This short well written, work seeks to outline thematically the theology of the curent pontif, showing both its development and its relationship to the theological debates of the past century, especially around the Second Vatican Council. It does a pretty good job of that, though the subject being so large, and the book so relatively short, questions remained unanswered.

One weakness, as I see it, is Rowlands tendencay to move into 'apologia' - it is sometimes more a defense than an outline. Where there is a difference of opinion between the theologian Ratzinger and other theologians they are either presented as having the less satisfactory position, or, where it is a theologian normally in sympathy with Ratzinger, points on which they differ are at times simply passed over in silence (I think of von Balthasar on the possibility of universal salvation as one example of this)

One could question whether it is legitimate to use the magesterail statemets of Ratzinger as head of the CDF when outlineing his theology, though to be air Rowland tends only to bring such things in as corroborative evidence, and focusses mainly on his academic work.

This of course leads to the question of the magesterial status of the theological writings of one who later becomes pope. Something obviously beyondthe scope of the book but when such an erudite and at times controversial theologian becomes pontif lines can be blorred. Interstingly Pope Benedict himself has made the distinction between his theological works and his magesterial ones (in 'Jesus of Nazareth') ( )