Benedict Books

This book made me feel hopeful regarding christianity again. In a world of hositility and fear the hope of mercy and grace is like drinking a cold glass of water in a desert. I felt I could put into practice the spirit in which the monks live. Well worth the read for a parched soul.

I picked up Radical Hospiality because of a sermon I heard in Boston awhile ago while visiting a friend from college. I did not catch the name of the author, authors as it turns out, but I was sure the minister, a woman, was quoting from a book. When I did a internet search it turned out that the phrase Radical Hospitality is used by religious and social groups from churches to conventions, all around the world. What I amazed by is that so few of the people, like the minister, name where they got their quotes or who they are quoting. This is a very fine book. It borders on brilliant actually and I am not the sort to use such a word casually. Why would anyone not want to give these authors the credit they deserve? The book, Radical Hospitality is challenging in a gentle way. I never once felt like the writers were shoving some agenda down my throat. There is just this level of telling their own experience and stories that any half-brain dead person could tell is from their hearts. Don't get me wrong. It is not a personal experience kind of book and it is not a book for anyone who like fluff instead of substance. But, if you are looking for a book about what has gone wrong in how we relate to one another, this is it. And if you love it too, be sure you tell people who you're quoting!

In Radical Hospitality I found a discussion of Benedictine monasticism and Christian spirituality that surprised me. I'm not exactly sure why but I expected this book to be a practical guide to implementing a monastic rule into one's life filled with specific suggestions and examples cross-indexed to specific rules from within the Benedictine tradition. That is not what this book is.

Instead, it is something much richer and more beautiful. What the book is centers around a discussion of the undergirding and overarching themes and ethos of monastic life and the hospitality that flows from it. Interwoven within these discussions are found wonderful stories that range from the humorous to the poignant taken from the lives of the authors and those they share their lives with. It is from within these elements that the application of these ideas within our lives is discussed in a way in which one ideas flows from and builds on the previous portion of the discussion.

I found my own thinking about how to practice hospitality deeply enriched by this book and I will return to it from time to time to reinforce what I have learned and to reflect on the themes woven throughout the work. I strongly recommend this book to anyone seeking to learn the practice of hospitality from within the practice of monasticism.

This is a must read for Lay Contemplatives who want a way to integrate their spiritual practices with "living ordinary life with extra-ordinary love."

"Radical Hospitality" was given to me by a friend who thought very highly of it, and she was right. This is one of those rare books that is really for almost anyone--highly readable, charming and soothing, deep and practical, and full of wisdom and love. It is not particularly theological--it is about lived Christianity. It would be an excellent choice to give as a gift, and it is certainly also a book one would buy for oneself for one's own growth.

As we awaken to the need to live our beliefs about love, to live generously, graciously, welcomingly, we are confronted by our own frightened hesitancy to be present to the needs of others. This book explores how we can reach out while necessarily preserving our own boundaries. "Radical Hospitality" teaches (with wonderful examples) how and why we should become more open and generous, and concludes very credibly that the essence is "listening," perhaps the most basic Benedictine value, used here in the sense of a kind of loving contemplative social presence. Everyone wants and needs to be truly listened to, the authors say, and especially at the times when it can be hardest to want to listen, when the one being listened to is in pain, angry, afraid. To feel heard is to feel real and loved and a little bit healed.

I found "Radical Hospitality" itself to be a beautiful experience of the authors' hospitality toward the reader. Even the design of the book itself is quite inviting.

The more books I read by Joseph Ratzinger the more I learn and the prouder I am to be Catholic. No other writer has lifted my heart and my faith more than him. I recommend this for all Catholics and anyone who is interested in reading and learning about Christianity. There is no theologist like Ratzinger right now . His words can lift you up and make you proud about your faith. This book is definitely a winner.

While this is perhaps not the best of Joseph Ratzinger's writing (and I am not sure if it's a matter of influence of the translator), I must say that this is a nice approachable volume that provides an illumination of Catholic Communion Ecclesiology.

This work also provides a firm base for ecumenical dialogue when one looks to the nature of what it means to be called to Communion. The succinct nature of this work also makes it very accessible for even the most novice of theologian.

I would recommend this book.

This book is a Pastoral presentation of the birth of the Christian Church and continued responsibilites of the pastors of that Church. Joseph's superior understanding of scripture and history is made apparent. He utilizes both to drive home the point that the earthly sheperds of the Church must have a deep spiritual life and most of all understand that THEY are not the Church. The Church is the body of Christ! He explains how the entire Church, both pastors and laity must work to avoid turning the Church into a religious Party.
Wonderful read that I highly recommend!

Pope Benedict is a significant scholar and a gifted writer. His work is filled with tenderness. Many are surprised by this because of his previous reputation. Our new Pope has opened doors to communication,;he does so quietly and with modesty. He is unafraid to deal with views which on the surface appear good, but have deep faults. You should not be disappointed reading his work.

Called to Communion: Understanding the Church Today starts off with three theology lectures for a course on universal vs. particular Churches for bishops in Brazil, followed by an address to the Synod of Bishops on the priesthood, a talk on ecclesial reform to conclude an annual meeting in Rimini, and finally a homily preached at a seminary in Philadelphia which is added to "clarify once more the spiritual orientation of the whole book" (from the Foreword). All of these events took place in 1990, but the material is as relevant, if not more so, today.

The stated goal in the Foreword of offering "a sort of primer of Catholic ecclesiology" to "bring clarity and help in the crisis of ecclesial consciousness" is fulfilled in spades. The nature of the book and the audiences it was directed toward originally does not allow Cardinal Ratzinger to go into the level of detail I would have like to have seen, but nevertheless he is quite successful at giving the reader a good overview of Catholic ecclesiology, particularly as it relates to the roles of bishops, priests, and the nature of true reform in the Church.

In the first chapter he establishes the origin of the Church in Jesus, of course, by using not only Gospel testimony, but also Paul's doctrine of the Church as the Body of Christ, and the beginnings of Church functioning in the Acts of the Apostles.

Chapter Two deals with Petrine primacy and the unity of the Church. The author acknowledges the ecumenical difficulty of this question, but goes on to solidly show the status of Peter as "Rock", as head of the Twelve, and as keeper of the "keys" which he deals with at the greatest length of the three points. Succession is one of the areas that would have been worth exploring more, but his appeal to early Christian writers Irenaeus and Eusebius is effective, and he hits a home run with this observation: "[I]t is impossible to avoid the idea of succession once the word is transmitted in Scripture is considered to be a sphere open to the future" (p. 67).

The next chapter gets to the heart of the theology lectures: the universal and particular Churches and the role of the bishop. Unsurprisingly, the Eucharist is seen as the heart of ecclesiology - it is the unifying factor. Orthodox and Protestant views are contrasted with each other and the Catholic approach, and the conclusion is reached that "communio is catholic, or it simply doesn't exist at all" (p. 82). The bishopric is traced back to Peter, James, and Paul, and then as now, the bishop is called to be a missionary of the whole Church, not just his local Church, and he must be ready to suffer as his Lord did.

The essence of the priesthood is the topic of the fourth chapter. This is a very full chapter. He bemoans the fact that a new look back tried to justify the priesthood by looking at its biblical roots and deeming it a functional role only. He provocatively states that this view was reached by Reformation-era arguments and exegesis largely nourished by Reformation presuppositions. But while Cardinal Ratzinger recognized that the ministries seemed ill-defined in the early Church, he sees the foundation of ministerial office in apostleship: Jesus sent the apostles and gave them everything they had - he conferred the mission and himself as mission. Apostolic succession is not treated in depth, but he uses solid passages from Acts, Peter, and Corinthians to stress the sacramental nature of bishops and priests. He closes the chapter with some deeply moving reflections of a more spiritual nature (a must read for all priests).

The last chapter deals with renewal of the Church, contrasting futile and authentic reform. It is the best chapter in the book and one I'd like to get in the hands of every Catholic or anyone who wants to understand the pope's authentic view of reform and renewal. A democratic Church that so many long for will never work: "A church based on human resolutions becomes a merely human church. It is reduced to the level of the makeable, of the obvious, of opinion. Opinions replace faith. And in fact, in the self-made formulas of faith with which I am acquainted, the meaning of the words `I believe' never signifies anything beyond `we opine'" (pp. 139-140). True reform is based on a full faith itself in the freedom that the Lord offers which is our true freedom. Reform begins with each person through personal morality (liberation from sin, not guilt), forgiveness (imaging Jesus), and expiation (purification through pain and suffering in communion with Christ).

The epilogue continues the theme of the last chapter, emphasizing the dangers of "factional strife" within the Church, instead calling us to be "coworkers of God" (it is clear where he came up with his episcopal motto "Fellow worker in the truth").

This book is relatively short at 165 pages but very rich. It is worth getting for everyone who wants to understand the authentic mind of the Church as enunciated by the current pontiff.

I found this book to be a wonderful read. Not only is the Abbey located close to where I live, but the strength and perserverance it took, leaves me in awe of Mother Benedict and the people who started the Abbey.

Truth be told, I haven't read the book yet but I need to correct a statement in one of the "critics" reviews that says she founded the oldest contemplative nuns in America. Not true, that distinction belongs to the Discalced Carmelites who were founded in Port Tobacco, and who are now in Baltimore. That doesn't take anything away from Mother Benedict of course.

This is a book many of us have been lookinf for for hoping a long time. Regina Laudis is undoubtedly one of the most inspiring spiritual places in the U.S., and it definitely bears Mother Benedict's imprint. What a fascinating life Mother Benedict led, and the book documents her incredible faith and determination. Mother Benedict is among the last of that generation of spiritual giants, that included Thomas Merton, and Thomas Verner Moore (a key player in the founding of the only U.S. Charterhouse). It is only a shame that the book was not polished more. It takes quite a bit of determination to work your way through it, just to get the story. There are lots of repetitions, broken off threads and typos that could easily have been smoothed out. Also, a bit less obvious partisanship might have helped. All that being said, you will be glad you picked the book up.

This is the story of a bright, psychologically healthy and strong woman who became a medical doctor, a nun and, ultimately, an Abbess. Antoinette Bosco does an excellent job of portraying Mother Benedict in a realistic light, something which appears to be encouraged by Mother Benedict's own honest and unblinking appraisals of herself and her community. Mother Benedict established a new foundation for a religious order in America based on sheer gratitude and a call from God after she and her convent were liberated from the Nazis by the U.S. Army under General Patton. This is the story of her journey from the seed of an idea to full fruition and beyond, and it is a riveting tale of how one person can change the world with faith, guts, determination, love and friends. It is a book you will want to read if you enjoy history, books pertaining to faith/religion and/or biography. Mother Benedict's story is inspirational on many levels, and it is one of those books that make you feel good to live in a world that was inhabited by such a wonderful human being. My only regret in reading this book is that Mother Benedict is no longer alive. She is someone I would have been honored to have known.

I have heard of Regina Laudis and know priests and nuns who are among the friends of those in that monastery. While their view of the Benedictines there and Mother Benedictine Duss in particular was overwhelmingly positive, I'd heard of their "troubles," and wondered what the story was. Well, now I know, and I encourage all who have questions to read this book. You'll not only find out what a wonderful group of women these nuns are, but you'll find an amazing story as full of adventure as many novels. Mother Benedict and the holy women with her are a treasure. And even better, you can add to your enjoyment of this book by listening to their voices on two CDs of Gregorian Chant, also available through Amazon.com ("Women In Chant" and "Women In Chant: Recordare"). Don't miss this book!!!

Having gone back to this wonderful book on more than one occasion, it compelled me to proclaim it's abundant worth to the world. For those who have no knowledge of Benedictine Spirituality or monasticism, it is a great way to learn more in an easy to comprehend format. For those people who have visited monasteries, participated in retreats and/or been taught in Benedictine schools, it still speaks very clearly to the more experienced reader. That blanket coverage of a wide spectrum of believers is what makes this effort so special.
I am fortunate to have had some tremendous Benedictine monk friends, and the subjects covered in this book are done so in a way that you want to holler "bullseye" at the conclusion of each chapter. This is truly thought-provoking writing and reflection at it's best. The authors are to be commended for such a concise, yet complete explanation of how St. Benedict (and his rule) is indeed a worthwhile tool, even today.
I would say that with all the hype that surrounds some of the offerings in the world of books, this one has virtually none (hype). However, it delivers ten-fold on what may appear to be a rather simplistic exploration of the structural pillars of Benedictine wisdom and traditions.
To see how we can can increase our stability, be more attuned to humility, become more authentic and disciplined in our faith, while also lessening our need for possessions and conflict...what other priceless virtues can we incorporate in our lives? The answer? There are 2 dozen more wonderful attributes covered in this outstanding gem of a book.
You will most definitely read it once, and undoubtedly again...multiple times. Or, if you are like me, it is a simple treasure to be passed along to a friend in need when the time arises. Upon it's return, the rave reviews continue, cementing your own feelings and helping to soothe the bumpy roads that life lets us travel from time to time. Let this help be your own personal roadmap to a deeper understanding of the time honored monastic communities that thrive today...and all the way back...a millenium and a half ago.
May the Benedictine monastic communities continue to floursih in the world, never letting us lose sight of the tremdously valuable teachings of Saint Benedict!

In the rush of our lifestyle, instant is the watchword for our culture. BENEDICT'S WAY by Lonni Collins Pratt and Father Daniel Homan, OSB, helps you take a deep breath and learn from an unexpected source of strength. St. Benedict is often credited as being the father of Western monasticism. He lived in a time when chaos rocked Christianity and the situation seemed to be worsening with every passing day. In the middle of such chaos, Benedict was a man with order, sense and peace. Doesn't the quest for balance resonate with most of us?

The authors describe their purpose saying, "This book is our attempt to enliven the Rule of St. Benedict for those who have never read it, as well as those who are already familiar with the Rule." Father Homan is prior major of St. Benedict Monastery in Oxford, Michigan and has lived the Rule of St. Benedict for forty years. Lonni Pratt is an award-winning journalist and a Catholic laywoman who has informally associated with the monastery through friendship. The pair of authors have a common interest in Benedictine spirituality.

Thirty short chapters enlighten the reader about keys to spirituality like listening, prayer, work, stability, friendship, balance and celebration. Each chapter includes a quote from St. Benedict, then a brief section from a scholar of St. Benedict. Also a short devotional thought is included and a section of application called, "Going Inward." As the Rule of St. Benedict says about joy, "As we journey I this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the path...our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love."

Readers can expect insight and wisdom as they learn from St. Benedict. You can read the book daily in the morning or before bed or as a refreshing break in the middle of a hectic day at work.

Benedict's Way guides the reader easily into understanding God's intentions of our time here on earth. We have created a fast paced lifestyle that is self serving causing much anxiety. This is evident by the ever increaing need for lifestyle managing drugs. Our current society with all its technology and materialism has the highest rates of divorce, depression, sucide, etc., in history. It seems that all this financial wealth has done little to make us truly happy. Is it possible that God in is infinite wisdom understood this and inspired spiritual teachers like Buddha, Mother Terresa, and St. Benedict to teach us how to live?

Pratt and Homan have challenged the reader to look at their own life and reflect on it. For me personally this book has opened my eyes to my own self serving ways. Each chapter is thought provoking and one of my favorites Balance and Celebration caused me to pause and look at how I approach my family time, work time, personal time, spritual time, etc.

The format makes this an easy read with each chapter ending in a reflective prayer. Another great aspect of the book is the suggested reading section that includes web-sites to visit.

This book is a must read for anyone serious about living a simplier spirit filled life.

I'm new to Benedictine spirituality but am learning to value the simple things. I thought that made this book a good place to start my Benedictine journey. The book challenged my long-held ideas about spirituality and the nature of the universe and I came away feeling good about myself believing that maybe the universe is a good place after all. It helped me. I think that's what I really needed from a book rather than advice on Benedictine spirituality although I'm confident that is also a strength for this book. We all want balance and this really does help.

Of the reviewers posted here, I think I am probably the only one who read Radical Hospitality, the other book by these authors, before reading Benedict's Way. I like Radical Hospitality better if only because it spoke to me about how I need to make some changes in my life. Benedict's Way is a great book for anyone who wants to go a little deeper into benedictine spirituality but isn't much into serious scholarship. My brother is a Benedictine monk and he showed me a review of the book that came out recently. It talked about how this book is written in a simple and direct style but there is an evident scholarship lurking in the backgrounds of the authors. They just don't seem to be showy about it. Which is very good news for the reader who wants depth without pretentiousness. Even if you do read Radical Hospitality first, you'll love this book.

Bias: I am a believing Catholic and a fan of the Pope, a fan of faith, hope, charity and love!

While I am regularly wowed by the profound depth of our Holy Father's writing (and speeches), so much that I can usually only go through a few pages per day in most of the former Cardinal Ratzinger's writing, Deus Caritas Est, which is directed to a wide audience, read pretty easily (two days). This is not to say that it is not profound or worth taking time to contemplate. It is a beautiful treatise on love, and the expression of love.

One of many ideas I will take from this is about love in charity. When we serve in charity, we are not somehow superior to they whom we serve. We are inseparable from them.

Very recommended!

This is an Encyclical worth reading. Over the years I attempted to read several encyclicals and found them rather technical and often difficult to read. I concluded that Popes are not usually good writers and that I would read encyclicals only as reference books. Benedict XVI, for me, breaks the mold. He is an excellent writer and offers fresh insights into Christianity.

Deus Caritas Est is broken into two parts: The unity of Love in Creation and Salvation History; and Caritas, the practice of Love by the Church as a "Community of Love." This letter includes detailed explanations of Benedict's teaching points and would require a long summary. I will focus on several main points that are important to me.

In the Introduction Benedict refers to Scripture and teaches that we "come to believe" in the love of God and indicates that love is an encounter that animates and guides our lives. He proclaims the words of Jesus that the commandments are "united" into a single concept - love. God loves us and we respond by loving Him and our neighbors.

The Pope discusses Eros, the love between a man and a woman. He notes that some Christians want to avoid discussing Eros. He also notes that some Christian leaders forget that we were created as human beings. Christian Eros can be very positive and bring us closer to God. This occurs when Eros, worldly love, joins with agape, love "grounded and shaped by faith". By accepting our humanity we accept God's creation. That love, however, must not be self-centered, as Eros often is at the beginning of sexual attraction. With agape, love seeks the "good of the beloved" and is ready to sacrifice self for other. When fully formed love receives as well as gives, Eros-agape leads to a loving relationship.

The letter also addresses forgiveness. God's agape love is "completely gratuitous" and as such God's love forgives. Benedict refers to Hosea 11 and claims that God's love overcomes God's justice. " I will not give vent to my blazing anger, I will not destroy Ephraim again; For I am God and not man, the Holy One present among you; I will not let the flames consume you."

The Pope suggests that there is an "unbreakable" bond between love of God and love of neighbor. If I "close my eyes" to neighbors, I "blind" myself to God. If I concentrate upon my religious duties and ignore others, I become arid and eventually loveless.

Benedict reminds us that the Church has three responsibilities: to proclaim the word of God, to celebrate the sacraments, and to exercise the ministry of charity. These three are inseparable. For the Church, charity must be the very essence of its activities. The
Church of today, with advances in communication and travel, must address the needs of all people everywhere. Our distinctiveness as a Church equals our charitable activities.

This encyclical has some deep insights. I plan to re-read it with much meditation and prayer. I highly recommend this encyclical.

How many days have I wasted by not asking what love is just once within them? What could be more important?

I'd have to write a book like this to answer this question. I am a student, but the pope is an expert. He'll help you answer this question in his book.

-Jeremy

This book by Pope Benedict should be recommended to every Christian, to go straight to the horse's mouth, THE Pope, and just go to even cheaper, obscure sources. The church is no joke. In England, Marilyn Manson would probably get treason and hung by the Prime Minister. For me as a born again Christian, ELCA pilgrim religion, I was just so sick of everyone jumping on the Manson bandwagon years later after he was an old man and retired. If each member of the Catholic church donated just 10 dollars, that's over 1 trillion dollars for Pope Benedict and the Vatican. Bible bashers need to wake up- Marilyn Manson is probably dead right now- Satanists are still fighting for their own credibility and are way behind. This is not just blind faith I'm talking about, I'm talking about being a member of a local church and being saved- the dark side of Christianity. Will you wake up, like NOW!!

...It is also a result of the presence of Christianity in the world, since Christianity constantly revives and acts out this imperative" (paragraph 31).

These two sentences nicely capture the heart of Benedict XVI's first encyclical, Deus caritas est. The first part of the encyclical is an effort to argue that there is no essential divide between eros and agape, but that the latter is a disciplined evolution of the former. Just as we can display both eros/passion and agape/self-sacrificing love of the other, so the biblical God (as opposed to the self-contained God of the philosophers) does likewise. We respond passionately to God's gift of love because we're made in God's image, and hence hardwired for love. The command of love is "inscribed" in our nature.

But how do we best love when faced with poverty, political oppression, military violence, environmental degradation? What specific ways should love express itself? These are genuine questions that cry out for responses, and abstract philosophizing won't answer them. So in the second half of the encyclical, Benedict moves from the abstract to the concrete by reflecting on the Church's role in the world and the relationship between justice and love (or charity). In the spirit of thinkers as diverse as Stanley Hauerwas and G.K. Chesterton, the Pope concludes that the Church isn't called to be a social agency or a political player. Rather, the Church, through word and example, is to serve as the world's conscience. When the Church sees injustice, her role is to name it and to urge its political and economic redress--that is, she is to advocate for justice. At the same time, she is to practice love, or charity, with heartfelt concern to alleviate suffering. There will always be need for love in a suffering world, even if all injustice was eliminated. Charity doesn't reinforce the status quo, as some critics maintain, especially if it's also accompanied with justice advocacy.

Toward the end of the encyclical (paragraphy 36), Benedict also suggests that prayer/meditation is a necessary ingredient for Christians who work to alleviate immediate suffering and promote justice. Otherwise, the risk of megalomania on the one hand or burn-out on the other is too great: "When we consider the immensity of others' needs, we can, on the one hand, be driven towards an ideology that would aim at doing what God's governance of the world apparently cannot: fully resolving every problem. Or we can be tempted to give in to inertia, since it would seem that in any event nothing can be accomplished. At such times, a living relationship with Christ is decisive if we are to keep on the right path..." This is not only a characteristic that distinguishes the Church from social agencies. It's also sage advice, as anyone involved in works of mercy probably knows from personal experience.

John Paul II was a sophisticated philosopher who nonetheless was able to write encyclicals that presented great truths in accessible ways. It's good to see that Benedict, a sophisticated theologian, follows in his predecessor's footsteps in this regard.

Benedict XVI is a great theologian, friend of Men, an exceptional piety. Humanity, therefore every man, is saved in Hope. Hope this stems from a commitment to any man. God gives us Hope. Through dialogue-intelligence of heart, faith, reason-between Him and humanity, man, Hope took shape.

"Reaching the knowledge of God, the true God, then receive hope."

Benedict XVI Hope Christian place in the heart of freedoms. The Christian hope is opposed to that of Marxists, materialism, the design of the gods in Greek and Roman philosophy. The Christian hope is rooted in the male, its hopes, its weaknesses, its pursuit of happiness.

The Christian hope is not a mirage of happiness promised ultimately after death. This hope is a constant exchange between God and men. So hope this helps to save - even today, the world.

"By faith in the existence of this power-God who takes away the sin of the world, the hope of healing the world has emerged in history." Also "our hope is always essentially also hope for others is just as it is hope for me."

Prayer, St. Mary Star of our hope, guide us on the path to the kingdom of God.

Once again Pope Benedict has written a clear, insightful, inspiring document for Catholics and people of faith everywhere. "Hope" is a word bandied about these days and offered as a panacea to the world's ills. In this latest encyclical, the Holy Father shows us (through scripture reference) that hope is a freedom with responsibility. The message here, I believe, is that there is hope through worship of God. All things begin and end with Him, our Creator on whom this generation has turned its back.

People ask why would anyone want to read an encyclical? To me, Benedict XVI is an excellent author and has written a wonderful letter. While reading this I became excited about my faith and anxious to learn more, to understand and share the insights of this marvelous new spiritual leader. As with his previous encyclical, Benedict discusses spirituality in a fresh new way. His insights may clarify challenges some Christians have with Vatican II spirituality.

The Pope begins strongly in the Introduction by referring to Romans 8:24: "in hope we were saved", and follows by explaining that our redemption is not simply given, it is "offered" to us and must be accepted as we lead our lives. I found the entire encyclical spiritually uplifting, but will only focus upon a few of the Pope's teachings:

The performative nature of the gift;
Faith as substance;
Faith leading to our ultimate goal;
The community nature of hope;
Prayer as hope.

Hope does not so much provide information as demand performance. According to Benedict. "hope is life changing". Through the letter we learn that God loves us very much and that we await his eternal love. The Pope refers to Romans 8:38 saying that human beings need unconditional love. Nothing can separate us from God's love. Hope, through such intense love, must be passed to others. Hope in God's overwhelming love must be shared.

Faith with hope is "the substance of things hoped for", It accepts facts and promises that are unseen and not able to be proven by earthly means. Hope infects our soul and allows us to accept the unseen. With hope our "faith gives life a new basis". Our way of acting and living" is the only proof needed. The peace, serenity, and happiness of Christians is the best proof of the value of our faith.

Hope leads to a contradiction. Our hope through Faith leads us to ask if
we actually want eternal life. The Pope suggests we need to decide whether we really want the kingdom of Jesus, or earthly pleasure and success. This world's hope for me differs from my hope through God. Since hope leads us to revising our lives, living for others, and accepting God's eternal love, it clearly leads us to our ultimate goal of eternal life in heaven with our Savior and our God. Living with our hope is our choice.

Benedict says that hope is not individual. Our Christian hope is through community. Focusing upon myself is like a "prison" from which I must escape. We seek God as a community of believers instead of in a "selfish search for salvation which rejects the idea of serving others."

The Pope tells us that we are vessels of the Lord. As vessels our "hearts must be enlarged and then cleansed." We will work hard to attain such growth. We must develop our prayer lives to learn how to communicate with God. We must "learn what is worthy of God". We must ask not for worldly comforts and desires. We must purify our wants and needs.

Spe Salve presents a fresh approach to the teaching of ancient concepts. It is worth more than a quick glance. It needs to be studied and prayed over. I recommend this encyclical.
I also recommend Benedict's first encyclical God Is Love: Deus Caritas Est

I read this book as my late mother was undergoing emergency surgery. It was very comforting and helped me a great deal to get through that experience. Pope Benedict is a wonderful writer and probably the greatest theologian alive today.

So says Benedict XVI in Spe Salvi (paragraph 31), his second encyclical, and the entire elegant and closely reasoned essay is an argument in defense of the claim. As is typical of papal encyclicals, references in Spe Salvi tend to focus on scripture, the patristic fathers, and a handful of medieval theologians. But it also strikes me that Benedict's reflections on hope are informed as well by the 20th century's greatest Roman Catholic theologian, Karl Rahner, although Rahner is never explicitly referenced.

It's no accident, Benedict argues, that in early drawings Christ was often depicted as a philosopher. Philosophy in the early centuries of the Christian era wasn't an academic discipline so much as a search for the proper way to live. Early Christians saw Jesus as offering the best way, one that made sense of the present by looking to the future. The good news brought by Christ, writes Benedict, was thus not only informative. It was also performative: that is, it provided an incentive and purpose for a particular lifestyle.

Faith, argues Benedict, is a "reaching out towards things that are still absent," but it also "gives us even now something of the reality we are waiting for, and this present reality constitutes for us a 'proof' of the things that are still unseen" (paragraph 7). This is the basis of the hope offered by Christ: that the future, although it can't be known, is nonetheless laden with promise, and that the awareness of this affects the way in which we live in the present. Hope, then, based on faith, isn't merely a yearning for the future; it's a present mode of living that's informed by hope in a positive future (shades of Rahner here).

This hope needs something infinite to ground it, to make it genuinely worthy of hope, and that infinite something is, of course, God (again, this is reminiscent of Rahner). The hope, furthermore, must be both personal and collective: that is, hope, like faith must be that which sustains the individual and binds together the community. In showing how this double movement is possible, Benedict does an especially fine job of arguing against private models of hope (such as those endorsed by some evangelicals) on the one hand and collectivist models (such as those endorsed by secular utopians) on the other (paragraphs 13-23). In the process, he also shows that Christian hope is compatible with human freedom, which always makes the future contingent, and human suffering, which is always voluntarily shared by God (paragraphs 24-31, 35-39).

This is Benedict at his finest: holding contraries in a creative tension, rather than rejecting one for the sake of the other to achieve logical neatness at the expense of theological depth. The personal and the communal, the present and the future, uncertainty and hope: these, the antipodes of human existence, are also the compass points Benedict wisely uses to help us better understand the manner of living taught by Jesus the philosopher.

Back To Eden breaks it down in simple terms - we need to cleanse our system with the elements that were found in the Garden Of Eden. When my first friends started taking some of the twenty-one elements that are espoused in this book, they were amazed by the results. It was this and a few other publications that inspired me to come up with my life-saving product.

Anyone who wishes to understand the components of the human body should read this book - as it is the "bible" of the physical body - what the holy bible is to the soul.

Read it.

Bought this for my husband. Unfortunately he passed before he had a chance to read it. I read it and it is very insightful and very helpful especially the herbal remedies.

Jehtro Kloss was a true healer and crusader for nutrition, personal rights, freedoms, and herbalism. This huge book was his lifes work and deserves to be celebrated for what it is: a lifetimes gathering of intense study and dedication to the good of man.

He discusses everything he can think of here. While some of his viewpoints and procedures are now frowned upon - and a few of the herbal remedies taken to the degree he suggests now believed to be dangerous - the large bulk of his remedies and procedures is still regarded as safe and, in some circles, preferable to things available in modern medicine and society.

Everything from his personal life and influences, to farming techniques, crops, growing fruits and vegetables, an extensive listing of fruits, veggies, minerals, vitamins, the history of herbal medicine, herbs, their uses, the body system, the health benefits of water, fish, fresh air, exercise, sleep patterns, oatmeal, fiber, breads, salts, milk, etc is included here.

He even gives his favorite baking recipes, natural ways to make breads, cakes, soups and more, as well as hints on preserving vitamins, cooking utensils to avoid and use, not to mention desserts and beverages.

One really fascinating thing about this book is the large section devoted to water and hydrotherapy. Here we get a rundown of the history of the water cure, various ways to use water to treat - from saunas to foreign bath treatments - temperatures to use when a person is ill to fit their condition, and much much more. Excellent!

This massive bible of sorts ends with various enemas and their purposes, charcoal, guides for people wanting to be a nurse, and different massage techniques!

Sure, a little of it is outdated but most of it stands true today and shall forever. The man is to respected, and his remedies and treatments are invaluable.

Many of his formula is similar or almost identical to the great Dr. John R Christophers, another pioneer of herbal medicine, the modern Dr. Schulz who has a following of his own, and several other herbalists, naturopaths, massage therapists, hydrotherapists, and nutritionists.

And, even more incredibly, it's under 10 bucks to own - amazing considering its offering.

Buy it? Of course! Why wouldn't you?

This book is a must-have for anyone interested in their health. It is comprehensive without being overwhelming or confusing. It is plainly written and will answer any question regarding diet and nutrition that you may have. It also contains useful information on herbs and many formulations you can make at home. I have countless nutrition and herbal books in my library, yet this is the one I reach for the most.

My Grandmother gave me a copy of this book in 1973 for my 12th birthday. She had used it for many years already and was one of the healthiest people I ever knew. He writes in a very easy to understand way that even at 12 years old, I could understand most of it. I loved the recipes and have used many of them. I still make Soy milk the old fashioned way as he described. This is a must read for anyone interested in health. Much of what he talks about are simple safe and most of all work. I highly recommend it. If more people used the info in this book they would never need to diet or take most drugs to be healthy. God Bless and good health!

R.H. Benson wrote two mystical visions of the future. _The Dawn of All_ is an extremely romantic and improbable 1911 parable of a 1971 world mostly Catholic and at peace, ready for the Second Coming. _The Lord of the World_ came first, in 1907, and was a darker vision. A world of flying craft, major scientific advances, and comfort has become a place of materialist despair. Euthanasia is routine, for the desperately ill and the terminally bored. Oliver and Mabel Brand, a rising young couple, are the golden ones -- Oliver becomes a major political figure, but Mabel chooses the cool despairing end of legal euthanasia. Father Percy Franklin is one of the last Catholic priests in a world hostile to freedom, church, university, and history. Eventually elected the last Pope, he is restricted to the dusty forgotten village of Nazareth. Julian Felsenburgh is a charismatic American adventurer who means to and does become Lord of the World, anti-Christ. Details are less important than the very modern mood. Believing in progress as the only good, people are swept into any movement that promises it. The past is ruthlessly exterminated. The quest for one world government that begins with Esperanto ends with one world dictatorship.

This book is amazing. It has helped me realize what this world would be like without the catholic church, the inherent dangers of secularism, and the path to rectify the evil of modernism. By doing this, it has helped bring me back to the catholic church. This author is on par with Aldous Huxley and George Orwell in both his ability to visualize alternate worlds with precise understanding and his ability to write in a eloquent yet succinct manner. It is a short book and I highly recommend it.

Robert Hugh Benson grew up at the end of the nineteenth century, when it looked like Socialism would sweep over the world and make religious worship outmoded. His father was Archbishop of Canterbury; and he joined the Church of England but later converted to Catholicism. In his introduction to this book he wrote that he took the idea of Man (not the Son of Man) becoming the ideal and 'took it where it would go'.

Knowing that this book was written in 1904, before the Great War and the dissolution of the European Empires, and the nascent beginning of flight, it is interesting to read his views of what the world would look like in 100 years (or about now). He saw the end of poverty and hunger, and the raising of HUMANITY to the paramount position. His views on woman are arcane, as one of his characters dismissed his wife as 'just a woman', and that they make no strides of independence. He talks about inter-city flight at the amazing speed of 150mph, one year after Kitty Hawk.

The stories bottom line is that once Man begins to worship himself (in the guise of Julian Felsenburg), he not only has no need for idealized religion, but that the persecution of anyone who disagrees will become an act of Sedition and punishable by death. Religion is represented in this story by Roman Catholicism (all others having given in and disbanded, except for a few 'elderly jews wandering in Palestine) which fights a peaceable rear guard action against the forces of HUMANITY.

The language is a little difficult and flowery, while the ideas are interesting but sometimes the catholicism is hard to comprehend, but all in all it's worth reading.

"A Century before Left Behind there was Lord of the World," reads the cover blurb in the striking Wildside Press edition. But while both books deal with end times, that's where the similarities end. In Benson's vision, Catholics are the last remaining Christians. The Left Behind books, named for a line in Larry Norman's song, "I Wish We'd All Been Ready," on the other hand, follow the idea of the rapture popularized in Hal Lindsey's bestselling book, The Late Great Planet Earth.

I ordered this book from Amazon after reading Gwen Watkins' essay in Charles Williams: A Celebration (also available from Amazon) comparing Benson and Williams as writers. Williams being my favorite author, I was very excited to come upon a similarly gifted novelist. Benson wrote Lord of the World in 1907; it takes place in a future about a century later (around now). That's also around the time that Chesterton wrote his novels. Both he and Benson write so colorfully that it's sometimes hard to know what's going on. Whether people were more imaginative then or that was the style at the turn of the century I don't know. But having read GKC helps one read Benson, and vice versa.

Williams is often held to be obscure for his descriptions of supernatural and occultic ritual. Benson's obscurity lies in his pre-Vatican II Catholic vocabulary and bits of the Latin Mass, which will not be familiar to many readers. That aside, this is an absolutely gripping story. Having once started, I couldn't put the book down. Uncannily, in this 1907 novel, Benson prophesied a dark future that became reality, first in Germany and then in the USSR. Writing in the then new genre of science fiction, he envisioned a technologically advanced world nevertheless rushing headlong to destruction. It's amazing how contemporary he sounds as he looks forward in time to our present and his future.

Robert Hugh Benson (born November 18, 1871; died October 19, 1914) was the youngest son of Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury, and younger brother of Edward Frederic Benson. Benson studied Classics and Theology at Trinity College, Cambridge, from 1890 to 1893. In 1895, he was ordained a priest in the Church of England by his father.

His father died suddenly in 1896, and Benson was sent on a trip to the Middle East to recover his own health. While there, he began to question the status of the Church of England and to consider the claims of the Roman Catholic Church. His own piety began to tend toward the High Church variety, and he started exploring religious life in various Anglican communities, eventually obtaining permission to join the Community of the Resurrection.

Benson made his profession as a member of the community in 1901, at which time he had no thoughts of leaving the Church of England. But as he continued his studies and began writing, he became more and more uneasy with his own doctrinal position, and on September 11, 1903, he was received into the Roman Catholic Church.

He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1904 and sent to Cambridge. He continued his writing career along with the usual elements of priestly ministry. He was named a monsignor in 1911.

Lord of the World is one of his more exemplary works and well worth reading.

Excellant lectio for those serious about adapting their lives
as "Lay " monastics in today's world.

Michael Casey, OCSO is consistently on the mark.

Michael Casey's text is a simple, prayerful work which provides an excellent insight into the virtues and trials of the Benedictine, particularly through his experience thereof as a Cistercian monk. In each section, he considers how the virtues inculcated in the community life work toward that building of St. Benedict's "school for the service of the Lord." The work does not attempt to outline these values in a vocation-independent way as though he were giving advice to lay people about how they should live according to the lessons of Benedict. Instead, he plainly lays forth the wisdom he has gained in his years of living as a sign of Faith as a Cistercian, shining for all to see and internalize in this experience. (To me, this is a very positive element and a humble admission of the role of each vocation as a beacon of the experienced Light of Christ instead of being a spotlight which one shines upon another as a single dictum.) This frankness, as well as the text's simplicity (without being simple-minded) radiates the experiences of the values which drive back to the vows of stability, obedience, and conversion to the monastic life. I suggest it to all who would like to sit and listen to a quiet, humble voice from within the monastery.

A most rewarding read, this book is not only for the contemplative in a monastery but for any person who seeks a rich spiritual wisdom. The spirituality of St. Benedict is accessible and challenging. It is community focussed and calls for emptying of self in a most profound way. Yet, the insights offered by Casey inspire the disciple living in the city to ongoing conversion and growth in humility, happiness and love.

Perhaps one of the best reads for me this year! Casey is wonderful at understanding the human condition and having good answers for it! Gave it for several gifts this year.

This book is very insightful. We have a group of Benedictine Oblates and have been using the book for a group study. It is amazing how the rule applies to every day life, today, just as well as it did all those years ago.

Of the many articles and books I have read about Joseph Ratzinger, Pursell's book offers the most intimate and well-rounded portrait of the man who is deeply rooted in Bavaria, yet agreed to serve the Church in Rome.

This is the best biography on the best man to fill the shoes of Peter since Pius XII. It reads almost like a novel. It is a true non biased portrait of our wonderful Holy Father and his beautiful homeland, written with much care and love. Gott und Bayern!

Of at least 3 biographies I have read on Pope Benedict XVI, this one is by far the superior one. I finished it with a much greater sense of who this man is and how his Bavarian German background has shaped him profoundly. On the one hand, he is an erudite, brilliant theologian and thinker, probably near or at the top of all who have occupied the Papacy. On the other hand, his kindness, shyness, prayerfulness and deep humility shine through every page.

I feel enormous gratitude that he is precisely the right man needed and providentially chosen to lead Christ's Church at this moment in history. You become utterly convinced as have other biographers that he was elected Pope because he was the best qualified and the obvious choice to assume the office.

All the tired, worn-out stereotypes of a stern and inflexible prelate appear nowhere because they are fictitious caricatures of this holy and courageous man. His sharp, analytical intelligence and astounding knowledge reveal one who can draw on two millennia of Church history to readily elucidate, distill and synthesize complex issues on many subjects to arrive at logical and understandable conclusions.

He is portrayed as forward thinking and remains lovingly and unremittingly hopeful toward Jesus Christ and His Church for the future. I cannot recommend this book too highly if you really want to get to know on a serious level our beloved Pope and his keen vision for carrying out the will of God for the Church in the third millennium. The author writes very well and has done an outstanding job.

There have been a lot of stuffy biographies written on the Holy Father. This is not one of them. In fact, it's the only biographical peek at Pope Benedict you need to buy. This book is a charming look at his life and the land that made him. It's well written, fast paced and intelligent without being dull. Pass up all the others and snatch up this lovely, lovely little book.

This delightful, intimate portrait of our Pope is unique among the crop of "Benedict books" that have sprung up during the past three years. It places the Holy Father in the context of his hometown of Bavaria, a heavily Catholic region in the south of Germany. Writes Pursell, "When Americans think of everything good and fun about Germany -- oompah bands, Lederhosen, fine sausages, oversized pretzels, exquisite beer served in hefty glass mugs, fairy-tale castles, Alpine skiing, beautiful countryside, exquisite cars, and, of course, Oktoberfest -- they are thinking of Bavaria, whether they realize it or not." One of the hallmarks of this Pope's pontificate is his appreciation for the "cult" (i.e., religion) of culture; learning of the culture which shaped and formed him helps readers appreciate this connection too. If you are put off by books heavy on theology or doctrine, "Benedict of Bavaria" will not bowl you over. While it addresses these topics, it's more interested in showing you Benedict the man. We've been planning a trip to Rome for the fall of 2010; after reading this book, Bavaria may now be on the itinerary.