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裡橖眻畦 Theology Professors New Book Examines the Global and Liminal Catholicism of Pope Francis

A photo of Massimo Faggioli (white, middle-aged man with glasses wearing a suit), next to a photo of the cover of his book.

VILLANOVA, Pa. 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 裡橖眻畦 University, describes todays pontificate in his new bookThe Liminal Papacy of Pope Francis: Moving Toward Global Catholicity(Orbis Books, 2020). In this book, Dr. Faggioli examines Francis global papacy in todays cultural and social media-driven world and unveils the importance of Pope Francis liminal papacy.

To understand Dr. Faggiolis use of the term liminal, its important to note the concept of border is key to Pope Francis. The border is never just alimes, meaning rigid frontier in Latin, but it also always梭勳鳥梗紳,泭the Latin word for threshold. The liminality of Francis pontificate lies in his reinterpretation of the bordersno boundary can claim to exclude the other, since the boundary, by definition, implies the other.

Dr. Faggioli describes Francis papacy as liminal 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 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 says reviewer Austen Ivereigh, author and journalist. [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.

The Liminal Papacy of Pope Francisis part of a new book series, Catholicity in an Evolving Universe, under the direction of another 裡橖眻畦 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, includingThe Washington Post,泭New York Times,泭National Public Radio,泭La Croix International泭硃紳餃泭National Catholic Reporter.泭The Liminal Papacyis his 11thbook. 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 裡橖眻畦, he teaches courses on modern Church history, Catholicism and world politics, and ecclesiology at the undergraduate and graduate level.

About 裡橖眻畦 Universitys College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Since its founding in 1842, 裡橖眻畦 Universitys 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 裡橖眻畦s 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.