Fr. Giuseppe Ricciotti. Life of Christ. Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press, 2022. Paperback. $19.95. 448 pages. Available from the publisher.
If you are looking for an informative Life of Christ that will enrich your faith and help you grow in devotion, look no further. Fr. Giuseppe Ricciotti’s newly reprinted classic helps readers meditate upon the mysteries of Christ’s life like never before.
The description for an earlier version of this work explains the magnitude of its significance:
“When Life of Christ finally appeared in 1941, it was instantly hailed throughout Europe as a ‘masterpiece,’ and widely translated. Now, at long last, the acclaimed English version is back in print. What sets this Life of Christ above all the other efforts? In a word: truth. This is not a work of biographical fiction, where the author attributes words, deeds and even thoughts to Our Lord not found in the Gospels. Father Ricciotti’s approach is different: ‘It has been my wish to write an exclusively historical and documentary work.’ Sticking strictly to what we know or what the Church has generally inferred from Scripture, tradition, non-Biblical sources, archaeology, linguistics and other disciplines, he produces a portrait of Jesus and his times that is nothing less than astonishing in its richness of detail. A lengthy Introduction provides a concise background summary of Jewish thought and customs, explains the challenges of New Testament interpretation and sources, and delivers a devastating critique of ‘rationalist’ Bible criticism–the sort that now dominates Catholic institutions of higher learning, alas. Every Gospel event brought to life, vividly but above all faithfully.”
These episodes in the life of Christ, at times seen through the eyes of those who knew Him, will inspire readers in their walk of faith. Years after its first printing, this definitive volume remains an authoritative, historical yet reverent biography of Jesus.
Readers will also find faithful interpretations of both New Testament sources as well as others of that time period. Fr. Giuseppe further explains the structure of each Gospel account, along with their relationship to each other. Moreover, readers will benefit from 82 photos, illustrations, and maps, along with indexes of scriptural references, names, and subjects.
“Solidly scientific, scrupulously critical … explains and does not explain away the story of Jesus, the Son of God.” (The Sign)
Orate Fratres reflected that “Life of Christ” is “a blend of comprehensiveness and high scholarship, this work on the Gospels may well be considered among the very best obtainable in English.”
Members of the media may send an email to Sophia Institute Press’ Director of Publicity, Sarah Lemieux at slemieux@SophiaInstitute.com to receive a physical or digital copy of Life of Christ , and/or to schedule an interview.
