Church Fathers: From Clement of Rome to Augustine [Hardcover]

Pope Benedict XVI (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 2008

Following his best selling book, Jesus of Nazareth, and his talks published in Jesus, the Apostles, and the Early Church, Pope Benedict's Church Fatherspresents these important figures of early Christianity in all their evangelical vitality, spiritual profundity, and uncompromising love of God. Benedict tells the true story of Christianity's against-all-odds triumph in the face of fierce pagan Roman hostility and persecution. He does this by exploring the lives and the ideas of the early Christian writers, pastors, and martyrs, the men so important to the spread of Christianity that history knows them as "the Fathers of the Church".

This rich and engrossing survey of the early Church includes those churchmen who immediately succeeded the Apostles, the "Apostolic Fathers": Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus of Lyon. Benedict also discusses such great Christian figures as Tertullian, Origen, and Cyprian of Carthage, the Cappadocian Fathers, as well as the giants John Chrysostom, Jerome, Augustine, Leo the Great, and Benedict of Nursia, the Pope's namesake. This book is a wonderful way to get to know the Church Fathers and the tremendous spiritually rich patrimony they have bequeathed to us.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 196 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Press (October 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158617245X
• ISBN-13: 978-1586172459
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,654 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in 1927 in Germany as Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI has been head of the Roman Catholic Church since April 2005. A prolific author, theologian and university professor, Ratzinger served as an "expert" at the Second Vatican Council, and was tapped in 1977 by Pope Paul VI to lead the German Archdiocese of Munich and Freising. In 1981, Pope John Paul II called him to Rome to head the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, where he served until his papal election.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fathers know best, December 10, 2008

By 

Rich Leonardi (Cincinnati, Ohio) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Church Fathers: From Clement of Rome to Augustine (Hardcover)

Ignatius Press' collection of the Holy Father's Wednesday audience addresses on the Church Fathers is a must-have for anyone interested in early Church history. Picking up where he left off with the Apostles, Pope Benedict spent 2007 and 2008 explaining the role of these early leaders in resolving doctrinal controversies and shepherding their flocks. For instance, the lead address explains how Pope St. Clement, the third successor to the papacy who reigned at the end of the first century, spoke with authority to the church in Corinth. Thus early on in the life the Church, the Bishop of Rome exercised primacy over neighboring communities. These brief biographical sketches also offer critical lessons for today. We learn that according to St. Ambrose, a mentor to St. Augustine, "catechesis is inseparable from witness of life." In other words, those who are charged with teaching the faith must practice what they preach. It is worth pointing out what an elegant, well-made book Ignatius Press has produced. The hardcover edition features a tightly bound spine, quality paper, and an attractive dust-jacket design. Even at the $15 list price, this book is a bargain.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Holy Father Communicates., December 17, 2009

By 

Jerome S. "The Old Referee" (Northampton, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Church Fathers: From Clement of Rome to Augustine (Hardcover)

This is a great book for those who want a synthesized version of the early Church fathers. Even after having read some of the old, "original" writing of these great giants of the early, Catholic church, I found this offering a quality insight into who they were and how they have become pillars of the Church. The chapters are short but Pope Benedict gives you enough of the important information that should serve your need for knowledge and might provoke you into looking a little deeper. I don't have to encourage you if you are already considering this book as you probably already have your act together. I find the Holy Father an excellent communicator and this book is another in this series that is well written and instructive while not being a bore!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Church Fathers by Pope Benedict XVI, April 18, 2009

By 

Robert L. Tuzik "Bob Tuzik" (Chicago, Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Church Fathers: From Clement of Rome to Augustine (Hardcover)

Pope Benedict XVI has recently published an excellent book on The Church Fathers: From Clement of Rome to Augustine. If you want to know why the early Fathers of the Church are so important to Christianity, then please read this book. Pope Benedict presents in a concise and user-friendly way the insights of these early theologians and portrays the vibrancy of the life of the early Church. I recommend this book as a good introduction to some of the most famous writings from the early days of the Church's life.