Ben Witherington has read and reviewed Joseph Ratzinger’s (AKA Pope Benedict XVI) latest scholarly work Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week. It is quite an honour for BW3 as he was the only protestant to be included on an Ash Wednesday tele-conference with the Pope about the book. As Ben says, “Somebody out there must trust me as an exegete and a theologian.”
You can read the whole review HERE but I thought this might of interest to Near Emmaus readers:
In this book the Pope explores the whole of Holy Week from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday and beyond, stopping to discourse on all the significant events that took place, and the major things Jesus said and did along the way. If I had one desideratum it is that I wish the Pope had had time to read more of the best of Biblical scholarship that has emerged in the last 30 years. The scholars he cites range from two of my Protestant teachers and influences, C.K. Barrett and Martin Hengel, to Rudolph Bultmann and Rudolph Schnackenburg and a variety of other scholars of the previous generation who have not written anything in the last couple of decades really. To be fair, doubtless the Pope was more than a little busy in the last few years while he was completing this book. Nevertheless, there is some very incisive exegesis and theologizing in this book, and Bultmann and others come in for some pretty serious criticism. As you might expect, the Pope is not a liberal Protestant exegete, to state the obvious…and furthermore, he is fully conversant with historical criticism of various forms (form, source, narrative criticism etc.) but he is concerned to get beyond such ways of analyzing the text and focus on its theological and also historical substance. This is to be commended.
I will be sure to order a copy of the book next week. I have already been blessed by a variety of good solid Catholic scholars in my studies of Matthew’s gospel and this will make a fine edition to my historical Jesus collection. No doubt Jeremy Thompson is excited and will post a review anon!
the archives near Emmaus 
Over at The Sacred Page, Michael Barber notes that Craig Evans also participated in the CNA (not Papal) teleconference.
I heard about Evan’s praise for it. Those are bold words. I kind of want to read it now.
I was hoping that a local bookstore might carry it upon release, but of course I live in the armpit of civilization and NO bookstore with a 20 mile radius has it (!), so I had to order it online. It should arrive early next week.
In spite of the criticism of the first book by the usual suspects, I think it was a formidable volume, and certainly the best exploration the Church’s confession of the Jesus of history as Messiah, Son of God, and Lord that I have ever read. I’m eagerly looking forward to the new book.
@Esteban: Do you know how many volumes are projected?
Well, in the Foreword to the first book, the Pope of Rome Dr. Benedict said that he had decided to go ahead and publish the section about the ministry of Jesus as he had already finished, but that he hoped to include the chapter on the infancy narratives in part two. I note, however, that the newly released book appears to cover the events of Holy Week exclusively, so that might mean that the “chapter” on the infancy narratives might have turned into a book of its own. We shall see!
@Esteban: Interesting! I didn’t pay a lot of attention but I don’t recall the last Pope writing something this extensive on a work of theology. I may have missed something though. It is interesting to see an active Pope put forth such a heavy work, though I assume it is built on studies he did prior to becoming Pope.
Esteban beat me to it, but I was going to mention Evans’ involvement as well. Perhaps BW3 has correctly reported the course of events and the secretary that contacted him was simply mistaken about his being the only Protestant involved in the conference call.
Brian: Benedict XVI is a different kind of pope. He was a world class theologian before his election to the pontificate and in most places that John Paul II offered profound theological insight you can be sure that Benedict (Ratzinger) was near. Having said that, JPII’s most notable book was probably Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology of the Body. He did, of course, author other volumes, but most of his insight was contained in papal encyclicals and apostolic exhortations and constitutions.
Well, you know, the current Pope of Rome is an academic, and by the time of his election he had something like 30 titles under his belt, not to mention articles, lectures, and the rest. He is evidently used to conducting research alongside his ever higher (and now supreme!) appointments within his confession, and I, for one, am delighted that he has kept up with his publishing goals. I have greatly enjoyed his books on liturgical and catechetical themes, and now his incursions into biblical studies and patristics — not only in longer monographs, but also as series in his Wednesday audiences (many of them now published).
The previous Pope of Rome is said to have made his landmark non-magisterial contribution to contemporary Catholic thought also in his Wednesday audiences, during which he articulated what has come to be called the “Theology of the Body.” The 129 audiences in which he addressed the topic have been published as a book. A 1994 book based on questions by an Italian journalist, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, has often been hailed as an intellectual masterpiece, but frankly to this day (and I read it back then, as a junior in high school) I fail to see the appeal.
Be that as it may, you are quite right to note that the Pope of Rome Dr. Benedict’s literary output is quite unusual.
Darn you, Norelli, for writing quicker than I!
Interesting about Evans because on Facebook BW3 said that he was also invited. As you said, maybe the secretary did tell him he’d be the only protestant…
@Nick: John Paul II’s book sounds interesting. If only I had more time to read a bit more broadly!
@Esteban: I think this good for the Roman Catholic Church and the rest of us. Whether or not we give the papacy the honor that it asks we all should acknowledge that Christianity is often judged by whoever is Pope. A solid, theologically sound, respectable Pope is good for us all.
Brian, regarding former Pope of Rome’s catecheses on the “Theology of the Body,” they are available online in their entirety, and since they were written for the Wednesday audiences, they are relatively short. Since you have all sorts of time to waste, as evidenced by the fact that you keep an active blog, you should have no problem reading through them all in three days, at most. 😉
Also, the new book by the Pope of Rome Dr Benedict arrived today, and in the Foreword he addresses the question of his publishing goals for this project:
“On the basis of the underlying intention of the book as here expounded — to understand the figure of Jesus, his words and his actions — it is clear that the infancy narratives would not fall directly within the scope of the present book. I will try, however, to keep the promise I made in Part One (p. xxiv) and to prepare a small monograph on the subject, if I am given strength” (p. xvii).
So, Jesus of Nazareth as such is complete, be we may expect a smaller book on the infancy narratives. I do hope he gets around to writing it!
@Esteban: I read a bit of the first volume in the bookstore the other day. It was very impressive and I am seriously considering reading these volumes. Thanks for pointing out the online material by John Paul II. Those will be of interest as well.
You have interest in this “MANS” book? READ THE HOLY SCRIPTURES KJV FOR THE TRUTH AS THE TRUTH ONLY SHALL SET YOU FREE.
As it is written and spoken through CHRIST:
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven
COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE.
Interesting opinion, Paul.
I refer you to this video, which accurately reflects the line I would likely take in responding to your interesting opinion.