End of an Era: In Memory of Pope Francis

Abstract

This work, in dialogue with Russian and Italian Catholic religious scholars, analyzes the contribution of Pope Francis, a unique figure in many ways, to the development of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). The analysis draws on the pontiff's ideological constants – namely, the theology of the people, the orthodox liberation theology as interpreted by the Jesuits, Romano Guardini's dialectical theory of polar opposites, and Carlo Ranner's Christian anthropology – as well as the complex situation within the Vatican and the RCC as a whole, caused by the unprecedented resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the struggle between progressives and neoconservatives. The following areas of Francis's activity are considered: peacemaking, strengthening ecumenical brotherhood and the development of interreligious dialogue, while rejecting proselytism, which is rejected by many traditional Catholics, attempts to turn the Catholic winter into the spring of Catholicism, the desire to achieve the exit of priests from councils to the people and to develop work with the laity, reliance on popular religiosity, compassionate initiatives, primarily to support and protect the disadvantaged, attempts to develop synodality, which is unusual for the Roman Catholic Church, the policy of canonizations, strengthening the state structures of the Vatican, the introduction of austerity and opening access to a number of Vatican shrines for the laity. Overall, the Bishop of Rome's activities, with all due respect to his pastoral zeal, are assessed as an attempt to integrate the Roman Catholic Church into the modern, globalist, Western-style world. It is demonstrated how many of Francis's reforms are now being reversed.