Ecumenical interest sparked by Pope Francis' exhortation
(Vatican Radio) Why is Pope Francis’ recently published Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii
Gaudium, or The Joy of the Gospel, causing such interest and excitement far beyond
the confines of the Catholic church? What new possibilities does it offer to those
engaged in the search for full, visible Christian unity? And can it really usher in
a new era of ecumenical springtime, half a century on from the innovations of the
Second Vatican Council?
Philippa Hitchen put these questions to theologian
and author Gerard Mannion, who currently holds the Amaturo Chair in Catholic Studies
at Georgetown University. He’s also the founder of a group known as the Ecclesiological
Investigations International Research Network, which promotes scholarship and dialogue
across the broad spectrum of Christian traditions. Mannion begins by sharing his enthusiasm
for the innovative qualities of this ground-breaking papal document.
Listen
to the full interview:
“Each
pope has their own distinctive style, going right back through the centuries, […]
and this is a very distinctive and engaging style. And that’s one of the reasons everybody’s
talking about this document – not just theologians, not even just Catholics, and not
even just people of a religious persuasion. There have been other popes who’ve sought
to stamp their own particular shape and form on their teaching style, […] but with
Francis it’s even more personal. He uses the first person, which is innovative. One
of the other things is, this document is full of humour: he uses humour to good effect,
to make serious points, and also to disarm polarisation, not just within the Church,
but within the world as well. And it’s impassioned! And the other personal dimension
is he lays bare his own soul in it as well, he talks about his own moments of pessimism,
[…] so he shares his own journey with the people he’s trying to speak to in this document.
He
draws upon not just his predecessors, he also draws upon teaching documents from various
bishops’ conferences around the world, and that’s very significant as well. He also
will allude to particular saints and the examples of their life, the lives of the
poor, popular piety and the lessons it has for us – he even quotes Plato in one part!
[…] This document is a radical document, it’s not in any sense slavishly following
the interpretation, the agenda, of any of his predecessors. In fact in many ways you
could say it’s turning around the emphasis from many previous documents and teachings
to one that’s more engaged, one that’s more praxis-oriented, and one that’s more centred
upon compassion at the heart of the Gospel. […] And that’s why people are reading
a papal document who normally wouldn’t even bother to read a news story about a new
papal document.
In many ways, actually, there are certain dimensions to this
document which are more truly conservative, in the sense that he’s getting back to
the basics of the Gospel. […] If you like, there is a dimension of continuity here,
but it’s continuity that picks up really important things that the Church has been
trying to grapple with for a long time, and it picks them up in a constructive way.
The ecumenical and interfaith agenda within this document is enormously important
and enormously positive. There are certain sections that directly address this, but
in many respects it’s addressed through all the sections: […] it’s when he talks about
inculturation, it’s when he talks about respect for the other, it’s when he talks
about the things what unites people, rather than divide them.”