Israel S Prophets And The Prophetic Effect Of Pope Francis

Given that Pope Francis is a popular global religious leader, and in the light of the lessons drawn from the nature, meaning, and functions of Israel's prophets, this tripartite work historically, pastorally, and theologically examines whether, and how Francis' teaching, visits, outreach to the poor, preaching, and recent biblically based writings (Lumen Fidei, Evangelii Gaudium, Amoris Laetitia, Laudato Si', Gaudete et Exsultate, Letters, and Messages) have had any prophetic effects or impact on contemporary society.

Given that Pope Francis is a popular global religious leader, and in the light of the lessons drawn from the nature, meaning, and functions of Israel’s prophets, this tripartite work historically, pastorally, and theologically examines whether, and how Francis’ teaching, visits, outreach to the poor, preaching, and recent biblically based writings (Lumen Fidei, Evangelii Gaudium, Amoris Laetitia, Laudato Si', Gaudete et Exsultate, Letters, and Messages) have had any prophetic effects or impact on contemporary society.

A Biblical Approach to Mission in Context is an erudite collection of twenty essays with forewords and epilogue produced to honor Professor Teresa Okure’s contribution to the study of biblical theology in context. It also stands in its own right as a vade mecum of current trends in biblical scholarship, gender, and contextual hermeneutics. Written by an international array of respected scholars—Okure’s colleagues, former students, siblings, and fellow commentators—this volume includes detailed exegetical studies, discussion on theological methods and contextual approaches from a variety of standpoints, and an effort to relate biblical exegesis, theology, and inculturation—faith—hermeneutics to the current interest in social-contextual interpretation that reflects values beyond the African context. In sum, the breadth of interests and enthusiasm found in this volume is a testimony to the intellectual and pastoral vitalities and passion that Teresa Okure herself brought to the discipline of biblical studies. The brief narrative of personal encounter written by Bernadette Okure, SHCJ, forewords by John Cardinal Onaiyekan and Bishop Camillus Raymond Umoh, as well as an insightful epilogue by Fr. Aniedi Okure, OP, provide additional insight into the historical and socio-cultural contexts within which Okure’s formation and contributions unfolded.

This first-ever interdisciplinary study of woman as prophet shows that, in these troubling times, ordinary women—especially Christian women—need to function as prophets by proclaiming, in word and deed, the indispensability of lovingly seeking the welfare of others. More specifically, social science shows that the person-centered love prophesied by women prophets is able to meet interpersonal challenges within the home and world, while philosophy and theology establish that women are able to excel as prophets due to the virtuous dispositions inculcated by femininity, the choice to be caring, a God-centered spirituality, and a pro-life humanitarian/personalist feminism that welcomes male collaborators. Facilitating the ability of Christian women to prophesy love are Baptismal graces, Thomistic virtues, and a much needed prophetic Marian ecclesiology based on what John Paul II calls the “prophetism of femininity.” These interdisciplinary findings provide an essential resource for educators and students of humanity, the theology of women, and evangelization. These findings emerge, first, from an investigation into the cognitive and ontological underpinnings of what John Paul II called the “feminine genius.” A second set of findings emerges from exploring the prophetic dimensions of the feminine genius, secular feminism’s need to adopt the insights of Christianity, and the ability of femininity’s prophetism to recast both femininity and feminism as Marian prophecies. A third set of findings arises from analyzing the spirituality of women prophets within the Christian tradition by considering the conditions necessary for prophesying, explicating requisite Thomistic virtues, and delving into the spirituality of Hildegard, Catherine of Siena, Julian of Norwich, and Teresa of Avila. A fourth set of findings arises from innovative studies of polarization, secularization, lust, romantic love, the conditions whereby mothers with careers can flourish, and the ability of nuns to combat racism in a small Midwestern town. Overall, these interdisciplinary investigations explicate the theology of women and show that women who prophesy love, either in the order of grace or nature, can help heal lives, families, and culture.

This book offers a new and fruitful approach to a major area of Old Testament study. Expressing dissatisfaction with current critical theories of Israelite prophecy, which have regularly depended on the categories of office and charisma to designate essential features, Petersen looks instead to modern 'role theory' for a conceptual apparatus which can take account not only of what prophets regularly did in common but also of the significant variety apparent in Israelite prophetic performance.

Michael Udoekpo's work brilliantly and pastorally discusses the issues of conflict, friction, and disunity in the world--and in Nigeria in particular--from biblical, historical, and sociocultural perspectives. These issues, he stresses, are endemic in various fabrics of the Nigerian society, traceable to the family as the foundation of any given society. They are also found in religious, political, and media groups. Contributing factors, Udoekpo argues, are materialism, infidelity, relativism, and fundamentalism. Others are ethnocentrism, anthropocentricism, ignorance, bribery, and corruption with other forms of injustices. Drawing from the Bible, Udoekpo proposes prayer, proper education, truth-telling, restoration of family values, interreligious and cultural dialogue, ecumenism, enforcement of rule of law, faith, and absolute trust in God as antidotes to conflict, violence, friction, and disunity in our contemporary society.

St. Malachy was a 12th century prophet who provided prophetic mottoes for each pope from Celestine II in the 12th century until the final pope, Petrus Romanus, or Peter the Roman, who, according to the prophecy, would sit on the seat of St. Peter during the day of Judgment. St. Malachy provided mottoes for 112 popes, which, some believe, match up with every pope up until Pope Benedict XVI and even Pope Francis, who would, according to the prophecy, currently be sitting on the throne of St. Peter as the final pope or as Peter the Roman in the Day of Judgment. This edition contains the prophecies in English and in the original Latin and, for all of the popes before 1590, a biographical note. A brief explanation of each motto and an illustration of the coat of arms are included for all of the popes, except for those who are left undiscovered.