[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Hitman

Unfortunately I lack the free time necessary for reading that book -specially in german version, because being able to speak and read in german it would be a shame for me not to read such a book in its native language-, but with your comments I somehow confirm my impressions about Ratzinger's doctrines and views so far. IMO he believes in Jesus as a concept (Something that if didn't exist, would need to be invented) and not as a historic figure. In all the speeches from him I have heard and the documents from him I have read (Mainly short ones and newspaper articles - letters) I started long ago to believe that he in fact does not care too much if Jesus really was historically what he wants him to be.

Oh, exactly the opposite (by this book), he wants to reach that, as you call it, the concept of Jesus (in which you put your faith into), and the historical Jesus are united again. He indicates that the growing distance and difference between the two, and growing numbers of different interpretations, from "Rome-threatening militia-Rambo" to "whistle-blowing softie", has caused the weakening of the attractiveness of the Christian faith, since it is not believable what you have to offer that way to those that are searching for answers and something to gain trust from. Since you and some others undestand german, a quote from the very beginning:

"(...) So wurde durch den Menschen Jesus Gott und von Gott her das Bild des rechten Menschen sichtbar. Seit den 50er Jahren änderte sich die Situation. Der Riss zwischen dem historischen Jesus und dem Christus des Glaubens wurde immer tiefer, beides brach zusehends auseinander (Skybird: has WWII somethign to do with it, maybe?). Was kann aber der Glaube an Jesus den Christus, and Jesus den Sohn des lebendigen Gopttes bedeuten, wenn eben der Mensch Jesus so ganz anders war, als ihn die Evangelisten darstellen und als ihn die kirche von den Evangelien her verkündigt?
Die Fortschritte der historisch kritischen Forschung führten zu immer weiter verfeinerten Unterscheidungen zwischen Traditionsschichten, hinter denen die Gestalt Jesu, auf die sich doch der Glaube bezieht, immer undeutlicher wurde, immer mehr an Kontur verlor. zugleich wurden die Rekonstruktionen dieses Jesus (...) immer gegensätzlicher: vom antirömischen Revolutionär, der auf den Umsturz der bestehenden Mächte hinarbeitete und freilich scheiterte, bis zum sanften Moralisten, der alles billigt und dabei unbegreiflicherweise selber unter die Räder kommt. (...) Als gemeinsames Ergebnis dieser Versuche ist der Eindruck zurückgeblieben, dass wir jedenfalls wenig sicheres über Jesus wissen, und dass der Glaube an seine Gottheit erst nachträglich sein Bild geformt habe. Dieser eindruck ist inzwischen weit ins allgemeine Bewusstsein der Christenheit vorgedrungen. eine solche Situation ist dramatisch für den Glauben, weil sein eigentlicher bezugspunkt unsicher wird. Die innere Freundschaft mit Jesus, auf die doch alles ankommt, droht ins leere zu greifen." (p. 10-11)

So, one should not believe that Benedict shifts attention from "believing" to "reason" - he reiterates the importance of faith AND reason. and to my great joy I believe to have understood that faith for him like for me is not about blindly believing and wildly guessing something, but to base on a fundament of (empirically prooven) trust. And that'S why I can live with this man, different to his predecessor (now don't get me started about Paul II...)After all, Benedict still is a man of the faith, but his concept of fiath and belief is something that I could accept as a ground for communication. And beyond the intellectual level, I very much feel the way like he sometimes put something into words. At another opportunity he said in words that he takes the gospels as granted, as a historical truth, but he also indicates that the gospels need to be understood, decyphered, with reason.

This Pope remains me more than any other to Dostojewsky's tale (In the Karamazov brothers) about the Chief Inquisitor in Sevilla confronted to a resurected Jesus:hmm:

Sadly, I would need to read this book to make a fair judgement about that, and as already said, I can't. So take what I have said before as simple superficial impressions.

"Fassung"...? what you mean? Review? Summary? Frame? :hmm: