«God and the World» («Gott und die Welt») is written by German journalist Peter Seewald, who also wrote «Salt of the Earth,» a similar work based on interviews with the cardinal.
The new book currently is available only in German and Italian.
In it, the Bavarian cardinal addresses questions about the crisis of faith, miracles, God and reason, Christ´s existence and nature, and Christian unity.
The book is the result of a four-day taped conversation in the Benedictine abbey of Montecassino in Italy. It begins with the question: «Eminence, are you also, at times, afraid of God?»
Cardinal Ratzinger replies: «I wouldn´t say afraid. Thanks to Christ, we know how God is; we know that he loves us. Yet, I am always keenly aware of my limitations in regard to my vocation, to God´s idea of me, and in regard to what I could and should give.»
According to the cardinal, the demographic composition of the Church will change in the future, because «already today the ecclesial communities of the countries of the former Third World are stronger, not just numerically, than the parishes of Central Europe.»
