Saint Paul [Hardcover]

Pope Benedict XVI (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 27, 2009

St. Paul is one of the most important figures in Christian history. As Saul of Tarsus he vigorously persecuted Christianity, even collaborating in the death of Christianity s first martyr, Stephen. His encounter with the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus changed Paul s life, the Christian Church, and world history. More than anyone else in the early Church, Paul saw the universal nature of the Christian message. He became the Apostle to the Gentiles and the Teacher of the Nations . As the human author of half of the New Testament, Paul is a figure who cannot be overlooked by anyone who wants to understand Jesus Christ and Christianity.

In this book, Pope Benedict XVI, a profound spiritual leader in his own right and a first-rate theologian and Bible commentator, explores the legacy of Paul. Pope Benedict follows the course of the Apostle s life, including his missionary journeys and his relationship with the other apostles of Jesus such as St. Peter and St. James, and Paul s martyrdom in Rome. Benedict also examines such questions as: Did Paul know Jesus during his earthly life and how much of Jesus teaching and ministry did he know of? Did Paul distort the teachings of Jesus? What role did Jesus death and resurrection play in Paul s teaching? What are we to make of Paul s teaching about the end of the world? What does Paul s teaching say about the differences between Catholic and Protestant Christians over salvation and the roles of faith and works in the Christian life? How have modern Catholic and Protestant scholars come together in their understanding of Paul? What does Paul have to teach us today about living a spiritual life?

These and other important issues are addressed in this masterful, inspirational, and highly-readable presentation of St. Paul and his writings by one of today s great spiritual teachers, Pope Benedict XVI.

The Apostle Paul, an outstanding and almost inimitable yet stimulating figure, stands before us as an example of total dedication to the Lord and to his Church, as well as of great openness to humanity and its cultures.
Pope Benedict XVI

Product Details

• Hardcover: 131 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Press (March 27, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586173677
• ISBN-13: 978-1586173678
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,963 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

56 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful volume of profound reflections, May 19, 2009

By 

CDS "C" (Boston,MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saint Paul (Hardcover)

Before addressing the substance of the reflections contained in this book, I'd like to address the book itself. This book is yet another example fo the high quality work done by Ignatius press, which is the main publisher of Pope Benedict's books in English. Other publishers will likely put out a similar book, but as was the case with their attempts with the Church Fathers series and the Apostles series, their work, while good, will never come close to the beauty and elegance of the books put forth by Ignatius Press.

As far as the content of the book, quite simply another volume of rich, and insightful reflections by Pope Benedict. He fleshes out the person of St. Paul, his conversion, his ministry, and his theology. St. Paul is an important figure not only because he is a great example of the transformation which can occur in the life of a person after encountering God, but also because his mission and his theology give great witness to the person of Jesus. The Pauline year ends June 29, 2009, but the reflections in this book are timeless.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Papal insight to St. Paul, July 12, 2009

By 

Anthony T. Nasuta "Tony" (Timonium, Maryland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Saint Paul (Hardcover)

Pope Benedict's treatment of St. Paul's contribution to Christianity is an extremely well thought out presentation of the key elements of St. Paul's teachings that emphasizes in a clear way the importance of his writings and the centrality of Paul's works. Pope Benedict surrounds Paul's writings with the historical environment in which they were written and the social situations that existed at that time, thus giving a deeper insight to the man and his work. This book is the next best thing to having some one-on-one time with Pope Benedict XVI.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Saint Paul, March 13, 2010

By 

Bobby Bambino (Lebanon, NH United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Saint Paul (Hardcover)

This book is a collection of Wednesday audiences given by Pope Benedict during the year of Saint Paul which expound upon some of St Paul's teachings and theology as well as his life. Hence, each chapter is one shorty talk given by the Pope. This allows for a quick, coffee table reading of each chapter, since they are only about 6-10 pages each. As such, they are not too deep and heady, but they still give good theological points to ponder and meditate upon. One chapter discusses St Paul's conversion, another discusses the "faith vs. works" "controversy." It is interesting to get a glimpse into the mind of BXVI and his thoughts on St Paul. A good book with a lot to think about.