Poor and Merciful Church: The Illuminative Ecclesiology of Pope Francis

In this insightful text, Stan Chu Ilo addresses key questions that face modern Catholicism, particularly in Africa. He shows how two key themes of Pope Francis—the church of the poor and the church of mercy—have deep roots in biblical, patristic, and diverse ecclesial traditions. In Ilo’s focus on Africa, he offers a “Triple A ecclesiology” of accountability, accompaniment, and action guided by some of the practices and theological aesthetics of Pope Francis. The result is a road map and guide for the mission of God in history beyond the papacy of Pope Francis.

Stan Chu Ilo is a research professor and coordinator of the African Catholicism Project at the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology, DePaul University, Chicago. He is the author of three books, including Church and Development in Africa. He is also the president and founder of the Canadian Samaritans for Africa, and the 2017 recipient of the AfroGlobal Impact Award.