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I'm convinced that precisely at the present moment,

theology has every reason for remaining in contact with its own history.

Without this, it is condemned to thither, like a tree cut off from its roots.

This fundamental statement can be found in Yosef Ratzinger's preface to the American edition

of the theology of history of St. Bonaventure, which appeared in

1971, a good decade after its original German publication in 1959. The author himself was engaged throughout his life in a lively dialogue with

intellectuals of the past in scholarly research and even more in the pursuit of wisdom.

If it is true that behind every great theologian there is a saint, as Ratzinger stated,

Antonius the Great is behind Athanasius, Benedict is behind Gregory the Great, Francis of Assisi behind Bonaventure,

then behind Josef Ratzinger, perhaps there are several saints, but one of them is definitely Bonaventure.

He himself says,

My knowledge of him had quite an impact on my formation.

He said this in the Catechises number one in March 2010, and I feel a certain nostalgia,

thinking back to my research as a young scholar on this author,

who was particularly dear to me.

It's not like in our title, near to me, but dear to me, particularly caro.

So, this habilitation was-doctoral thesis submitted in September

1955 to the Faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Munich represents

...