Product Description

What do Christians believe? What gives meaning to our life? What is the purpose of life? The Christian answer to these questions is found in the Creed, in the profession of faith. But what do the articles of this confession actually mean? And how to they affect our lives?

Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, takes a fresh look at these timeless questions. This work is a reflection of the profound, personal insights of Benedict XVI, but also of the great foundations of Christianity: faith, hope, and charity.

Ratzinger writes eloquently and persuasively about the importance for followers of Christ to understand well what they believe so one can live as a serious Christian in today's secular world. He talks in depth about the true meaning of faith, hope, and love-the love of God and the love of neighbor. He also discusses the crucial importance of a lived faith, for the believer himself as well as being a witness for our age, and striving to bring faith in line with the present age that has veered off into rampant secularism and materialism.

In our generation the Christian Faith finds itself in a much deeper crisis than at any other time in the past. In this situation it is no solution to shut our eyes in fear in the face of pressing problems, or to simply pass over them. If faith is to survive this age, then it must be lived, and above all, lived in this age. And this is possible only if a manifestation of faith is shown to have value for our present day, by growing to knowledge and fulfillment.
-Pope Benedict XVI

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #238778 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 225 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781586172473
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Customer Reviews

Beautiful Teaching
Benedict XVI has written another important text. In Credo for Today, the Pope articulates and illustrates the Creed of the Church. Who better to explain the creed than the very man who shepherded the Catechism of the Catholic Church?

In Credo, Benedict gives the background and rationale for each element of the creed. He explains the theology of the creed in the framework of the scriptures of the Old Testament and New testament. He puts the teachings in perspective in the context of the Church, history, society, and the culture of Biblical times as well as today's.

Although some of his sentences are lengthy, and his support for the articles of the creed detailed and footnoted, Benedict proves the case. Instead of just making statements of his belief, or the Church's position on elements of the creed, Benedict establishes each point and strengthens it with references and examples.

His beginning chapter explains what it means to be Christian. The essence is love. He claims that being a Christian means having love. In this chapter he investigates the twenty second chapter of Matthew's gospel about the two commandments of love. He uses the twenty fifth chapter of Matthew's gospel to help define the extent to which love of other humans is vital. Benedict says that the message of these chapters of Matthew is very demanding. "Who among us" doesn't pass by many in need? "Who among us" can claim he truly and simply carries out the service of being kind and loving to others.

Some of the Popes wonderful expressions of wisdom follow.
In faith we "admit the shortfall in our love". In faith we realize that our shortfall is made up for by the "surplus in Jesus Christ's love acting on our behalf." Real belief in God changes people.

I highly recommend Credo for Today. This text is a must for all teachers of the faith.

Joseph Ratzinger not Pope Benedict
My only criticism of this fine book is that once again Ignatius Press has published decades old material by Joseph Ratzinger but displayed a recent picture of him as pope and his current papal title prominently on the cover. I am sure this practice confuses readers and is ethically dubious. If a photograph is to be used on the cover it should signal to the purchaser that the volume is not a recent work of the pope but (excellent) material published originally in German before he became a bishop or a cardinal, let alone pope.

Rosie
Another excellent book by the Pope. I need to reread it for a better understanding.