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Books : The ApostlesIn association with Amazon.comRating:  - Misleading on Vital TopcA Lutheran must take this position, that the current Pope's depiction of the apostles starting the Visible Succession is more to tradition, if anything, than Scripture. The argument over petra and petros in Mt. 16 is major. Confession or office? Has to be confession. This leads to second concern with this volume. Pope repeatedly speaks of the ultimate reason of the beloved apostles was to speak the gospel. But of what gospel, we must inquire, and what does this gospel do? Here we can see the Papal error, that the gospel alone is not sufficient to save. Works of grace and love must be added. So, the major theological split is centered squarely here, as it has been for centuries. Lutherans would easily agree to be under a Pope if he would speak the gospel truthfully and faithfully. This book gives evidence against that, as also his previous volume on Jesus testifies. This does not add any significant insights on the apostles as have been previously been published. There is also chapters on Paul's associate circles, i.e. Priscilla and Aquila, etc. Not for those who want a true picture of this important connection we have in the apostolic church to the Christ. Rating:  - Meditations on the ApostlesOur Sunday Visitor has complied a year of Pope Benedict XVI's public talks and assembled them as a book. If you are looking for detailed and scholarly biographies of the Apostles, look elsewhere. But if you are looking for inspirational meditations on the Apostles and their role in the founding of the Church, this book by the Holy Father certainly delivers. The Holy Father generally stays close to the sources from the New Testament and only rarely does he bring in traditional stories and legends. Too often, Pope Benedict sighs that we simply do not know that much about a number of them (and so Simon and Jude are lumped together and a paragraph on Matthias is added to the chapter on Judas). Still, Benedict is able to make due and breathes some life into some of the lesser known Apostles (Philip for instance). Once Benedict leaves the "portrait gallery" (a charming description that the Pope uses a few times in the book) of the Apostles and starts pondering Paul's companions, the book loses its momentum and the descriptions of the likes of Timothy, Silus and Titus come off as an afterthought. On the whole, "The Apostles" is more a hagiography than a biography but it remains inspiring nonetheless. Rating:  - Top MarksMore great lessons and insight from the Holy Father. He is truly a wise and humble teacher that can get the point across directly; and I am always amazed that it is translated as though he wrote in English! Rating:  - Great Book but Poorly PublishedThis book reprints a year's worth of Pope Benedict XVI's weekly addresses at his public audiences where he meditates on the stories of the twelve apostles, St. Paul and other early disciples of Christ. He draws lessons from these that apply to all of us. An excellent and easy read with short chapters that can be read independently. Caveat emptor: This is the same exact content as "Jesus, The Apostles and The Early Church" published by Ignatius Press. The Ignatius Press version is printed on heavier paper and is a more well produced book for the same price. Buy that one instead! Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church: General Audiences, 15 March 2006-14 February 2007 Rating: - The ApostlesI consider that nowadays Pope Benedict XVI is currently "an universal moral reference" for mankind, the Catholic Church is all over the world the only one of churches growing vigorously among the young and the intellectuals .. The message of Jesus is as fresh as always !!! |
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