Customer Reviews

Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life

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"Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life" is a very mature and thorough study of this difficult topic. Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, originally wrote this book in German, as the final volume in a series on Dogmatic Theology. It is a very professional piece of scholarship and is the culmination of twenty years worth of research.

In this book, Ratzinger writes in a very clear and direct style, but as it is an academic piece, it does presuppose some background knowledge in Christian theology. The book begins by asking the questions, what do people think, and why do they think this. The beauty of this work is that it is an understandable but incredibly thorough study of the Judeo-Christian intellectual history for the topics of death and eternal life.

The book begins with an overview of the perspectives in contemporary Biblical scholarship on the issues of death, judgment and an afterlife. It explains in very simple terms what the Bible says on these topics and how this has been interpreted in Christian history. How various questions associated with death were approached in the Old Testament, the New Testament and in the Tradition of the Church, right up to the present day.

The final sections of the book make a close analysis of numerous questions of what was and is meant by Immortality, the Resurrection of the Dead, Final Judgment, Hell, Purgatory and Heaven. The book then finishes with an updated overview of contemporary approaches, written by then Cardinal Ratzinger on the occasion on the translation of this book into English in 1987.

If you want to really understand what Christianity teaches about death and an afterlife and why this is so, this book is for you.

Note: Any references to Pope Benedict XVI as Joseph Ratzinger in this review are not meant to slight him, but only to refer to him in his ecclesial context when he wrote this book. Now on to the review:

In "Eschatology ...", Joseph Ratzinger and Johann Auer lay forth a timely study in the "Last Things" according to a truly Catholic view point. While the text is an erudite, theological (and mildly philosophical) discussion of eschatology, it should not be viewed as being overwhelming for the reader. Anyone who has a true interest in the full foundation of Catholicism's stand on humanity's final destiny should read this.

A great strength of the treatise is its reflection upon modern theological thoughts with respect to Catholic Tradition. While many readers may not know of the thinkers of the last two centuries by name, we all live in the world which has been effected by their thoughts. Ratzinger and Auer show where some of these thinkers have departed from the Christian notion of the end of time. This is not performed in a polemic fashion. Instead, each subject is shown in light of its Old Testament roots, through the New Testament, and into continuous Church Tradition. In doing this, the authors help to refine the philosophical and theological thoughts of the readers. They show the pitfalls inherent in various modes of thinking, allowing the reader to see the Truth more clearly.

Perhaps the greatest strength, however, is not its theological erudition (in the pure sense). It is the fact that the text is soaked with the realization of Christianity as a religion of community. It emphasizes that we find our end in a Person, namely Christ and how this relates to all that we do in life.

For any one who is interested in the Catholic response to questions on the final destiny of mankind, I truly suggest this text. No matter how difficult it may seem, stick with it (and reread when necessary). You will find that it is time well spent.

In this book, Ratzinger tackles the big issue of the end times and all those issues which go with it:

i) including the seriousness of history and the development of doctrine given the biblical data provides a sketch of life after death but hardly explains in toto what happens to those who die before the parousia, there is an excellent overview of the data of the Old Testament which clearly shows a development in understanding

ii) the importance of philosophy and the breakthrough made by St Thomas Aquinas in fusing platonic and aristotleian thought so as to arrive at the conclusion that the soul is the form of the body,

iii) the immortality of the soul, which curiously underpins the resurrection of the body;

iv) the rejection of resurrection into death as contrary to the facts and also contrary to taking history seriously; curiously embracing such a docrine imperils resurrection itself as resurrection then becomes a new name for the soul!

v) the apparent rupture in catholic theology, which discarded many long held beliefs including immortality of the soul - a change in attitude towards tradition;

vi) the reasonableness of belief in heaven, hell and purgatory.

vii) the importance of faith being in harmony with reason and vice versa

viii) Liturgy as anticipated parousia - the Eucharist, God with us but not yet

ix) christology as key to the evolving doctrine of life after death

But, the key point one comes away with is the centrality of communion to Ratzinger's thought - for Ratzinger, everything hangs on communion - God is communion, we are made in his image and are thus orientated to communion - there cannot be eternal bliss until all the body of Christ are gathered into communion at the end of time where God will be all in all.

"But his final place for us in the whole can be determined only when the total organism is complete, when the passio et action of history has come to an end. And so the gathering together of the whole will be an act that leaves no person unaffected. Only at that juncture can the definitive general judgement take place, judging each man in terms of the whole and giving him that just place which he can receive only in conjunction with the rest (Ratzinger, Eschatology, 190)

I am constantly surprised every time I read a book by Pope Benedict XVI how someone with his vast & profound theological knowledge can convey it's essentials to an ordinary layman. I had to have my trusty Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms in tackling this book; however I learned a great deal. Ratzinger's prose is so clear & concise and is accessible to all.
A rich & rewarding reading experience. I highly recommend this book to lay Catholics who would like to delve deeper into Eschatology.

Great book, Typically thorough and readable. Alot of time spent on addressing scholarly misconceptions. I haven't read a Ratzinger / Benedict book i haven't liked yet.

I have read most of the books about Eschatology because it is my personal interest and in order to help, like a deacon, many relatives of deceased people. I find this book written by Cardinal Ratzinger the most comprehensive, deep and clear exposition of the state of the art of this subject. I recommend its reading by anybody interested to know more about our end and life beyond that.

Thorough. Well thought out and written. Church teaching at it's very best. Informative. Would recommend to anyone interested in the subject.

"Eschatology, Death and Eternal Life" by Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict) was originally written in German in 1977 as a "pocket textbook" for students of theology at the University of Regensburg in southeastern Germany. As such it is a scholarly work best read and contemplated by those who are serious students who desire to develop a deeper understanding of "human eschatology." In this excellent work, Ratzinger methodically illuminates underlying biblical truths on the subject by way of a skillful discussion of key scriptures in light of historic "schools of thought" and linguistic insight.
Obviously scholastic in nature, Ratzinger carefully leads his readers to a sense of personal accountability to the Truth by continually leading the student back to biblical references that originally defined the essentials of the topic. He notes that it is easy to develop inaccurate conclusions by way of personal selection of few scriptures. It is more difficult, yet leads to a fuller understanding of God's message to us, His creation by taking into account all scriptural references to this difficult topic.
On the subject of "soul," the one thing that separates humans from all else of God's creation, his one line description is the best I have seen. He describes the soul as "nothing more than man's capacity for relatedness with truth, with love eternal."
Throughout Ratzinger's teaching, he represents through many scriptural accounts that salvation is a personal event that occurs simultaneously as a willful act of faith in the individual (our soul) toward God, and His compelling love for us through His enduring Truth. That He is with us now, through the agency of the Holy Spirit bearing witness for us, He is with us, and we with Him as we pass through death to an eternal presence with the Lord, and communion with His saints. He sees life in the presence of the Lord as a unbroken continuum between this life, death and eternal life. As a primary proof source, among many sited he quotes John 11:26a "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies." Ratzinger observes "The evangelist (Apostle John) does not raise the question of an intermediate state between death and resurrection... because Jesus is himself the resurrection." Further illuminating the beautiful Hope of all believers he states, "the (Christian) who dies is with the Lord, whoever is with the Lord does not die." This statement, in context, refers to our soul, our God given connection between our current earth bound existence, and that of paradise, in His eternal presence.

To Ratzinger, theology is only as good as it attempts to describe the intimate relationship between God and mankind. In this textbook on eschatology, a subdivision within theology, he accomplishes his task with scholarly authority and pastoral care that calls the individual to a closer personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Informative but difficult for lay person to read.
Good reference book!
I purchased the book mainly for a reference book.

Let me first explain how I am familiar with this book. I have been a member of a discussion group meeting monthly for over a year to discuss chapters of Ratzinger's Eschatology. I myself have written extensive summaries of his discussion of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. As a result, I feel that I know this book very well.

Ratzinger's approach is historical, dialogical, and, more important, fundamentally christological and interpersonalist, to use the proper theological terms. Translating this into "layman's" terms, what Ratzinger does is consider that every religious term (e.g., "God,""soul," "immortality," "heaven," "hell," "resurrection") develops its meaning over time (by historical evolution), beginning with the OT, continuing in the NT, and through tradition to the present day. This historical evolution (after the NT) occurs primarily through learned discussion (and disagreement) about interpretations (i.e., dialogically or by dialogue, i.e. discussion, usually written). There is no meaning of these terms established forever in the Bible. So what "soul" meant to the early Christians might be very different from what we mean by it today. Ultimately, terms need to be reinterpreted to make sense to contemporaries. Although Ratzinger covers his tracks well through vague, convoluted, and obscure language, what he actually thinks is very different from what the ordinary Christian believes. Heaven, e.g., Ratzinger explicitly says is not a place. Neither is Hell or Purgatory. So, they are not places anyone goes to. So what are they? They are relationships we (human beings) have to Christ and to one another. "Heaven" is be interpreted christologically and interpersonally, i.e. it is to be explained by our relationship to Christ and through Christ to one another. We are heaven, he says.

People who read the book carefully will find it shocking. Pretty much all one's cherished beliefs are tossed out the window.....through reinterpretation. Forget personal survival; forget going to a place that is heaven. Not so, according to Ratzinger. But, how then, if he has these views, could he be the pope? How could this be true? Well, he was elected pope because he is conservative on moral issues (e.g., abortion, homosexuality, and radical social movements) and on the liturgy. Also, he will continue to use the traditional language of Catholicism. So his private theological views won't come out to make waves.

By the way, I have a PhD and found this book tough slogging. Ratzinger is not clear and his writings could use a lot of editing. Having said that, I want to make it clear that I share many of his views. I just want potential readers to be forewarned that they won't be getting what they expect.