Christianity and the Crisis of Cultures

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Written by Joseph Ratzinger shortly before he became Pope Benedict XVI, Christianity and the Crisis of Cultures looks at the growing conflict of cultures evident in the Western world. The West faces a deadly contradiction of its own making, he contends. Terrorism is on the rise. Technological advances of the West, employed by people who have cut themselves off from the moral wisdom of the past, threaten to abolish man (as C.S. Lewis put it)x97;whether through genetic manipulation or physical annihilation.In short, the West is at warx97;with itself. Its scientific outlook has brought material progress. The Enlightenmentx92;s appeal to reason has achieved a measure of freedom. But contrary to what many people suppose, both of these accomplishments depend on Judeo-Christian foundations, including the moral worldview that created Western culture.More than anything else, argues Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI, the important contributions of the West are threatened today by an exaggerated scientific outlook and by moral relativismx97;what Benedict XVI calls "the dictatorship of relativism"x97;in the name of freedom.Christianity and the Crisis of Cultures is no mere tirade against the moral decline of the West. Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI challenges the West to return to its roots by finding a place for God in modern culture. He argues that both Christian culture and the Enlightenment formed the West, and that both hold the keys to human life and freedom as well as to domination and destruction. Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI challenges non-believer and believer alike. "Both parties," he writes, "must reflect on their own selves and be ready to accept correction." He challenges secularized, unbelieving people to open themselves to God as the ground of true rationality and freedom. He calls on believers to "make God credible in this world by means of the enlightened faith they live." Topics include: x95; Reflections on the Cultures in Conflict Today x95; The Significance and Limits of Todayx92;s Rationalistic Culture x95; The Permanent Significance of the Christian Faith x95; Why We Must Not Give Up the Fight x95; The Law of the Jungle, the Rule of Law x95; We Must Use Our Eyes! x95; Faith and Everyday Life x95; Can Agnosticism Be a Solution? x95; The Natural Knowledge of God x95; "Supernatural" Faith and Its Origins