Berkley Center

Pope Francis confuses many observers because his papacy does not fit neatly into any pre-established classificatory schemes. To gain a deeper appreciation of Francis’s complicated papacy, this volume takes an interdisciplinary approach, employing concepts from moral theology and the social sciences, in an attempt to properly situate Pope Francis as a global political agent. The chapters in this volume ask what difference it makes that he is the first pope from Latin America; how and why different countries in the world respond to him; how his understanding of scripture informs his ideas on economic, social, and environmental policy; and where politics meets theology under Francis. In the end, editors Lyon, Gustafson, and Manuel seek to provide a more robust understanding of the enigmatic papacy of Francis.