The Fathers of the Church on the Way of a Christian to Jesus Christ Based on the Life and Work of Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI

The life and work of Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI is deeply and closely intertwined with the Fathers of the Church, teaching and being witnesses of fidelity to Christ. He conversed with the Fathers and included them in the dialogue he conducted with contemporary thought. Through his rich theological achievements, he showed that the thought of the Fathers as witnesses to the faith of the Church in the first centuries, can also help today in a deeper understanding of faith. The Fathers of the Church were not only a constant inspiration for him, but also - especially as the Supreme Shepherd of the Church - he set them as a model of Christian life for the disciples of Christ at the beginning of the third millennium. Therefore, it can be said that on his own example he showed contemporary Christians how, by listening to the teaching of the Fathers and following the example of their lives, they could go to Jesus and follow Jesus.