Benedict XVI: A Life Volume Two: Professor and Prefect to Pope and Pope Emeritus 1966–The Present
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- Create Date：2023-01-06 06:51:51
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：Peter Seewald
- ISBN：139940489X
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Summary
Emeritus Pope Benedict commands both adulation and unremitting criticism。 To millions， he remains 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 （1965–8） right up to the present day。 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。
In this second volume of Peter Seewald's authoritative biography， the story continues from the Second Vatican Council （1965–8） right up to the present day。 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。
Reviews
Jim Bowen
，
One of the criticisms of Joseph Ratzinger （Pope Benedict XVI） is that he's a。。。 reactionary Conservative prelate with。。。 a Nazi German upbringing。 This book attempts to address this reputation。The book argues that Pope Benedict XVI wasn't perhaps the best manager of people， was too trusting， was perhaps a little nerdy， and was on the receiving end of "fake news stories"。 I'm not sure about the truth of all this。 Was he hard done by？ Probably （which is a sentence I'd never thought I'd write about One of the criticisms of Joseph Ratzinger （Pope Benedict XVI） is that he's a。。。 reactionary Conservative prelate with。。。 a Nazi German upbringing。 This book attempts to address this reputation。The book argues that Pope Benedict XVI wasn't perhaps the best manager of people， was too trusting， was perhaps a little nerdy， and was on the receiving end of "fake news stories"。 I'm not sure about the truth of all this。 Was he hard done by？ Probably （which is a sentence I'd never thought I'd write about a pope）， but the book felt a little hagiographic， and looking for excuses。 The book doesn't address his post-papacy， for example， and that could have told you a lot about his thinking about the church， the new Pope， and his dealings with both in retirement。In short， the book wasn't bad， I'm just not sure it was fair and balanced。 。。。more
Peter Nguyen
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Listened to this book through Hoopla。 I think I was more impressed with the first part of Pope Benedict XVI’s biography because I didn’t know much of his earlier life; with the second volume I felt like I already knew about his time as the head of the CDF and as the Roman Pontiff。 I did learn more about the degree of his physical ailments leading up to his resignation， however。 May we one day have another theologian-Pontiff like Ratzinger。
Charles Lewis
，
Vol 1 essentially covered his early life， education and his work as a very popular professor of theology。 For fans of Pope Benedict， like me， it was a nice survey of his life， including his time when the Nazis were in power。 Vol 2 is a much different book。 It begins in the aftermath of Vatican II and ends with his shocking resignation in Feb。 2013。 In a away vol。 2 is as much about the Church as it is about PBXVI。 I personally think Benedict will go down as the greatest theologians of all the po Vol 1 essentially covered his early life， education and his work as a very popular professor of theology。 For fans of Pope Benedict， like me， it was a nice survey of his life， including his time when the Nazis were in power。 Vol 2 is a much different book。 It begins in the aftermath of Vatican II and ends with his shocking resignation in Feb。 2013。 In a away vol。 2 is as much about the Church as it is about PBXVI。 I personally think Benedict will go down as the greatest theologians of all the popes and one of its greatest authors。 Trying to summarize this massive work is difficult。 But if you want to understand the Cahtolic Church in the early part of the 21st Century you will learn a lot。 I know I did。 And if you hold negative views about this German pope you will end up with a more positive view of Benedict and his contribution to advancing the faith 。。。more
Jim
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Disappointing if you wondered how the subject could possibly yield his lifetime position without a succession plan favoring those who shared his perspective on the challenges facing the Church。 Not a book for people interested in power， politics， and similar worldly considerations， except as it pertains to his relationship with his far more impressive （and infinitely more media savvy） predecessor。 The bio puts frequent emphasis on the German media's reaction to BXVI's actions， giving the impress Disappointing if you wondered how the subject could possibly yield his lifetime position without a succession plan favoring those who shared his perspective on the challenges facing the Church。 Not a book for people interested in power， politics， and similar worldly considerations， except as it pertains to his relationship with his far more impressive （and infinitely more media savvy） predecessor。 The bio puts frequent emphasis on the German media's reaction to BXVI's actions， giving the impression that the man himself， as well as his biographer， didn't fully grasp his global stage。 Little or nothing here on his input managing appointments to the cardinalate and bishops of dioceses across the world， or any noteworthy successes in controlling his Curia bureaucracy。 While obviously concerned about the world's pockets of poverty， it's not clear if Pope Benedict ever exposed himself to the ideas of those economists who understand how prosperity and abundance are generated。 The book documents the subject's focus on personal spirituality， but could have come down harder on his cluelessness as a communicator to an increasingly secular world。[This review is based upon the audiobook。] 。。。more
Trevor Smith
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An great second installment; however， with as much time as the author spent on Ratzinger’s youth， I feel like the papacy was only touched on briefly。
Richard Grebenc
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My review of the first volume （found on Goodreads， as well） was enthusiastic。 That enthusiasm only increased as I plowed through this even larger concluding volume。 What an amazing man and an amazing life -- one with joys， to be sure， but also with much suffering。 Again， I learned much I never knew about the man， even as cardinal and pope。 Seewald provided good detail and certainly hits the most important events in Benedict's life， but doesn't overwhelm the reader。 He doesn't provide the level o My review of the first volume （found on Goodreads， as well） was enthusiastic。 That enthusiasm only increased as I plowed through this even larger concluding volume。 What an amazing man and an amazing life -- one with joys， to be sure， but also with much suffering。 Again， I learned much I never knew about the man， even as cardinal and pope。 Seewald provided good detail and certainly hits the most important events in Benedict's life， but doesn't overwhelm the reader。 He doesn't provide the level of detail that one finds in George Weigel's magisterial work on John Paul II， but he gives us more than enough。 This now becomes the definitive work on Benedict's life。 It makes me want to read again the author's interview book with Benedict entitled "Last Testament" that came out a couple years after the abdication， particularly since this volume two really ends with discussion of the resignation and its motivation。 For anyone who is an admirer of Benedict （and even an engaged and honest critic）， these two volumes are a must-read and ones that will stay on the shelf for years to come。 。。。more
Joe A
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I took my time in reading this， the 2nd of two amazing volumes encompassing the life of Benedict XVI/Joseph Ratzinger。 And I am glad I did。 To be able to sift through the life of such an important individual， especially since that individual still lives， is quite an intellectual and emotional venture。 It is also quite an interesting parallel to my own life， in that even though I may wish to live/have lived a much different life， that God's Providence always has a greater design that is even gran I took my time in reading this， the 2nd of two amazing volumes encompassing the life of Benedict XVI/Joseph Ratzinger。 And I am glad I did。 To be able to sift through the life of such an important individual， especially since that individual still lives， is quite an intellectual and emotional venture。 It is also quite an interesting parallel to my own life， in that even though I may wish to live/have lived a much different life， that God's Providence always has a greater design that is even grander and more important than anything I could have possibly imagined and a great level of humility and trust is always needed， even though you may never know the final destination nor the reasons why。 。。。more
Steve
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An In-depth biographyPeter Seewald chronicles the second part of Pope Benedict's life with objectivity。 He does not shy away from his fake and failures。 Benedict never wanted to be Pope。 He wanted to retire under John Paul 2， but he would not let him。 I do not agree with much of the Catholic church teaches。 But one need not be Catholic to appreciate and admire Pope Benedict。 An In-depth biographyPeter Seewald chronicles the second part of Pope Benedict's life with objectivity。 He does not shy away from his fake and failures。 Benedict never wanted to be Pope。 He wanted to retire under John Paul 2， but he would not let him。 I do not agree with much of the Catholic church teaches。 But one need not be Catholic to appreciate and admire Pope Benedict。 。。。more
Bruce Novozinsky
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long but after reading column 1 I had to read on （1，200 pages in total）。 Very good but biased ; never-the-less a solid read for Vatican intrigue fans of which I am one
Luke
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