Description
Book SynopsisEmeritus Pope Benedict commanded both adulation and unremitting criticism. To millions, he was a beacon of light in a turbulent modern world. In this second volume of Peter Seewald's authoritative biography, the story continues from the Second Vatican Council (19658) right up to his resignation in 2013. We see how Benedict was influenced by the Council and the ensuing political unrest all over Europe to move from a liberal perspective on the Church and the modern world to one that was profoundly conservative. Appointed in 1981 as prefect of the Congregation of Doctrine of the Faith, and quickly nicknamed God's Rottweiler', he proved to be intransigent on the controversial issues of abortion, contraception, gay rights and gay marriage. But elected Pope in 2005, his tenure of office was so riven with shocking revelations of controversy and scandal that it seemed that by the time of his resignation in 2013 he was incapable of handling the complexities of the Church in the modern world.
Trade ReviewSeewald's passionate biography makes one sympathise with the bookish Bavarian. * Daniel Rey, Literary Review *
An insight into hard times. * The Tablet *
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Part one professor 1 Tübingen 2 Deeply Afraid 3 1968 and the Myth of the Change 4 The Catholic Crisis 5 A Fresh Start 6 Tensions 7 The Vision of the Church of the Future 8 Reconquest 9 The Doctrine of Eternal Life 10 Archbishop 11 The Year of Three Popes 12 The Küng Case 13 The Legacy of Munich Part two prefect 14 The Prefect 15 Ratzinger’s Report 16 The Fight over Liberation Theology 17 Teamwork 18 The Collapse 19 The Long Suffering of Karol Wojtyla 20 Millennium 21 Agony 22 Conclave 23 Habemus Papam Part three pope 24 The First Pope of the Third Millennium 25 In the Shoes of the Fisherman 26 Benedetto Mania 27 The Regensburg Speech 28 Deus caritas est 29 Salt of the Earth, Light of the World 30 The Rupture 31 The Condom Crisis 32 The Abuse Scandal 33 The Shepherd 34 Human Ecology 35 Desecularization 36 The Betrayal 37 The Resignation 38 The Beginning of a New Era Afterword: Final Questions to Benedict XVI Notes Index
