machine translation of the original: Che cos'Γ¨ il cristianesimo
The book Benedict XVI wanted published after his death. In the years immediately following the Second Vatican Council, the volume Introduction to Christianity introduced a young German theologian to the general public. Today, at the conclusion of his life and as pope emeritus, Benedict XVI bequeaths this work to all men to share his final reflections on some fundamental themes of the Christian religion. At the center is God's mercy, which stems from a passion of love toward every creature. Serving God are priests, called to stand in his presence and be witnesses of his love. Then there are the issues of dialogue with other religions, with Jews, the people of the promise, with Christian denominations, with the world. This dialogue, however, cannot ignore the central contents of the creed: the incarnation of the Son of God, faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Eucharistic presence, fraternal communion in the Church, and the central themes of Christian morality. As the subtitle states, the volume is almost a spiritual testament, dictated by the wisdom of the heart of a teacher always attentive to the expectations and hopes of the faithful. During his years at Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican, his discreet presence and prayer were an important support for the life of the Church. From there he benevolently observed nature, the mirror of God the Creator's love, from which we come and toward which we are directed. From there he looked to his country of origin, Germany, to Italy where he spent much of his life, to France, which welcomed him into its AcadΓ©mie, to the whole of Europe. To these countries the pope emeritus entrusts, in a feeble but impassioned voice, his plea not to renounce the Christian heritage, which is a precious patrimony for all humanity. In his lifetime, Benedict XVI was not always understood. No one, however, has been able to deny the lucidity of his thought and the strength of his arguments, which this latest work excellently brings together.
