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| The Apostles | 
 enlarge | Author: Pope Benedict Xvi
Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (19 reviews)
Sales Rank: 2711
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 176
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.7
ISBN: 1592764053
Dewey Decimal Number: 226.092
EAN: 9781592764051
ASIN: 1592764053
Publication Date: July 20, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Through the Apostles, we come to Jesus himself." -- Pope Benedict XVIIn this fascinating and inspirational journey with the chosen disciples of Jesus, Pope Benedict XVI demonstrates a profound, unbreakable continuity -- built upon the foundation of the Apostles and alive in the succession of the Apostles -- by which Christ is present today in His Church. "At the start of the third millennium, my beloved predecessor John Paul II invited the Church to contemplate the Face of Christ (cf. Novo Millennio Ineunte, n. 16 ff.). Continuing in the same direction, I would like to show in this book how it is precisely the light of that Face that is reflected on the face of the Church (cf. Lumen Gentium, n. 1), notwithstanding the limits and shadows of our fragile and sinful humanity. After Mary, a pure reflection of the light of Christ, it is from the Apostles, through their word and witness, that we receive the truth of Christ. Their mission is not isolated, however, but is situated wthin a mystery of communion that involves the entire People of God and is carried out in stages from the Old to the New Covenant." -- From The Apostles
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| Customer Reviews: Read 14 more reviews...
 Great Book but Poorly Published July 17, 2008
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
This 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
 The Apostles June 1, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I 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 !!!
 Biased scholarship, frontloaded with Roman theology June 1, 2008
4 out of 43 found this review helpful
This book is well-written but its title is deceptive. The early chapters front-load what follows with the theological premises of the Roman Catholic Church so it is less about the Apostles than we might hope. BXVI is known as a scholar, and certainly his scholarly bent shows in what he writes, leaving many people who haven't personally dug into the current scholarship feeling impressed. If one believes in apostolic succession and Christ's entrusting the apostles with maintaining fidelity and truth (and this reviewer does accept this concept), then there are those of us who feel that the mandate for truth has failed. I have to assume that the Bishop of Rome believes what he has written, but the world has changed in that the world of scholarship is open to those of us in the pews. We don't have to accept a distorted and incomplete scholarship. We're no longer illiterates who are dependent upon the Church to tell us what to believe. We can dig it out and weigh its efficacy for ourselves. It cannot be that the Bishop of Rome is unaware of the extensive scholarship, as he has the unfathomable riches of the Roman Catholic Church that would make it easy.
I will only briefly address two overwhelmingly glaring areas. We note that women disciples are discussed in the very back of the book. BXVI lists many of the women, but he is only able to magnify the works of those who are coupled, such as Priscilla and Aquila. He makes no note of the importance that in scripture, Priscilla is listed first. And he manages to get through chapters on St. Paul's co-workers and the chapter on women without mentioning the Apostle Junia (Romans 16:7). The scholarship here is clear: There was one named female Apostle. See Eldon Jay Epp (2005). Junia: The First Woman Apostle. Minneapolis: Fortress Press (available on Amazon).
Then, the gospel material on St. Peter is, as would be expected, seriously selective, reinterpreted and reworked. What is lost is that the meaning of "Apostle" was being fought in the first century, and we know who won out in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Luke carves out a view that the 12 are the only trustworthy witnesses of the Resurrection.
Luke's "twelve" is a select group and it is ONLY in Luke they are specifically chosen FROM a larger group of followers, a group not present in Mark and Matthew [see Luke 6:13]. Matthew uses the term, "apostolic" only once [10:2-5]. Mark uses it only once [6:30]. Luke uses the term 6 times in the Gospel, and 34 times in Luke-Acts. The author of Luke and Acts writes several decades after Paul and adds new requirements for apostleship, limiting it to the Twelve, excluding Paul, James the brother of Jesus, who rose to head the Jerusalem Church, and all female apostles. The restriction of "Apostle" seen in Luke-Acts is not seen in Paul. Luke downplays the functionality of the role or mission of Apostleship and makes it more symbolic.
The preeminence of Peter is not uniform across the Gospels so we can see the struggle for authority that was going on. In 4G, Jesus never specifically chooses Peter as a member of a subgroup of disciples. He does not have any special resurrection appearance until Chapter 21, which is a later add-on redaction.
Contrary to BXVI, Peter is not depicted as the first to see the Risen Christ across the Gospels. Matthew, Mark and John give prominence to Mary Magdalene. It is only in Luke that Peter is gifted with an individual appearance of the Lord [Luke 24:33-34]. In the other three Gospels, Jesus or angelic messengers send Mary Magdalene alone or with other women to proclaim the Resurrection. This is such an inconvenience to Rome that it must be obscured. So, at a minimum, the history as recounted in the canonical Gospels shows that the conflict for authority was going on in the 1st century.
If you want to see some of the available scholarship for yourself, read Ann Graham Brock (2003). Mary Magdalene, The First Apostle: The Struggle for Authority. Harvard University Press (available on Amazon). Based on her PhD dissertation at Harvard, she has very effectively demonstrated in the canonical Gospels, with supplementary non-canonical sources including the Acts of Peter and Acts of Paul, that where Peter is made prominent in the Gospels, Mary Magdalene and the other women are diminished, and vice versa.
The Apostles reads easily if you accept the underlying premises, and if you don't, the book well captures official Roman Catholic views. It is not an unbiased account of the early history of the church. There is good information in this book, but it should not be read in isolation or as an accurate picture of the first century of Christianity.
Enjoyable and Revealing Perspective on the Apostles May 25, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Although I am a Protestant, I found the Pope's book enlightening and interesting. The first two chapters are rich in wisdom, pointing out our blessing of the Lord's very presence as we minister, and the living tradition which the Apostles and subsequent ministers have passed on to us. Throughout this book, the Pope pointed out the greater symbolism of various events in which the Apostles participated. For example, the theological significance of the great catch of fish. He also summarized the theological importance of his points, emphasizing key matters such as what constitutes a good witness: those that compel us to "come and see." His command of the first century evangelistic campaign and the order of events was revealed in an easy to follow manner. He identifies various characteristics of the Apostles and relates them to Christ's overall ministry. Furthermore, he draws from early church writings. Most importantly, the Pope supported his teachings with scripture and flatly stated that we are saved by faith alone. This should be appreciated by both Catholics and Protestants.
Curtis Mosley
Houston, Texas
May 25, 2008
 Modernist pope continues to deceive the world, except for traditional Catholics May 21, 2008
3 out of 43 found this review helpful
"They are blind and their leaders are blind. And when the blind follow the blind they all fall into the pit." Jesus the Messiah and Lord from the Gospels
Unfortunately and tragically Pope Benedict XVI has done it again. His deception has no limits, which is fitting for a modernist. Joseph Ratzinger has continually denied and still denies the Christological Doctrines of the Catholic Christian faith as defined by the Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church. He does not assent to the Doctrines of the Catholic faith as defined by the Ecumenical Council of Trent against the Protestant heresy and he describes Martin Luther as one of his theological mentors. Finally, on the Vatican website gives approval to biblical modernism which teaches that the Apostles invented the Christian religion from their subjective experiences. His religious subjectivism ends up denying the objectivity of the public Divine revelation of the Christian religion. Deniars of these facts, please research them for yourself and this won't be the end to Ratzinger's heresies but just the beginning. Yet how is he able to deceive people into thinking that he is a Catholic Christian. The answer is that he is a modernist and in fact a moderate modernist as described by Pope St. Pius X's encyclical On Modernism(Pascendi Dominici Gregis) for which on one page they will read "... as a Catholic and on the next page as a rationalist(which includes in contemporary times religious subjectivism)." Unfortunately, the consequences of this grave deception is great as it is a matter of human salvation. "They are blind and their leaders are blind. And when the blind follow the blind they all fall into the pit."Jesus of Nazareth Tragically it is only true traditional Catholics who recognize that we have had only modernist popes starting with Pope John XXIII and consequently refuses to be blind and thereby fall into the pit of a modernist Novus Ordo Construct outside the Historical Catholic Church and which ultimately leads to hell. The only way this situation will change is when a traditional Catholic pope is elected and yes every traditional Catholic is praying and working for this day to come. The day of deception will be over modernists, religious necoconservatives(Our Sunday Visitor), and indultarians. Yes, laus tibi Christe, when the day of deception will be over!Then History will not judge lightly the modernists and appeasers of modernists, the reliogious neocons and indultarians. History and the Lord of history will vindicate their faithful servants who passed on what they have received: the traditional Catholic remnant and the truth about modernism and this great apostasy led by modernist popes will be known and accepted by all. Ratzinger has done it again but not for long! The truth can not be held back!
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