Mary: The Church at the Source [Paperback]

Benedict XVI (Author), Adrian Walker (Translator), Hans Urs Von Balthasar (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2005

Two great theologians offer a spiritually rich approach to Mariology that brings into new relief the Marian contours of ecclesial faith. Ratzinger and Balthasar show that Mary embodies the Church and co-operates in giving birth to the Church in the souls of believers.

At once profound and accessible, Mary offers a theologically balanced and biblically grounded presentation of traditional and contemporary thought on Marian doctrine and spirituality.

"This book contains a treasury of reflections on the meaning of Mary for the Church, theology, and indeed for anthropology generally. An indispensable source for anyone who would understand the Marian doctrine intended by the Council and in the pontificate of John Paul II—and now Benedict XVI."

—David Schindler, Ph.D. Dean, John Paul II Institute

"This marvelous book of theological meditations on Mary by the two most important Catholic theologians of the 20th century explains why Mary is such a peerless jewel set inside that wretched frame called human history. Because Mary is the very birthplace of the Church and thus the locus of all that gives us hope, our tainted and fallen race itself has hope."

—Fr. Edward Oakes, S.J.

Product Details

• Paperback: 178 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Press (October 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158617018X
• ISBN-13: 978-1586170189
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #113,116 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A former publishing executive, John F. Thornton is a literary agent and co-editor of Tongues of Angels, Tongues of Men: A Book of Sermons. He lives in New York City. Susan B. Varenne holds an M.A. from the University of Chicago Divinity School and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. She is a New York City teacher and a freelance writer specializing in religion.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Beginning for Reflections on Mariology, July 6, 2006

By 

Matthew K. Minerd "The Coding Catholic" (Herdon, VA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mary: The Church at the Source (Paperback)

This collection of essays serves as an excellent beginning for reflections on Mariology. Both Ratzinger and Balthasar are men of great intellectual prowess and thus address this subject astutely. They also approach it with a true desire for holy understanding of the place of Mary with respect to the Church and Catholic theology as a whole. While they do not touch on every aspect, they begin reflections that can bear much theological fruit.

The only reason that I give this 4 stars instead of 5 is the choice of a text by Balthasar that seeks to disprove Ratzinger's opinion which is expressed in an essay contained in the collected text, "Daughter Zion". While his argument is well placed, I don't think that it does well to combine such a text with a set of reflections by Ratzinger. This can strike at Ratzinger's credibility, even though the topic is somewhat disputable.

Nonetheless, I highly recommend this text to all readers. It is not utterly easy but is also not wholly esoteric. Therefore, it gives all who read it a chance to grow intellectually and, more importantly, in the Catholic faith.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A modern documentation of the Church's perspective of Marian doctrine, April 8, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mary: The Church at the Source (Paperback)

Ably translated by Adrian Walker from the writings of Hans Urs von Balthasar and Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), Mary: The Church At The Source is a modern documentation of the Church's perspective of Marian doctrine, enlightening the contours of ecclesial faith. Mary: The Church At The Source allows the reader to delve deeper into the depths of the Christian faith and what truths to their views of Mary as the co-operative mother of Church in the souls of its believers, and the embodiment of the Church itself. A highly recommended read, Mary: The Church At The Source is the perfect book for students of Marion theology be they clergy or laymen.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Selected papers on Mary, Mariology, and the mission of the Church, July 4, 2008

By 

Waverley36 (Nunya) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mary: The Church at the Source (Paperback)

This interesting book takes on many aspects of Mariology and its place in the modern Church. The book is not a co-authored project nor a book-length argument, but is rather a collection of essays and sermons treating Mary and the Church. Pope Benedict's writings take up the first half, actually a little more, and Balthasar's the second. (Benedict's preface to John Paul's encyclical on Mary is included. Mary: God's Yes to Man : Pope John Paul II Encyclical Letter : Mother of the Redeemer) As may be expected of such a collection where different pieces are composed for different audiences, some are more esoteric than others and may not hold much interest the casual reader.

Obviously both writers are close and careful reasoners, and for the most part the clarity of their examinations does not seem to get lost in translation. I was especially impressed, sometimes even moved, by these insights; despite its disjointedness, this mixed bag was probably a more valuable read to me than John Paul's book. Topics include aspects of Mary's character that are meant to be paradigmatic for the Church, the value of Marian devotions and some means of reconciling them with modern worship, and the Church's anthropological role in history. I especially liked the last piece on the catholicity of the Church.

My guess is that this will be pretty strong meat for many readers, and that Scott Hahn's Hail Holy Queen would probably serve better as an introduction or a leisurely read. Hail, Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God If the subject is already a favorite for you, by all means read on. Lots of good stuff here.