EDITORIAL: POPE FRANCIS: APOSTLE OF CONTEXTUAL THEOLOGY

Abstract

Pope Francis (original name Jorge Mario Bergoglio), who assumed the office of the bishop of Rome in March 2013, is the first Pope from the Western Hemisphere, and the first from South America. As the first non-European to hold the office of papacy since the 8th century, Pope Francis has providentially brought into this office a new vigour, vision and impulse comparable to that embodied in Pope John XXIII who convoked the great reformist and pastoral Ecumenical Council of Vatican II. His new vision for the Church beset by many contemporary problems, apparently derives its impetus and resources from a Latin American contextual theological heritage which had a formative influence on him especially while he was in Argentina as the archbishop of Buenos Aires.