, and Christian discipleship.

“A superb introduction to the way in which the theology of Pope Benedict XVI has been shaped by the Bible. Scott Hahn’s crisp and clear analysis puts the reader at the very center of this remarkable pope’s thought.”

- Gary Anderson, University of Notre Dame

“The increasingly painful bankruptcy of the historical-critical method in our time has created a vacuum precisely at the point where the living Church requires substantial nurture. Pope Benedict XVI has spoken into this crisis like no one else, and his best expositor, Scott Hahn, has done us a tremendous service by synthesizing Benedict’s erudite and prayerful biblical theology into a lively, readable, and intellectually reliable conspectus. This excellent volume will be indispensable for all Christians who seek to be more maturely grounded in Scripture.”

- David Lyle Jeffrey, Baylor University

“As a Protestant biblical scholar, I found Hahn’s exposition of Pope Benedict’s biblical theology both informative and inspiring. In spite of differences, Protestants need to read this book to understand how deeply we can agree on the primacy of Christ and the Word. Through Hahn, I have a new appreciation for the mind and heart of Pope Benedict.”

- Tremper Longman III, Westmont College

Covenant and Communion: The Biblical Theology of Pope Benedict XVI

Available at Wellsprings for S$32.90