This is a book length interview of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. He is the Roman Church's sentinel on the frontiers of theological adventurism, there to keep watch that the Church's Deposit of Faith is preserved against impious attack. He has held this position since 1981, when Pope John Paul II called him to Rome from Munich, where he was archbishop.

He was born in Bavaria seventy-three years ago. As with Karol Wojtyla, he had a full life before going to Rome. As a young man and seminarian he was exposed to the rise of Nazism in Germany. He was a prominent theological advisor during the Second Vatican Council and taught theology at Germany's most prominent universities. He earned a reputation as one of the Church's brightest and most creative theologians.

In an age when Truth has come under unceasing brutal assault, he has become a target of attack worldwide. He is routinely caricatured in the worldwide media as the new Grand Inquisitor, unthinking and dictatorial. This book will discomfit his enemies. It shows a deeply learned man moving carefully and deliberately across all the issues of the "Canon of Criticism," forthrightly defending the Church. It shows a man with a keen understanding of our present age and the ideologies that animate it.

The Roman Church is contemptible to so many precisely because it stands in unabashed reproof of so much of what passes as wisdom today, including the central "truth" of our post-modern era: that only truth is that there is no Truth. This reminds us that the Church is now, as always, a scandal. But it is necessary, Cardinal Ratzinger reminds, us to distinguish between the "primary" scandal and the "secondary" scandal. "The secondary scandal consists in our actual mistakes, defects and over-institutionalizations . . .." (124) The Church is made up of men who are subject to all the frailties to which flesh is heir. But the Church aspires for more. That she occasionally fails should not surprise us. That she aspires for more should inspire new generations of saints. Yet the very idea that man is not naturally good and should aspire for more through self-abnegation is a deep offense to the modern mindset that man is good and is always, inexorably, getting better. This makes the Church an object of contempt and, in time, hatred.

"[T]he primary scandal consists precisely in the fact that we stand in opposition to the decline into the banal and the bourgeois and into false promises. It consists in the fact that we don't simply leave man alone in his self-made ideologies." (124) Substitution of transitory political ethics for Christian ethics leads to despotism, the exaltation of a mere man as God: Lenin, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Ho Chi Min. "We can say with a certainty backed up by empirical evidence that if the ethical power represented by Christianity were suddenly torn out of humanity, mankind would lurch to and fro like a ship rammed against an iceberg, and then the survival of humanity would be in greatest jeopardy." (227) "For this reason . . . the Catholic Church is a scandal, insofar as she sets herself in opposition to what appears to be a nascent global ideology and defends primordial values of humanity that can't be fit into this ideology . . .." (124)

"[I]f we give up the principle that every man as man is under God's protection, that as a man he is beyond the reach of arbitrary will, we really do forsake the foundation of human rights." (204) The sacred tradition of the Church is arrayed in defense of the dignity of mankind. Contrary to fashionable caricature, the Church is not an ossified tree, subject to being felled by the latest gale. It changes, but slowly, deliberately, organically. "[T]here are various degrees of importance in the tradition [of the Church] . . . not everything has the same weight . . . [but] there are . . . essentials, for example, the great conciliar decisions or what is stated in the Creed. These things are the Way and as such are vital to the Church's existence; they belong to her inner identity." (207-208) As to its essentials, its First Principles, or everlasting verities, the Church is powerless to change even in face of popular demand.

Bringing to mind Edmund Burke and G.K. Chesterton, Cardinal Ratzinger reminds us that "the Church lives not only synchronically but diachronically as well. This means that it is always all - even the dead - who live and are the whole Church, that it is always all who must be considered in any majority in the Church. . . . The Church lives her life precisely from the identity of all the generations, from their identity that overarches time, and her real majority is made up of the saints." (189) Our present age cannot cavalierly discard the wisdom of this great communion of the living and the dead, of one hundred human generations of the Church, confident that it has somehow achieved superceding wisdom. Instead, it must, as must all generations, submit to the essentials of the Church, to revelation and the Church's sacred tradition. "Every generation tries to join the ranks of the saints, and each makes its contribution. But it can do that only by accepting this great continuity and entering into it in a living way." (189) The Church does not need additional "reformers" of institutions. "What we really need are people who are inwardly seized by Christianity, who experience it as joy and hope, who have thus become lovers. And these we call saints." (269)

This is not easy for any generation. It places a break on volition. It posits that man's every impulse is not virtuous. Intrinsically, it asserts that man is not God, that man must prune his impulses, as he would an overgrown plant to prepare it to bear fruit. "[P]eople don't want to do without religion, but they want it only to give, not to make its own demands on man. People want to take the mysterious element in religion but spare themselves the effort of faith." (212) This is New Age faith, not the faith of the Church and her saints. "If the willingness to be bound is not there, and if, above all, submission to the truth is not there, then in the end all of this will simply remain a game." (235)

It is often heard today that if only the Church would make priestly celibacy optional, ordain women and "reform" its doctrine to accommodate other contemporary demands, that she would flourish as never before. These cavils ignore the central truth of any true church - that its communicants come to it and submit to the truth it professes, a truth beyond editing by plebiscite. It also reveals a stunning lack of critical intelligence. "These issues are resolved in Lutheran Christianity," Cardinal Ratzinger notes. "On these points, it has taken the other path, and it is quite plain that it hasn't thereby solved the problem of being a Christian in today's world and that the problem of Christianity, the effort of being a Christian, remains just as dramatic as before." (181) Why should the Roman Church make itself a clone of Lutheranism? "[B]eing a Christian does not stand or fall on these questions [and] . . . the resolution of these matters doesn't make the gospel more attractive or being Christian any easier. It does not even achieve the agreement that will better hold the Church together. I believe we should finally be clear on this point, that the Church is not suffering on account of these questions." (182)

Cardinal Ratzinger is forthright in his pessimistic assessment of the time ahead. "The danger of a dictatorship of opinion is growing, and anyone who doesn't share the prevailing opinion is excluded, so that even good people no longer dare to stand by such nonconformists [i.e. Christians]. Any future anti-Christian dictatorship would probably be much more subtle than anything we have known until now. It will appear to be friendly to religion, but on the condition that its own models of behavior and thinking not be called into question." (153) The Church must attorn to the zeitgeist in this scheme. These themes are explored in Michael D. O'Brien's "Children of the Last Day" novels.

It is time for the faithful, Cardinal Ratzinger says, to form "vital circles." [T]here are great, vibrant new beginnings and joyful forms of Christian life that don't figure much statistically but are humanly great and have the power to shape the future." (143). "Particularly when one has to resist evil it's important to not to fall into gloomy moralism that doesn't allow itself any joy but really to see how much beauty there is, too, and to draw from it the strength needed to resist what destroys joy." (69)

In his autobiography "The Sword of Imagination," the novelist and historian Russell Kirk writes, "Not by force of arms are civilizations held together, but by the threads of moral and intellectual belief. In the hands of the Fates are no thunderbolts: only threads and scissors." Throughout this book, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger demonstrates that he understands better than, perhaps, anyone e

A very readable, interresting book! Cardinal Ratzinger gives his views on a wide range of topics in the course of an extended interview with Peter Seewald, including his life and the state of the *world-wide* Church. This book offers valuable insights from a man who is uniquely positioned to "see" the workings of the Church as a whole.

In the more "liberal" circles, there's apparently a tendency to villify Cardinal Ratzinger as some kind of "right-wing", closed-minded fringe type. Having read this book, I find that claim hard to believe: whether one agrees with his views or not, it is hard to see the Cardinal as anything other than a thoughtful, intellegent and learned man.

There are so many fabulous insights in this book, and such honesty that it should be required reading for high school religion classes. Cardinal Ratzinger has really hit the nail on the head, giving all of us an inside view of the issues that are important to the Church. "In today's whirl of instant bliss, religion, too, is socially respectable only as a dream of happiness without tears, as a mystical enchantment of the soul. Perhaps the Church comes under heavier fire because she talks about sin and suffering and rectitude of life....Just one curious example - when it comes to the state, as soon as crimes begin to multiply and society feels its safety threatened, there is an immediate demand for tougher laws. In relation to the Church, whose laws are moral in nature, the exact opposite happens - there is a demand for further relaxation."

Reading this book was one of my first steps in the direction of the Catholic Church. Growing up, I had always heard vague disapproval of the Catholic Church; lots of unspecific allusions to Mary-worship, "working your way to heaven", etc. Reading this book, however, lifted the veil and revealed the beauty, depth and truth that is the Catholic faith. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to lay aside preconceived biases and begin an open-minded examination of the Catholic faith. I'm confident that in so doing you will be surprised by truth.

This book 9is a very valuable and useful guide to what the Catholic Church ACTUALLY teaches, rather than what her more vocal opponents would like us to THINK she teaches. It adds "muscle" to the "skeleton" of the Catechism. I would certainly recommend this book for RCIA classes.

Most people will find plowing through the Catechism of the Catholic Church a hardy task. Professor Kreeft comes to the rescue presenting the material faithfully but in his usual light and compact way. A great reference tool!

Reading about the life of Bl. Escriva is definitely inspirational. A must read for those who seek to practice their faith in their ordinary lives.

Excellent Book, Very interesting and lost of historical facts. It is worth a look.

Deep and intelligent. Not only anecdotical. Historical perspective very interesting. results very easy to understand the reason for the popes of the catholic church sponsorizes the personal prelature of opus dei: it serves people to sanctify and makes the christian life at hand.

When I ordered the Encyclopedia, I resigned myself to slugging through mountains of information and end up "What did that say again?"

Well, I am pleased to say that there was the mountain of information and more often than not I knew what it was saying. The definitions in were to the point, crisp and relevant to the times. Rev. P. Stravinskas had the insight to include information an ordinary Catholic needed at 7PM Sunday in a mad rush to complete an assignment.

Where the encyclopedia lost me were in some definitions that were necessarily lengthy. Obviously, some white space could have saved me time in re-reading the whole passage. But, with the value of the information included, I believe the Encyclopedia is an excellent resource for those of us who are not scholars in the catechism of the Catholic Church.

Those who know Fr. Stravinskas know that he likes to keep things short and to the point, so that the average person can understand what he's teaching without getting lost in detail. On another note, Our Sunday Visitor has a reputation for printing only the best quality of Catholic books. This collaboration brings out the best traits of both.

It is faithful to the Church's basic teaching since the Second Vatican Council, it fits into one large volume using a print size that will not strain your eyes, it is wonderfully organized to cover a wide variety of topics relevant to the Catholic faith, and its entries are informative while being written at a level the average Catholic can understand.

For these reasons, this is simply one of the best modern Catholic Encyclopedias on the market. Every Catholic family and college student who is interested in their faith should own one.

If you want to know what the Catholic Church teaches this is a great reference book. Father Stravinskas teaches what the Church teaches, and not just his own personal opinion. I'd recommend anything he wrote. It's wonderful to know you won't be misled. Nice book for dipping into, too!

A gripping synopsis of the part that the Roman Army played in history, starting from its initial dominance after it defeated the Greek armies at Pydna in 168 BC, to Vespasian's triumphal parade after Titus' victory over the Jews at Jerusalem. A definate 5-star, must-have book.

This is one of the finest illustrated books about the Roman Army that I have ever read! Its attention to even the most minor historical details is impressive. A must for every student of Roman military history it definitely deserves to be in print again!

This book gives the most thorough and concise description of the Roman Legions from the early republic up through the height of empire. The amount of detail is astonishing, beautifully enhanced and simplified by the gorgeous illustrations.

If you care at all about the subject of Sola Scriptura, you MUST buy this little book. Joel Peters nails the the errors of Sola Scritura. It is 72 pages long and very well written.

This was the best 3 bucks I have ever spent!

The back of the book says, "Totally devastates one of the two pillars of Protestantism."

And I agree 100% with that statement!

Here are the 21 classic reasons why the Protestant doctrine of "Scripture alone" as a basis of faith is wrong. Disproves the theory from Scripture itself, from history, and from the problems it raises. A great little book and one sorely needed today.

This book clearly disproves the protestant claim of "Sola Scritura". It provides 21 undeniable reasons why Tradition (Catholic Church), along with scripture, provide the complete truth. I recommend this booklet to all Catholics who need to strengthen their faith and all protestants who are sincerely seeking Truth.

This entire bookis devoted to alleged apparitions in Marpingen in the Saar. The apparitions were never accepted by an official Church study--tho never publicly condemned by any bishop. It is a fascinating account, and even though this is a very balanced book, I found myself attracted toe the people who believed in the validity of the visions. The heavy-handed effforts of Bismarck's Kulterkampf to stifle the innocent faith of the believers was part of what attracted me. The visionaries all went into convents, and did not live long. The main one made a written retraction--which was not made public at the time. This is a very carefully researched, heavily-footnoted book, and certainly a classic in the subject. There is amulti-page bibliography, listing many books which I would like to read.

Some of us are blessed with opportunities. One of mine was to hear many lectures from this work's author, David Blackbourn, in college. He is tall, somewhat thin, with big hands and akward limbs. When he lectures, he moves from one side of the podium to the other, pausing only to look at the ceiling in search of just the right word, the right description for a riot in the Rhineland or a bourgeouis household in Berlin. As many of you might know, describing these scenes as they really were, but yet also emphasizing the important trend, is a difficult task. Blackbourn has that gift. It was evident in his lectures, in his hands swinging across the podium, even in the dramatic pauses to seek that right word. Finally he has shared that excitment with a reading audience. I do not want to imply that his previous books lacked excellence. As any student of the field knows, his Peculiarities of German History has quickly become a basic text. I would recomend all his writing. But he had never told an exciting story. In a sense, he did not live up to his potential. Marpingen is a moment in a career. Still on the verge of ever greater academic accomplishment, Blackbourn has left us a synthesis of two valuable things; outstanding intelligence and literary skill. For that reason it is the rarest of rare academic works. A study enjoyable to the beginer and revealing to the expert. I recomend it to everyone who does not have the opportunity of hearing him lecture.

This book is my parenting BIBLE!! I can't say enough good things about it--each and every chapter is INVALUABLE. I am so glad I found something that can help me figure out how to handle my kids at every bend in the road, in virtually every situation. It advocates attachment parenting and loving-guidance discipline, and also gives you a plethora of techniques and tells exactly when and how to use them (i.e. "everyday discipline" vs. bigger, more stubborn issues). He clarified the reality that family life is not just a mundane distraction--a family should have goals, a vision of where they are going in life, etc. He talks extensively about how all family members must have a solid rapport between them for discipline to be effective, for love to be felt, etc. He clarifies the question of spanking from both a spiritual and a scientific perspective. He goes into detail about how to handle the various stages of childhood, from loving the infant to "taming" the toddler to handling the teenager--gracefully. He outlines how to foster virtues, morals, a love for religion and a love for Jesus in your children; he tells how to make your family into the "domestic church" Pope John Paul calls it to be. I wouldn't even waste time with any other parenting or discipline book--this one more than covers all your questions and worries. I refer to it at least once a week, and it gives me the guidance I need to be an effective yet loving parent to my kids. It wil literally change your outlook on family life; it will give you new hope and make parenting a truly gratifying experience. The title couldn't be more appropriate--now I really have the information I need to raise "perfect" kids! If you REALLY unconditionally love your children and want them to be the best they can be, you will be thrilled to have this book!

Whether you're Catholic or not, if you are a parent you will benefit tremendously from this book. I'm a Catholic parent and I'm really thankful that someone took the time and trouble to organize the vast plethora of parenting techniques out there so that it is easy to see their place within the structure of a Catholic parenting paradigm. The author is very knowledgeable of both scripture and church doctrine and explains their relevance to raising children. The step by step techniques for dealing with the various stages of a person's maturation are excellent. He also has little quizzes that you can use to help elucidate the areas where your parent-child relationship may need help. He has a superb treatise on why spanking is not a suitable discipline technique. I can't say enough about the excellent blend of philosophy, practical application and religion that the author has put together in this book. He is an organizational genius. Read this book!

This book is great! I love the way it integrates authentic Church teaching with really practical parenting advice. I only got it two weeks ago, and the techniques are already making a huge differences in my childrens' behavior. I really look to it on those days when I'm not sure what to do to keep things on track. I only wish I knew about it sooner! I know what I'm giving as gifts to my mother's support group. Thanks for this great resource.

While its coverage is encyclopedic...the descriptions that go along with the multitude of entries are sparse and lean on information.

The idea behind the book is brilliant. I sincerely hope that in future editions the authors will choose to put more meat on at least some of the more mainstream subjects covered here.

This source book contains brief entries on thousands of topics on Catholic history, traditions, etc. You won't find detailed information - but that's not the purpose of the book. It's meant to provide quick facts. I use this as a starting place - this gives me enough information to carry on with a more extensive search elsewhere, if I want to know more.

This book is so informative! I'm new to the Catholic faith, and this book answers almost all my questions! A great book for newbies like me!

When I purchased this book, I thought it would focus solely on the history of the Bible and, more particularly, on the Church's role of forming the canon. To my chagrin, this book is quite light on Bible history.

However, I don't judge a book on my expectations, however misguided, but on its content. I was very pleased with the work. This book provides a short, yet thorough introduction of the place of Holy Scripture within the Church. Having accomplished that goal in a very readable and understandable style, Stravinskas then provides a brief glimpse of salvation history and how the Old Testament is completed by the New Testament and the New Testament is hidden in the Old Testament.

The "meat" of this book is in its explanation of the use of scripture during the Mass. Each line of the Mass is supported by reference to a biblical text. In short, Father Stravinskas utterly refutes any argument that the Mass is not "biblical."

Father Stravinskas concludes this work with a short appendix in which the Fundamentalist approach to scriptures, man's condition etc. is compared to that of the Catholic. It is hardly a thorough treatment of the subject, but it would not appear to me that either a Fundamentalist or Catholic Christian would dissaprove of the treatment of their respective theologies found in the latter portion of this book.

All total, Father Stravinskas' work is a good introduction into the Church's veneration, protection and use of scripture. It is concise, balanced in treatment and would make an excellent resource for Adult or Youth Religious instruction.

Fr. Stravinskas succeeds splendidly in showing that the Catholic church is not, nor has ever been, allergic to the Holy Scriptures. For those who doubt it, please read the book.
Nicely organized into sections that deal with various issues, the book concludes with a chapter giving a line-by-line analysis of the Biblical content of the mass followed by a chapter of questions and answers--the format in which Fr. Stravinskas shines.

Fr. Stravinskas has an intellect like a steel trap. It shows in this book. This book is an excellent outline and introduction to the subject of the Catholic Church and the Bible. Thankfully Fr. Stravinskas does make references to Holy Scripture and the new Catechism of the Catholic Church, along with a few excellent suggestions for further reading, which will be of help to the curious. Not polemical, the work will be useful to both Catholics and non-Catholics who are looking for an introduction to Holy Scripture and the Church which has so carefully preserved and guarded the Word of God for two millenia. If you are not familiar with the history of the Catholic Church and the Bible, or have only been exposed to anti-Catholic propaganda, this is the book for you. Fr. Stravinskas' love of God's Word is evident in his writing.