Customer Reviews

The Apostles

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In some way this book was being written at the same time as Jesus of Nazareth as Pope Benedict gave his weekly teaching on the Apostles that Jesus chose and that the Church chose after Jesus' resurrection. The pope had insisted that in Jesus of Nazareth he was writing as Joseph Ratizinger, not as the Pope--but in this book we have the clear teaching of Pope Benedict with some of the same conclusions as he reaches in Jesus of Nazareth, but also a lot more that touches on some issues that were found wanting in the later work by some scholars.

One of Pope Benedict's loudest critics of Jesus of Nazareth was the former Catholic (now Jewish) scholar Geza Vermes who wrote in his review of the book in The Times of London saying "Another recurrent theme in Ratzinger's perception of Christ is that Jesus
intended the Gospel to be preached to all the nations. If so, did he just forget Jesus' sayings that contradict the universality of the apostolic mission, namely, that both Jesus and his disciples were sent only to the "lost sheep of Israel" (Matthew x, 5-6; xv, 24)."

In this book The Apostles, the Pope answers this criticism, showing how the accounts that we have in the Bible show that Jesus clearly intended to create a Church that would reach out beyond the limited scope of Israel. He also provides an excellent overview of what can be known from the Bible and the early church about the first followers of Jesus--as well as what lessons we can derive from their example. This is an excellent follow-up to Jesus of Nazareth and like everything that Joseph Ratzinger writes is clear and precise--while at the same time incredibly inspirational.

The publisher has also created Study Guide for the Apostles by Pope Benedict XVI which will make this book a great small group study item for churches wishing to delve deeper into the Biblical accounts of those Jesus chose to follow Him.

I am the author of The How-To Book of the Mass: Everything You Need to Know but No One Ever Taught You.

Pope Benedict XVI has created a wonderful work in "The Apostles." A word for those who have read his pre-Pope works, or even Pope JPII's works, this book is amazingly simple and readable in style, and one can easily take a chapter a day and get through it. He provides meditations, scriptural history and traditions for each of the Apostles and a few others mentioned in the New Testament in a way I have never seen. This book will open your eyes to the profound lives of each of the Apostles and how they experienced Jesus in their own unique ways, their strengths and their weaknesses. I honestly could not put this book down. Incredible, packed with depth yet written for the common lay person!

The Apostles by Benedict XVI is a collection of some of the General Audiences given by Benedict XVI which deal with the origins of the Catholic Church (the full title of the book is The Origins of the Church, the Apostles, and Their Co-Workers). The book provides a look at the founding of the church by Christ and an examination of the apostles and some of the important early figures within the church. Because it is a collection of general audiences the book lacks the sort of opening or conclusions that one would expect from a typical book; however, the collected audiences hold together very well.

Readers are given an excellent taste of the Pope's brilliant analysis. This book is great for Catholics who do not read a lot of theology. The Pope's books, generally speaking, are not beach reads and require a lot of time and thought; however, the subject matter in this book is presented in a much simpler fashion making it an excellent choice for those who aren't used to reading theological works. A simple style is not the same thing as simple minded though, so even veteran readers of theology will find this book to be enjoyable.

This book will make a great addition to any Catholic's personal library, whether that library is a whole room of books or a single shelf.

Wow, what an opportunity..to hear about Church history--first hand--from the Holy Father. I learned so much about my church, my faith and found the stories of the saints so inspiring. I'm also amazed that the head of the Church can write in a way that the average Catholic actually enjoys reading..it's not some academic sounding textbook.

This book reprints a year's worth of Pope Benedict XVI's weekly addresses at his public audiences where he meditates on the stories of the twelve apostles, St. Paul and other early disciples of Christ. He draws lessons from these that apply to all of us. An excellent and easy read with short chapters that can be read independently.

Caveat emptor: This is the same exact content as "Jesus, The Apostles and The Early Church" published by Ignatius Press. The Ignatius Press version is printed on heavier paper and is a more well produced book for the same price. Buy that one instead! Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church: General Audiences, 15 March 2006-14 February 2007

With brevity and flair, Pope Benedict XVI takes us on a journey through the lives of each Apostle and their immediate followers such as Stephen, Timothy, Titus, Barnabas, Apollos, and more. Legend takes a backseat to the more historically-founded evidence yet the men and women who knew Jesus still loom large in the imagination and provide valuable lessons as human beings. The chapters are short, made up of a collection of homilies given through 2006 and early 2007. For the most part, the lessons provided are simple yet profound. A solid work as historical study or catecheses and well worth the study.

Recognizing that this is a translation, the work is EXCELLENTLY prepared and well written. The facts are presented in such a way as to be both interesting and informative. The Holy Father, once again, has written a wonderful work.

Although I am a Protestant, I found the Pope's book enlightening and interesting. The first two chapters are rich in wisdom, pointing out our blessing of the Lord's very presence as we minister, and the living tradition which the Apostles and subsequent ministers have passed on to us. Throughout this book, the Pope pointed out the greater symbolism of various events in which the Apostles participated. For example, the theological significance of the great catch of fish. He also summarized the theological importance of his points, emphasizing key matters such as what constitutes a good witness: those that compel us to "come and see." His command of the first century evangelistic campaign and the order of events was revealed in an easy to follow manner. He identifies various characteristics of the Apostles and relates them to Christ's overall ministry. Furthermore, he draws from early church writings. Most importantly, the Pope supported his teachings with scripture and flatly stated that we are saved by faith alone. This should be appreciated by both Catholics and Protestants.

Curtis Mosley
Houston, Texas
May 25, 2008

Our Sunday Visitor has complied a year of Pope Benedict XVI's public talks and assembled them as a book. If you are looking for detailed and scholarly biographies of the Apostles, look elsewhere. But if you are looking for inspirational meditations on the Apostles and their role in the founding of the Church, this book by the Holy Father certainly delivers. The Holy Father generally stays close to the sources from the New Testament and only rarely does he bring in traditional stories and legends. Too often, Pope Benedict sighs that we simply do not know that much about a number of them (and so Simon and Jude are lumped together and a paragraph on Matthias is added to the chapter on Judas). Still, Benedict is able to make due and breathes some life into some of the lesser known Apostles (Philip for instance). Once Benedict leaves the "portrait gallery" (a charming description that the Pope uses a few times in the book) of the Apostles and starts pondering Paul's companions, the book loses its momentum and the descriptions of the likes of Timothy, Silus and Titus come off as an afterthought. On the whole, "The Apostles" is more a hagiography than a biography but it remains inspiring nonetheless.

This is another in the series that allows the simple (like me) to gain a deeper understanding of Christian topics. In "The Apostles" there are numerous jewels of information (like the ethnic derivation of St. Andrew's name). I learned something new (and believable) about every Apostle mentioned in the book. Most might have the same result. With this style of writing by the Holy Father, I get the impression I am listening to him talk to me directly in a church setting rather than as a letter. This setting allowed me to quickly complete the book and to enjoy every page while adding to my knowledge base. It was also an inspiring work for me in that it seemed to call me to follow Jesus more closely and to look at how important "friends" are to the work of salvation.