This collection of brief reflections on Pope Francis, written during the first few months of his papacy, offers a first assessment full of hope. Leonardo Boff paints an inspired and inspiring portrait of Pope Francis in broad brushstrokes that capture much of the essence of his papacy so far. Boff reflects on “common points of inspiration” between Pope Francis and Saint Francis of Assisi, avoiding a “straight comparison between the two” (39). Boff's many years as a Franciscan and theologian of Latin America give him particular insight into Bergoglio's spirituality and leadership, and the concerns that have animated Boff's entire career provide the lens for his appraisal.
Three dozen short, easy-to-read essays (the longest runs eight pages, and the average length is about four) converge around a handful of themes: Pope Francis' emphasis on personal, open, and genuine dialogue; his visible solidarity with the poor; his movement toward people on the margins of church and society; his concern for the environment; his refusal to wield imperial-style power; and in all these things, his closeness to the spirit of Jesus and Saint Francis of Assisi.
Boff thinks in dichotomies. The first essays quickly sketch early church history as a shift from an inspired Jesus movement to a hierarchical, imperial-style institution. A later essay characterizes the history of the Franciscans in much the same way: when Saint Francis' movement became a religious order regulated by the church, “law triumphed over life, and power blocked charism” (69). Boff describes the current papacy as a decisive departure from the previous two. For example, Francis' ecclesial vision marks a shift “from fortress to open house” (87); his mode of engagement moves away “from doctrine to encounter” (88). Boff knows these dichotomies are not absolute, and he occasionally nuances previous statements, as when he writes of Francis, “First come faith, love, spiritual encounter, and the creation of hope…. Doctrines come later” (113).
The book does not develop an extended argument; each reflection is self-contained and can stand on its own. Topics have been arranged to place similar ones near each other in a kind of progression, but this also contributes to the book's main flaw: extreme repetitiveness. The same images, anecdotes, and quotes appear again and again, often within a few pages of each other. The story of Francis' refusal to wear the mozzetta, the luxurious ceremonial papal cape trimmed in silk or velvet and ermine and a symbol of “sacred power,” is mentioned perhaps half a dozen times.
Despite its repetitiveness, this collection is worth reading in its entirety for its many small gems of insight. Boff deftly handles the question of whether Francis is a liberation theologian by responding: “The question is irrelevant. The important thing is not to be for liberation theology but for the liberation of the oppressed, the poor, and the victims of injustice, and that he is without question” (76, emphasis mine). Boff rightly sidelines the question of which theology is ascendant, and notes the danger of the pope identifying too closely with a specific theology.
The best way to read this book is in the same way it was written: piecemeal, with some time between readings for meditation and reflection. To read it as a rigorously precise scholarly work would be an exercise in frustration. Boff includes apocryphal stories of Saint Francis and speaks of following the “historical Jesus” of the Gospels without engaging historical-critical biblical scholarship. But to fault him on these counts would be to miss the point of the book. He paints a rich picture of spirituality and ecclesiology that is more evocative than strictly analytical. Even as he criticizes, he is surprisingly generous: he points out some continuities between Pope Francis and his predecessors, and praises Pope Benedict XVI whenever he can. Boff writes with obvious joy and hope for the future of the church, and his enthusiasm is contagious. This volume would make excellent reading for church discussion groups and students of ecclesiology.
