Pope Francis has called for a church of and for the poor and has sought to reclaim the collegial vision of the Second Vatican Council. This book calls on ten distinguished theologians to explore the ecclesial vision of the first pope from the global South. Francis sees the church as the “holy, people of God.” This is the church that enjoys in the Spirit what he calls “infallibility in believing” (infallibilitas in credendo): “We should not even think . . . that ‘thinking with the church’ means only thinking with the hierarchy of the church.” Starting with an examination of how Francis’ papacy both advances the themes of his predecessors and represents genuinely new developments, this volume considers his concern for a fresh reception of Vatican II, his efforts to move the church toward the periphery and accompany those who live on the margins of church and society. The pope seeks to shape a dialogical church that listens. Key chapters also explore the tension between the church universal and local churches, Francis’ understanding of the importance of popular religion, and his particular vision of social justice.
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