Ratzinger's Faith The Theology of Pope Benedict XVI

The first serious assessment of the Pope's theological vision, this thoughtful volume situates the thought of Benedict XVI within the intellectual history and academic circles of his time, exploring topics such as the interpretations of the Second Vatican Council, Benedict's relations with other important scholars and theologians, and his attitudes on moral and political theology, western culture, the structure of the Catholic Church, liturgy, and love. It is a common observation that Pope Benedict has been influenced by the thought of St. Augustine in contrast to many of his predecessors in the papacy who were much more strongly influenced by St. Thomas Aquinas. This work therefore addresses the topic of in what way Benedict is an Augustinian. The volume also includes a bibliography arranged thematically for those who want to explore his thought more deeply in a particular area. A penetrating account of the thought of the reigning pontiff, this volume offers a wealth of insight for everyone interested in Pope Benedict.

Tracey Rowland is Dean and Associate Professor of Political Philosophy and Continental Theology at the John Paul II Institute (Melbourne) and a member of the editorial board of the English language edition of the journal Communio, founded, among others, by Joseph Ratzinger and Hans Urs von Balthasar. Her first book, Culture and the Thomist Tradition: After Vatican II, was published in the Radical Orthodoxy series.

Foreword, His Eminence George Cardinal PellIntroduction1. Ratzinger and Contemporary Theological Circles2. 'Gaudium et spes' and the Importance of Christ3. Revelation, Scripture, and Tradition4. Beyond Moralism: God is Love5. The Structure of the Communion6. Modernity and the Politics of the West7. Liturgy since Vatican IIConclusion