“I think that the study of theology is of the greatest importance. It is an indispensable service to the Church.”
The past ten years of the papacy of Pope Francis have been a time of extraordinary activity and challenge for the Church. Whether involved with internal renewal and synodality, with the urgency of apostolic outreach to other faiths, or opposing conflicts and the ever-widening consequences of the ecological crisis, the pope has been concerned with the Church’s mission. His easy pastoral and colloquial style has led many – supporters and critics – to think of him as a “pastor” and not a philosopher like St. John Paul II or a theologian like Benedict XVI.
Although it is certainly true that his style is distinctive, it would be a mistake to underrate and undervalue the intellectual depth and theological insights that inform his teaching and actions. Pope Francis is the first non-European pope and in many ways we are all still adjusting to the perspectives and experiences that he contributes.
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© Union of Catholic Asian News
2023
