The 190-page quantity is known as “What’s Christianity?” It accommodates 16 contributions, 4 of which had been beforehand unpublished.
In response to CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language information companion, the entire texts had been written after Benedict’s resignation in 2013.
Other than his reflection on monotheism and trendy intolerance towards Christianity, the texts cowl a number of different theological matters, from intercommunion to the reform of the liturgy and the Church’s dialogue with Islam.
A number of of those points have triggered vehement responses from German bishops and theologians and put the Church in Germany at odds with the Vatican — and the late pontiff.
One such virulent matter is the query of intercommunion between Protestants and Catholics — which main German bishops have pushed for, regardless of Vatican objections.
The late pontiff displays on the sacrament of the Eucharist in his essay on intercommunion. He explains why actual ecumenism must account for the variations between Protestants and Catholics, slightly than papering over these.