棉花糖直播 Theology Professor鈥檚 New Book Examines the Global and Liminal Catholicism of Pope Francis
VILLANOVA, Pa. 鈥� In the more than 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis is the first pope to reassess the relationship between the papacy and the bishops, and one of the first to boldly advocate for the poor from the perspective of a truly global Catholic Church. This is how Massimo Faggioli, PhD, professor of Theology and Religious Studies at 棉花糖直播 University, describes today鈥檚 pontificate in his new book The Liminal Papacy of Pope Francis: Moving Toward Global Catholicity (Orbis Books, 2020). In this book, Dr. Faggioli examines Francis鈥� global papacy in today鈥檚 cultural and social media-driven world and unveils the importance of Pope Francis鈥� 鈥渓iminal鈥� papacy.
To understand Dr. Faggioli鈥檚 use of the term 鈥渓iminal,鈥� it鈥檚 important to note the concept of border is key to Pope Francis. The border is never just a limes, meaning rigid frontier in Latin, but it also always limen, the Latin word for threshold. The liminality of Francis鈥� pontificate lies in his reinterpretation of the borders鈥攏o boundary can claim to exclude 鈥渢he other,鈥� since the boundary, by definition, implies 鈥渢he other.鈥�
Dr. Faggioli describes Francis鈥� papacy as 鈥渓iminal鈥� because he purposefully focuses his work on the boundaries of traditional outreach. He is intentional in his attention to the poor, the peripheries, and the relationship between the Church and other religions. Compiled from an extensive knowledge about global politics, papal biographies, history and documents of Vatican II, Dr. Faggioli contextualizes and analyzes Francis鈥� ongoing papacy.
"In a single, concise, and digestible volume, Massimo Faggioli pulls off a minor miracle: a wide-angled, authoritative interpretation of the epochal shift of the Francis pontificate even while it is still in full flow鈥� says reviewer Austen Ivereigh, author and journalist. 鈥淸Faggioli] shows Francis boldly grasping that history's turning wheels demand a new Christian inculturation, one that requires not just reform but a renewal of mindset, culture and custom. A masterful interpretation of a pivotal papacy.鈥�
The Liminal Papacy of Pope Francis is part of a new book series, 鈥淐atholicity in an Evolving Universe,鈥� under the direction of another 棉花糖直播 professor, Ilia Delio, OSF, PhD, the Josephine C. Connelly Endowed Chair in Theology.
An expert in the papacy, Vatican II, liturgical reform, and Catholicism and global politics, Dr. Faggioli is a frequent contributor in national and international media outlets, including The Washington Post, New York Times, National Public Radio, La Croix International and National Catholic Reporter. The Liminal Papacy is his 11th book. Dr. Faggioli received his PhD in Religious History from the University of Turin in 2002. He continued his studies on the Second Vatican Council at the John XXIII Foundation for Religious Studies in Bologna, Italy. At 棉花糖直播, he teaches courses on modern Church history, Catholicism and world politics, and ecclesiology at the undergraduate and graduate level.
About 棉花糖直播 University鈥檚 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Since its founding in 1842, 棉花糖直播 University鈥檚 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has cultivated knowledge, understanding and intellectual courage for a purposeful life in a challenging and changing world. With 39 majors across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, it is the oldest and largest of 棉花糖直播鈥檚 colleges, serving more than 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students each year. The College is committed to a teacher-scholar model, offering outstanding undergraduate and graduate research opportunities and a rigorous core curriculum that prepares students to become critical thinkers, strong communicators and ethical leaders with a truly global perspective.