I know I’m a little late to the game here, but I’ve just had the chance over the last few days to sit down and dig in to Pope Francis’s “The Joy of the Gospel.” It is deeply, deeply moving, and for the most part equally applicable to all churches, Roman Catholic and Protestant alike. I’ve found a really useful Kindle download of the text available via David Rummelhoff’s blog, Spiro Laus. It is also available in .epub, PDF, .docx, and .txt formats. Many thanks to Rummelhoff for bringing these great downloads to our attention.
My favorite quote from the apostolic exhortation so far:
“Today in many places we hear a call for greater security. But until exclusion and inequality in society and between peoples are reversed, it will be impossible to eliminate violence. The poor and the poorer peoples are accused of violence, yet without equal opportunities the different forms of aggression and conflict will find a fertile terrain for growth and eventually explode. When a society—whether local, national, or global—is willing to leave a part of itself on the fringes, no political programs or resources spent on law enforcement or surveillance systems can indefinitely guarantee tranquility. This is not the case simply because inequality provokes a violent reaction from those excluded from the system, but because the socioeconomic system is unjust at its root. Just as goodness tends to spread, the toleration of evil, which is injustice, tends to expand its baneful influence and quietly undermine any political and social system, no matter how solid it may appear. If every action has its consequences, an evil embedded in the structures of a society has a constant potential for disintegration and death. It is evil crystallized in unjust social structures, which cannot be the base of hope for a better future. We are far from the so-called ‘end of history,’ since the conditions for a sustainable and peaceful development have not yet been adequately articulated and realized.”
the archives near Emmaus 
I’ll just start by saying that I am not big on this pope, or the papacy in general. I know people think that he is the greatest thing, theologically-speaking, since sliced bread, but I’m not so sure. If he came out and said “I renounce Trent!” that would be a different story. Thank you for posting this excerpt from his recent writing, because it is the first time I’ve read something of his. I solo pastor a small church and one of my projects right now is working my way through Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics, being currently on volume 2. After Bavinck I plan reading Turretin. I am woefully under-read on Edwards and Calvin is always calling. It will take a while before Francis appears on my bookshelf. I digress.
I was really intrigued by the last sentence of this excerpt, where Francis writes: “We are far from the so-called ‘end of history,’ since the conditions for a sustainable and peaceful development have not yet been adequately articulated and realized.”
I’ll confess that my knowledge of Roman Catholic systematic theology and eschatology are virtually nil but does Francis, or do Catholics in general, believe that “sustainable and peaceful development,” whatever that it, is a condition that necessarily precedes the return of Christ?
I’m going to stop rambling. Thanks for your patience in reading this. May you have a blessed Christmas.
Hi, Brad. Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately, I know very little about Roman Catholic theology in general, much less eschatology. My best guess is that the Church’s official position surely contains much more nuance than the notion of “necessarily preced[ing] the return of Christ”. But again, as a lowly Mennonite, I’m not sure.
You might try asking JohnDave Medina, who is our resident Roman Catholic here at Near Emmaus. 🙂
Either way, I would highly, highly recommend “The Joy of the Gospel.” I’ve been very cautious about avoiding the popular, sensationalist hype over Francis, but I like what he has done so far. This apostolic exhortation has revealed a beautiful streak of practical theology in Francis’ papacy. Some who are perhaps more jaded than myself have suggested that the pope’s outward actions are the result of better branding and a makeover of the Church’s public image, but after reading this text, I would disagree. It is no mere marketing ploy. Francis clearly believes very strongly in the theology he is promoting.