In 2008, the German publisher Herder began publishing the Joseph Ratzinger Gesammelte Schriften (Collected Works). To date, they have released 23 of the proposed 25 volumes in German. These volumes include all of Ratzinger’s books, articles, talks, and interviews, along with hundreds of speeches and homilies, comprising over 5 million words. Half of this content, about 2.5 million words, has been previously translated into English through various books.

To date, only one volume of the Collected Works has been published in English, Volume 11 (Theology of Liturgy), by Ignatius Press in 2014. Word on Fire Academic will continue the series by publishing the remaining 24 volumes in English, collaborating with Ignatius Press and other publishers to incorporate existing translations while creating many new English translations as well.

Tracey Rowland, winner of the esteemed Ratzinger Prize for Theology and author of Ratzinger’s Faith: The Theology of Pope Benedict XVI (2008) and Benedict XVI: A Guide for the Perplexed (2010), will serve as Series Editor, overseeing the translations, editing, and project execution.

Word on Fire Academic has already begun the translation work by commissioning the first-ever English translation of Ratzinger’s 1954 dissertation, Volk und Haus Gottes in Augustins Lehre von der Kirche (The People and House of God in Augustine’s Doctrine of the Church). Word on Fire Academic will release a stand-alone print edition while also including it in its English edition of the Collected Works.

Beginning in 2026, Word on Fire Academic plans to release two volumes of the Collected Works each year, over twelve years.

Word on Fire also looks forward to collaborating with various institutions, including the Joseph Ratzinger / Benedict XVI Foundation (Rome) and St. Mary’s University (Winona, MN), to promote the release of these volumes through conferences, symposia, and other events.

Joseph Ratzinger left a remarkable legacy in both the Church and the wider society. He proved to be a consequential player at Vatican II, contributing to the composition of many of its major documents and explaining its teaching to the culture. As head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Ratzinger spent twenty-three years articulating the teaching of Vatican II and defending it against its critics on both the left and the right. His election as Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 was largely a function of his being perceived as a balanced man of the Council.

Ratzinger’s extraordinary learning, erudition, and Christocentric approach have become touchstones for a new generation of Catholic theologians. In fact, the name of Word on Fire’s academic journal, The New Ressourcement, is an homage to the original ressourcement movement led by Ratzinger and others. We’re carrying the torch they first lit.

When I learned that only half of Ratzinger’s writings have been translated into English, and just one of the twenty-five volumes in his Collected Works, I asked my publishing team to explore the possibility of Word on Fire Academic completing this important series. Our team responded with excitement, crafting a vision for beautiful, high-quality volumes that will be used for years to come. We see this as a great service both to the Church and the academy, and we are ready to begin the work.

Joseph Ratzinger left a remarkable legacy in both the Church and the wider society. He proved to be a consequential player at Vatican II, contributing to the composition of many of its major documents and explaining its teaching to the culture. As head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Ratzinger spent twenty-three years articulating the teaching of Vatican II and defending it against its critics on both the left and the right. His election as Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 was largely a function of his being perceived as a balanced man of the Council.

Ratzinger’s extraordinary learning, erudition, and Christocentric approach have become touchstones for a new generation of Catholic theologians. In fact, the name of Word on Fire’s academic journal, The New Ressourcement, is an homage to the original ressourcement movement led by Ratzinger and others. We’re carrying the torch they first lit.

When I learned that only half of Ratzinger’s writings have been translated into English, and just one of the twenty-five volumes in his Collected Works, I asked my publishing team to explore the possibility of Word on Fire Academic completing this important series. Our team responded with excitement, crafting a vision for beautiful, high-quality volumes that will be used for years to come. We see this as a great service both to the Church and the academy, and we are ready to begin the work.

BISHOP ROBERT BARRON
​Diocese of Winona-Rochester
​Founder of Word on Fire