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Gospel, Catechesis, Catechism: Sidelights on the Catechism of the Catholic Church

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Cardinal Ratzinger has produced a small and worthwhile book consisting of short lectures and articles presenting his insight into the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In the preface, he notes with satisfaction that the Catechism has been enthusiastically adopted by the Christian public although some establishment academics hold it askance. In this book, he assists those eager to embrace the Catechism with his accessible commentary on various aspects of the Catechism. In my view, the most significant chapter deals with the "biblical realism" of the Catechism which treats the Jesus of the Gospels as the real Jesus, in contrast to the absurd reconstructions of idle professors who peddle their fictions as the so-called "historical Jesus." He also has a chapter on the relation of Judaism and Christianity which is in welcome contrast to the recent defective and mediocre reflection on the issue by a group associated with the U.S. Bishops' conference. We are fortunate to have the quality work of a distinguished theologian like Cardinal Ratzinger when we are deluged by so much mediocrity from academia.