The Pope: An Ordinary Christian

The Pope: An Ordinary Christian

New Biography Reveals Origins of Benedict XVI's Attachment to Traditional Christianity

NORTH HAVEN, Conn., April 2 /Christian Newswire/ -- Joseph Ratzinger once described himself as "a perfectly ordinary Christian." As Brennan Pursell, author of Benedict of Bavaria, discovered in his visits to the Pope's homeland, Joseph Ratzinger and his family were no different than their neighbors. They prayed daily, went to church on Sundays and holy days, and kept up the customs and devotional practices of the Church year. Over time it would become clear, however, that young Joseph was different from the other boys in the village--his was a profound faith illuminated by a truly brilliant mind.

"Faith in Jesus Christ and fidelity to the message of the Gospel lie at the heart of Benedict XVI's identity. While other great minds have drifted into the realm of speculative theology, Ratzinger drew upon his study of history, philosophy, and theology to make the case that sacred truths do not change, that what the Church has taught from the beginning is still true today," says Pursell.

Ratzinger could have spent his life as a member of a university faculty, but as Pursell shares with his readers, Ratzinger felt called to be more than a professor--he was called to be a teacher, a spiritual guide, and a defender of the faith.

For this biography of Pope Benedict, Pursell spent long periods in Germany, consulting local sources, and meeting people who knew Joseph Ratzinger (Pursell is fluent in German, and his wife is from Bavaria). As a result, this biography is free of the distortions, misinformation, and misunderstandings that afflict so much of the English-language coverage of the pope.

Pursell's portrait reveals a man who is gentle and patient, who never loses his temper, who knows what he believes and why he believes it--and who has dedicated his life to sharing faith with the world. According to Pursell, that is why the Pope's first encyclical, or teaching document, was entitled, God Is Love. Benedict believes that the love of God draws all people to the truth, and that once we surrender to that love, even the most troubled life has meaning and a purpose. This pope is not "God's Rottweiler," or "the Enforcer," but a Christian pledged to bring God's love to a weary world.

To schedule an interview with Brennan Pursell, please contact Ashley Walker at The Maximus Group, 678-990-9032.

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