Looking at this volume when the pandemic is still surging, it is remarkable to see what topics and issues Pope Francis had already addressed during the first five years of his papacy. This volume on Pope Francis’ goals and themes, edited by Barbara Wall and Massimo Faggioli, resulted from an international conference held at Villanova University in 2018, hosting a variety of scholarly and religious voices, thus offering a broad spectrum of interpretations regarding the pope's work up to that point in time. We can approach this volume in two ways: we can read it as a comprehensive volume that will offer us a holistic overview of key themes of Pope Francis’ vision for the church (such approach would follow Francis's conviction that “everything is connected”) or we can skip and choose chapters of interest and, therefore, receive snapshots of his papacy. The fact that both approaches are beneficial to the reader speaks to the volume's depth and contributors.
The chapters in this book seamlessly cross through the theological landscape: ecclesiology, social ethics, theological anthropology, and ministry are discussed in this volume. Cardinal Tobin, John O'Malley, Massimo Faggioli, and Austen Ivereigh explore Francis’ ecclesiological vision. As the first post–Vatican II pope who uses a spiritually driven pastoral approach, he stands in continuity with the council's teaching, whose “reception of Vatican II is ecclesiological in the sense of a missionary reform of the church” (26). Francis's vision for the church is inspired by his Ignatian spirituality and Latin American heritage. Cardinal Maradiaga, Antonio Spadaro, and Thomas Massaro explore the pope's Ignatian spiritual roots, which are grounded in simplicity, authenticity, and work for the poor.
Based on this spiritual-ecclesiological foundation, scholars discuss Pope Francis’ contribution to Catholic social teaching and social ethics. Marcus Mescher, for instance, discusses the centrality of mercy in Pope Francis’ theology and hints toward its underrepresented status in Catholic social teaching. Barbara Wall offers an insightful overview of the nature of the physical world in Catholic social teaching from Rerum Novarum to Laudato Si’. Annie Selak, moreover, explores the possibility of a narrative approach in the church's teaching, focusing on the lived experiences of the faithful. In other chapters, we witness the pope's influence and importance on specific ethical issues: Anna Rowlands, for example, focuses on forced migration, whereas Margaret Archer outlines the experiences and challenges of welcoming refugees into our midst; Jason Eberl explores the pope's bioethical, John Sniegocki his economic vision.
Similar to Francis’ vision of a global church, the edited volume offers a variety of international voices. Besides the authors already mentioned, it is especially the works of Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator and Christophère Ngolele who bring African perspectives into the conversation. Their chapters on the reception of Pope Francis’ leadership and interpretation of Laudato Si’ in the African context offer new perspectives and remind us, again, of our global character as a church.
Although I would have appreciated a more cohesive organization of chapters based on their content, I am convinced that this book will be helpful for scholars working on these particular topics. In addition, teachers may find this volume a valuable resource if they would like to introduce Pope Francis’ vision into undergraduate and graduate classrooms.
