The Experiment of Faith: Pope Benedict XVI on Living the Theological Virtues in a Secular Age - Softcover

Ramage, Matthew J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0813232694 ISBN 13: 9780813232690

Publisher: The Catholic University of America Press, 2020

Synopsis

Pope Benedict XVI memorably remarked that the Christian faith is a lot like a Gothic cathedral with its stained-glass windows. From the outside, the Church can appear dark, dreary, and worn with age―the crumbling relic of an institution that no longer speaks to men and women living in our modern world. Indeed, for many people today, Christian morality with all of its commandments appears to be a source not of life and joy but instead of suffering and oppression. Even within the Church, many wonder: why should I submit to ancient doctrines and outdated practices that restrict my freedom and impede my happiness?

In this timely and original book, his third exploring the riches of Benedict XVI's vast corpus, theologian Matthew Ramage sets out to meet this challenge with an in-depth study of the emeritus pontiff's wisdom on how to live Christian discipleship in today's increasingly secularized world. Taking as his starting point Benedict's conviction that the truth of Christianity―like the beauty of a cathedral's glorious windows―can be grasped only from the inside, Ramage draws on Benedict's insights to show how all Christians can make the "experiment of faith" by living the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity in daily life. Along the way, he shares his personal reflections on how Benedict's wisdom has helped him to navigate difficulties in embracing the faith and provides a way forward to those struggling to live as disciples in a way that is intellectually serious without remaining merely intellectual. In so doing, he also presents a highly nuanced yet accessible approach to defending the truth of the gospel in a world where life in Jesus Christ tends to be seen as unfulfilling, irrelevant, or just one lifestyle choice among others.

About this title

About the Author

Matthew J. Ramage is the author of Dark Passages of the Bible: Engaging Scripture with Benedict XVI and St. Thomas Aquinas and Jesus, Interpreted: Benedict XVI, Bart Ehrman, and the Historical Truth of the Gospels (both CUA Press).

Edition details

• Publisher: The Catholic University of America Press
• Publication date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0813232694
• ISBN 13: 9780813232690
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304