Book Reviews and More: The Fathers of the Church - Pope Benedict XVI

The Fathers of the Church

Pope Benedict XVI

Catholic Truth Society

ISBN 9781860824982

ISBN 1860824986

CTS Booklet Do780

The Fathers of the Church Pope - Benedict XVI - CTS Books

Over the last few years, I have read a number of books by and about Pope Benedict XVI. Of the popes in my lifetime, I find his writings of immense spiritual benefit. I would state that I underappreciated him until his resignation. And since then, I have read much. And with each piece I read I appreciate his wisdom, faith, and stand against modernism. This was an excellent read. There are two editions of this work, and they are nearly identical. In North America this book is published under the title Church Fathers: From Clement of Rome to Augustine by Ignatius. I had tracked down this volume and was reading it when I picked up the eBook from Ignatius. I ended up reading about half the book in each edition.

The descriptions on the back of the two volumes are very different. The description of the edition of the book is:

“Following his series of Catechesis on the Apostles and major figures of the primitive Church, Benedict XVI turns all his knowledge and insight to the preachers, poets, homilists and theologians of the next five centuries. The Lives and contributions to Catholic life and thought of great figures such as St Augustine of Hippo, Origen and St John Chrysostom are described and explored in accessible language and with a great love and enthusiasm. This book will encourage readers to get to know and appreciate the founding figures of Christianity and their ever-fresh and challenging teachings.”

It should be noted the chapter breakdowns are significantly different between the two editions. They cover the same information. The Ignatius version includes the date and location of the audience the text is taken from and has a separate chapter for ever audience. The CTS edition has a chapter for each Church father with four of them having subsections. A few of the CTS chapters also combine more than one address into a single chapter. The chapters in this edition are:

Saint Clement, Bishop of Rome

Saint Ignatius of Antioch

Saint Justin, Philosopher and Martyr

Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

Clement of Alexandria

Origen of Alexandria:

Life and Work

The Thought

Tertullian

Saint Cyprian

Eusebius of Caesarea

Saint Athanasius of Alexandria

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem

Saint Basil

Saint Gregory Nazianzen

Saint Gregory of Nyssa

Saint John Chrysostom

The years in Antioch

Bishop of Constantinople

Saint Cyril of Alexandria

Saint Hilary of Poitiers

Saint Eusebius of Vercelli

Saint Ambrose of Milan

Saint Maximus of Turin

Saint Jerome

His life

Scripture and eductation

Aphraates, “the Sage”

Saint Ephrem

Saint Chromatius of Aquileia

Saint Paulinus of Nola

Saint Augustine of Hippo

His life

Augustine’s final works

Faith and Reason

His works

Inner experience

It should also be noted there is no introduction of conclusion to the volume. And the CTS edition does not contain the footnotes found in the Ignatius edition. Making the CTS a great reading edition and Ignatius excellent for study.

I have read much about the church fathers and by the church fathers over the years. Both in school and personal reading, much of it by Mike Aquilina. This is an absolutely fantastic volume. You can read it from beginning to end, or jump around and pick and choose the Fathers in a random order.

This is a wonderful volume to read, no matter which edition you pick up. I enjoyed both the editions I have worked through. There is a continuation of this volume with the title of Church Fathers and Teachers: From Saint Leo the Great to Peter Lombard in the Ignatius press edition and it is published as two beautiful hard covers from the Catholic Truth Society called Spiritual Masters Fathers and Writers of the First Millennium and Spiritual Masters Medieval Fathers and Writers.

A great resource that any Catholic would benefit from reading, it would be great for any Christian. An excellent volume.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.

Link to reviews of other books by and about Pope Benedict XVI.

Books by Benedict XVI: