Pope says his new book highlights different levels of reading Bible

Published: 2007-04-25

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI said that in his new book he tried to highlight what the Bible says about Jesus, what the moral implications of his teachings are and how reading the Scriptures can lead to a real relationship with Jesus. At his April 25 weekly general audience, the pope said his three-pronged approach to the Bible's words were inspired by Origen of Alexandria, a third-century theologian. The pope's book, "Jesus of Nazareth," went on sale April 16 in Italian, German and Polish; the English edition is set for release May 15. During his general audience, Pope Benedict called Origen "one of the greatest" teachers of the Christian faith, particularly because of the way he combined scholarship, preaching and teaching with the example of "exemplary moral conduct." The pope said one of Origen's most important contributions to Christianity was the way he combined theological and biblical studies.

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