''The Lord'' (German: ''Der Herr'') is a

Christological In Christianity, Christology (from the Greek grc, Χριστός, Khristós, label=none and grc, -λογία, -logia, label=none), translated literally from Greek as "the study of Christ", is a branch of theology that concerns Jesus. Di ...

book by

Romano Guardini Romano Guardini (17 February 1885 – 1 October 1968) was a German Catholic priest, author, and academic. He was one of the most important figures in Catholic intellectual life in the 20th century. Life and work Guardini was born in Verona, I ...

, a

Roman Catholic priest The priesthood is the office of the ministers of religion, who have been commissioned ("ordained") with the Holy orders of the Catholic Church. Technically, bishops are a priestly order as well; however, in layman's terms ''priest'' refers only ...

and

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...

. It was first published in Germany in 1937 by Werkbund-Verlag, and an English-language translation was published in 1954 by

Henry Regnery Company Regnery Publishing is a politically conservative book publisher based in Washington, D.C. The company was founded by Henry Regnery in 1947, and is now a division of radio broadcaster Salem Media Group. It is led by President & Publisher Thomas ...

Synopsis

In ''The Lord'', Guardini wishes to present a correct understanding of Jesus by writing about his life and person, with all the limitations which the subject necessarily imposes. Although Christ lived in a specific historical milieu, and though knowledge of the forces at work in it furthers an understanding of him, Guardini states that a biography of Christ is practicable only within the narrowest confines. Neither Jesus' personality nor his works are immediately traceable to the conditions of the times, for he came "out of the fullness of time contained in the mystery of God, and it was to this mystery that he returned after he had ''moved among us'' ()." In ''The Lord'', Guardini points to certain decisive events in Jesus' life, recognising specific directions in it and watching their sense evince and fulfill itself; but he also affirms that one shall never be able to ascertain a genuine evolution of character in the life of Jesus. It is equally impossible to motivate the unwinding of Christ's destiny or the manner in which he accomplished his designated mission, for the ultimate explanations - Guardini states - are to be found only in that impenetrable territory which Jesus calls "my Father's will" — territory forever beyond the reach of history. So Guardini ponders such words as "And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and grace before God and men" (), and the passage in the

Epistle to the Galatians The Epistle to the Galatians is the ninth book of the New Testament. It is a letter from Paul the Apostle to a number of Early Christian communities in Galatia. Scholars have suggested that this is either the Roman province of Galatia in sou ...

which describes him as one "in the fullness of time," ripening to maturity deeply conscious of the history about him. Guardini's book typifies modern

exegetical Exegesis ( ; from the Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Biblical works. In modern usage, exegesis can involve critical interpretation ...

criticism, approaching Jesus Christ through the

Gospels Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...

, placing his life in the context of history and showing how his teachings are related to the whole body of church doctrine and practice. He does not attempt to recount Jesus' life in a chronological or logical sequence. Rather, he selects certain teachings, events, traits, and miracles and meditates upon them, offering considerations and commentary. Considered a masterpiece by

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

scholars, ''The Lord'' has remained in print for decades and, according to Henry Regnery, was "one of the most successful books I have ever published."Regnery, Henry S., ''Memoirs of a Dissident Publisher''
on ''Google Books'' - Publisher: Regnery Gateway Inc., Lake Bluff, Ill., 1985. The novelist

Flannery O'Connor Mary Flannery O'Connor (March 25, 1925August 3, 1964) was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist. She wrote two novels and 31 short stories, as well as a number of reviews and commentaries. She was a Southern writer who often ...

thought it "very fine" and recommended it to a number of her friends. In an introduction to a 21st-century edition of Guardini's book,

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...

wrote: "''The Lord'' has not grown old, precisely because it still leads us to that which is essential, to that which is truly real, Jesus Christ Himself. That is why today this book still has a great mission."''The Lord'', Introduction, p.xiv

Excerpt

References

External links

"Four meditations from ''The Lord''"
on ''Paying Attention''
"Introduction by Cardinal Ratzinger"
Eternal Word Television Network {{DEFAULTSORT:Lord, The 1937 books

Catholic theology and doctrine German-language books German books Books about Jesus

Synopsis

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External links