Pope Francis and the Theology of the People

This is the best book I have seen so far on Francis: careful, balanced, and informative. —Harvey Cox, Harvard Divinity School

It is always good to have in hand a book that helps us learn the origins of a body of thought, and which at the same time, impels us toward the transformation of the fu­ture of which we are real agents. I think Rafael Luciani’s book meets both of these conditions: we have here a contribution which helps clarify a theological and pastoral reflection that has grown up under the skies of Argentina, but which from the outset is open to the cultural newness furnished to us by our Latin America. —Omar Cesar Albado, Catholic University of Argentina

Pope Francis has offered a bold challenge to an “economy that kills,” identifying in particular a form of globalization that turns people into disposable consumers and increases the widening gap between the rich and poor. In doing so, he has drawn not only from the social teaching of the Latin American Church, but also in a particular way from a school of theology that arose in Argentina called “Theology of the People.” A type of liberation theology, it emphasizes respect for the culture and popular religious expressions of the poor.

Rafael Luciani is a lay theologian from Caracas, Venezuela and is currently a visiting professor at Boston College.