Pope provides in-depth look at drama of real “Jesus of history” and rise of the early Church

San Francisco, Calif., Aug 28, 2007 / 11:00 am

In his new book, Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church (Ignatius), Pope Benedict XVI shows clearly the real relationship between Christ and His Church by way of His earliest followers. Despite what many modern-day “profiles” of Jesus and the Apostles seek to put forth, the Pope shows that Jesus’ first disciples faithfully conveyed the truth about Him, and conscientiously laid the foundations for the growth of the Church.

The new hardcover book tells of the unique drama of Christ’s first disciples – his Apostles and their immediate successors – and how they spread His message throughout the ancient world, remaining faithful to it even at the expense of their own lives.
 
In just 163 pages, Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church presents a clear, undistorted picture of Christ and His early Church – through which the faithful today can still know the real Jesus. The book is intended to have wide appeal to all Christians, with its focus on the authentic, historical Jesus and the genuine story of His first disciples.

The Holy Father engenders among his readers a newfound appreciation and understanding of the individual and very active roles the soldiers for the young Church played, as he draws upon Scripture and tradition to present a fascinating journey back to the origins of Christianity.

“Before being sent out to preach, they [the Apostles] had to “be” with Jesus (cf Mark 3:14), establishing a personal relationship with him,” says the Pope in the book. Then after Christ’s Passion and Resurrection, He would send his Apostles “to the whole creation” (Mark 16: 15), to “all nations” (Matthew 28: 19; Luke 24: 47), “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). “And this mission continues,” says the Pope, “this is our hope and our mandate…”.

Pope Benedict XVI demolishes the many widespread myths and misconceptions about the early Christians. Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church allows contemporary readers to discover the accurate history of Jesus and that of his early followers.