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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 November 2015
Many people sense that Pope Francis is doing something new. Not only theologians, but ordinary Catholics, people of other faiths, and secular observers are listening to this pope in a new way because he seems different from previous popes. Some argue that though Francis’ tone is distinct, much of what he is saying and doing was said and done by his predecessors. Others warn that while the new tone may be encouraging, moral norms (especially those related to sex, marriage, and gender) have not changed. James Bretzke does a great service by amassing large amounts of data to show that the “Francis Effect” or difference is both substantive and real.
106 Pope Francis, Encyclical Laudato Si’, May 24, 2015, http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html; Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, November 24, 2013, http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html.
107 For feminist appreciation and critique of Pope Francis, see, e.g., Emily Reimer-Barry, “On Naming God: Gendered God-Talk in Laudato Si’,” Catholic Moral Theology, June 30, 2015, http://catholicmoraltheology.com/on-naming-god-gendered-god-talk-in-laudato-si/.
108 Joshua J. McElwee, “Francis Strongly Criticizes Gender Theory, Comparing It to Nuclear Arms,” National Catholic Reporter, February 13, 2015, http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/francis-strongly-criticizes-gender-theory-comparing-nuclear-arms.
109 Megan Fincher and Colleen Dunne, “Women Resistant to Pope Francis’ Call for New Theology,” National Catholic Reporter, November 4, 2013, http://ncronline.org/news/women-resist-call-new-theology.
110 Hannah Roberts, “Women Theologians Are ‘The Strawberry on the Cake,’ Says Pope Francis,” The Tablet, December 11, 2014, http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/1508/0/-women-theologians-are-the-strawberry-on-the-cake-says-pope.
111 Carol Glatz, “Pope Appoints 14 Couples to Attend Synod of Bishops on Family,” National Catholic Reporter, September 9, 2014, http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/pope-appoints-14-couples-attend-synod-bishops-family.
112 The schedule of speakers for the World Meetincg of Families is available at http://www.worldmeeting2015.org/about-the-event/adult-congress-sessions-thursday-friday/. For a summary of the colloquium on gender, see Michael Severance, “Vatican's Colloquium on Marriage Focuses on Universal Right, Complementarity, Anthropology, and Strategy,” Catholic World Report, November 19, 2014, http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/3524/vaticans_colloquium_on_marriage_focuses_on_universal_right_complementarity_anthropology_and_strategy.aspx. A small number of women scholars are included, but there is little diversity in this group.
113 The full text of the pope's speech is available at http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/11/17/pope_francis_marriage_and_the_family_are_in_crisis/1111371.
114 Pew Research Center, “In U.S., Pope's Popularity Continues to Grow,” Pew Forum, March 15, 2015, http://www.pewforum.org/2015/03/05/in-u-s-popes-popularity-continues-to-grow/. Favorability ratings are highest among those who attend Mass regularly. The ratings are about the same for Democrats and Republicans. Ninety-four percent of conservatives and 87 percent of liberals hold a favorable view of Pope Francis.
115 Francis, “Address of His Holiness Pope Francis for the Conclusion of the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops,” October 18, 2014, https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2014/october/documents/papa-francesco_20141018_conclusione-sinodo-dei-vescovi.html.