Benedetto XVI omileta: Logos, Pathos, Ethos

Abstract

This study, to achieve the characteristic elements of the homiletic of Pope Benedict XVI, has been made following three key words – logos, pathos, ethos – and two guidelines: a thematic review of the entire homiletic corpus, to understand the characteristics and the main reasons, and a detailed analysis of some specific homilies, to search for the linguistic recurrent characters. In particular, the authors start off from logos, by proposing a study on the characteristics of the interpretation of the Scriptures in the homiletic
context and on the essential references of Ratzinger’s preaching, especially the liturgy and the Church Fathers. Then the authors linger on the pathos, namely on communicative relationship in front of the audience as well as demonstrated by the linguistic and structural choices. Finally, the authors speculate about the ethos of the preacher Benedict XVI, arriving to draw a precise lineament of homily and homilist.