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Framing Paul: An Epistolary Biography
by Douglas A. CampbellAll historical work on Paul presupposes a story concerning the composition of his letters -- which ones he actually wrote, how many pieces they might originally have consisted of, when he wrote them, where from, and why. But the answers given to these questions are often derived in dubious ways.In Framing Paul Douglas Campbell reappraises all these issues in rigorous fashion, appealing only to Paul’s own epistolary data in order to derive a basic “frame” for the letters on which all subsequent interpretation can be built. Though figuring out the authorship and order of Paul’s letters has been thought to be impossible, Campbell’s Framing Paul presents a cogent solution to the puzzle.
Framing Sukkot: Tradition and Transformation in Jewish Vernacular Architecture (Material Vernaculars)
by Gabrielle Anna BerlingerAn “important and timely” study of the Jewish holiday’s temporary shelters and the meaning of home (Journal of Folklore Research).The sukkah, the symbolic ritual home built during the annual Jewish holiday of Sukkot, commemorates the temporary structures that sheltered the Israelites as they journeyed across the desert after the exodus from Egypt. Despite the simple Biblical prescription for its design, the remarkable variety of creative expression in the construction, decoration, and use of the sukkah, in both times of peace and national upheaval, reveals the cultural traditions, political convictions, philosophical ideals, and individual aspirations that the sukkah communicates for its builders and users today.In this ethnography of contemporary Sukkot observance, Gabrielle Anna Berlinger examines the powerful role of ritual and vernacular architecture in the formation of self and society in three sharply contrasting Jewish communities: Bloomington, Indiana; South Tel Aviv, Israel; and Brooklyn, New York. Through vivid description and in-depth interviews, she demonstrates how constructing and decorating the sukkah and performing the weeklong holiday’s rituals of hospitality provide unique circumstances for creative expression, social interaction, and political struggle. Through an exploration of the intersections between the rituals of Sukkot and contemporary issues, such as the global Occupy movement, Berlinger finds that the sukkah becomes a tangible expression of the need for housing and economic justice, as well as a symbol of the longing for home.“Berlinger’s rich and nuanced ethnography sheds light on many sukkot from Bloomington to Tel Aviv, Jaffa, and Jerusalem, and back to Brooklyn; like the wandering in the Sinai desert, this journey is crucial.” —Journal of American Folklore
Framing the Marshal
by Sharee StoverA federal agent is reunited with his former love as they work together to clear his name of murder in this inspirational romantic suspense.After a brutal attack, US Marshal Riker Kastell regains consciousness only to find a murdered gang member in his mudroom. Even worse, Eliana Daines—his ex-sweetheart—has a DNA program that pinpoints him as the murderer—and targets them both by criminals. Now Riker and his K-9 must protect Elian—and find the real killer—before they become the next victims.
Franchise: Trusting God First . . . Then Yourself
by Seth ColemanFRANCHISE is a supernatural thriller that helps us understand spiritual warfare on a personal level. With God&’s awesome angels protecting him, Daniel is led through a trial that takes him on a globe trekking odyssey from Los Angeles to Florida and on nerve-wracking flights to and from Rome while being pursued by assassins. Then finally back to the USA where courage and faith help him confront the enemy face to face. FRANCHISE takes the reader along with Daniel to ultimate victory and the antagonists into fearful confusion. When Daniel graduated from college and moved to Los Angeles he thought life couldn&’t get any better. But then he landed a job at Pop&’s Office Supply, a small franchise of about one hundred owners. Will and Winnie LaTrobe quickly became like parents to him and the franchisees like extended family. Going to work every day was a joy. The owners often told him stories of how Will had helped them through the tough times, when they were financially struggling or their business had gotten off track. Over the years, the franchise grew until it had spread overseas and the numbers attending their conventions mushroomed into thousands. Will had been able to steer the company through rough water while maintaining its integrity. Even through the turbulent years of going public on the stock exchange. However, then it was time for he and Winnie to retire. Will painstakingly took his time in choosing the highest quality candidate, but a few weeks before he was to start, the nominee took another offer, leaving Will no choice but to offer the job to his second choice . . . but in reality it was the first choice of a nefarious company that was bringing with them their own secret agenda. To take the franchise down. Within a few months Will&’s top management was replaced by another team who were soon sowing their seeds of discord within the company. At first Daniel stood behind them, until his close friend and associate, Greg Salas, showed him a stock market prospectus; a formal legal document which is required by and submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The official paper included personal details of each of the new management team. Daniel was shocked to learn that the new president had been hired after leaving a company that had just gone into chapter eleven bankruptcy and that several of the new team members had also left companies in similar circumstances. But why? Daniel prayed asking the Lord to help him understand what was going on and from that moment it was evident that the Holy Spirit was leading him from one incident to another. He pieced together an intricate scheme of greed that would ultimately lead the company to destruction, the investors in their stock to financial loss and Pop&’s franchise owners to ruin. The Recipe: Buy a popular blue-chip company offering premium dividends than invest heavily in the next company down the chain, with a much lower stock price . . . then, begin the assault on the first one in a &‘legally illegal&’ way.
Franchising McChurch
by Thomas White Jon Mark YeatsWe live in a fast-food nation, where the service is efficient, the products are peer-tested, and size is king. And this consumer-driven approach is seeping into the church. Across the country, churches are creating entertaining, pop culture-savvy services that feel more market-driven than ministry. On the menu? A proven blend of dynamic music, high-tech dazzle, and topical teachings. And just like any successful product, churches are launching campuses that build on their brand. But is the franchised church of today leading to the disenfranchised believers of tomorrow? Though thousands flock to these services, how many lives are truly being changed? Have we traded real truth for relevancy? Franchising McChurch takes an honest look at the rise of consumer-minded ministries. Authors Thomas White and John Yeats tackle a spiritual shift that is raising provocative issues such as: The blurry line between entertainment and evangelism A marketing approach to ministry The warped yardstick for measuring church success Feel-good messages that avoid tough truths Candid and compelling, Franchising McChurch calls us back to the heart of Christ's church, and shares the Biblical design for delivering meaningful, life-changing ministry in a fast-food world.
Francis Huxley: Ein Leben für die Sozialanthropologie
by Ron Roberts Theodor IttenDieses Buch über das Leben und Werk von Francis Huxley (1923–2016) zeichnet zugleich die Suche nach dem Verständnis der Conditio humana nach und nimmt seine Leserinnen und Leser mit auf eine biografische, philosophische, kulturelle, historische, politische und epistemologische Erkundungsreise.Als Mitglied der berühmten Huxley-Dynastie leistete Francis Huxley wichtige und innovative Beiträge zur Sozialanthropologie, zur Pflege der psychischen Gesundheit und zum Schutz indigener Völker. Seine ungewöhnliche Laufbahn und Lebensgeschichte zeigen, wie die Produktion und Verbreitung von Ideen in einem intergenerationellen und soziologischen Kontext verstanden werden kann. Das Buch reflektiert die zeitgenössische Relevanz von Huxleys Werk und stellt Verbindungen her zwischen den zentralen philosophischen, kulturellen, wissenschaftlichen und politischen Themen des turbulenten frühen 21. Jahrhunderts und den überdauernden Fragen, die die Menschen auf der Suche nach dem Verständnis ihrer selbst und ihres Platzes in der Welt antreiben. Dieses Buch ist für alle Studierenden, Forschenden und Lehrenden der Sozial- und Geisteswissenschaften von Interesse.Dieses Buch ist eine gründliche und faszinierende Darstellung des Lebens meines Onkels Francis, mit all seinen Schatten und Sonnenseiten. Die Autoren beschreiben seinen sprunghaften Charakter gut. Sie geben eine genaue Einschätzung seines Lebenswerkes und seiner Schriften Victoria Huxley, Nichte. Diese Studie über Francis Huxley ist willkommen und überfällig, denn er war einer der größten Sozialanthropologen der indigenen Völker Amazoniens. Seine Beobachtungen waren gründlich, wissenschaftlich korrekt und entsprachen den höchsten Standards seiner Disziplin. Huxley war in zweierlei Hinsicht außergewöhnlich. Sein reizvoller Schreibstil vermittelte seine Leidenschaft sowohl den allgemeinen LeserInnen als auch den WissenschaftlerInnen. Er war mir ein herzlicher Freund, den Menschen der indigenen Völker, die er studierte, wie ein dazugehöriger. Francis war fasziniert von deren Mythologien und ihren geistigen sowie spirituellen Welten. Er konnte sich gut in sie einfühlen und dachte fast wie einer von ihnen. John Hemming, Autor von Menschen des Regenwaldes Dies ist ein ungemein fesselndes und packendes Buch. Nachdenklich und gut geschrieben, vermittelt es gekonnt und mit großem Einfühlungsvermögen die vielen faszinierenden Schichten von Francis Huxley, sein reiches und vielfältiges Leben, sowie seine Vorlieben und seine Philosophie. Fiona Watson, Survival International
Francis Of Assisi And His "canticle Of Brother Sun" Reassessed
by Brian MoloneyBringing the skills of a literary historian to the subject, Brian Moloney considers the genesis of Saint Francis of Assisi's Canticle of Brother Sun to show how it works as a carefully composed work of art. The study examines the saint's life and times, the structure of the poem, the features of its style, and the range of its possible meanings.
Francis and Clare: The Complete Works (Classics of Western Spirituality)
by Regis J. Armstrong Ignatius C. BradyFrancis (c. 1182-1226) and Clare (c. 1193-1254) together shaped the spirituality of early 13th-century Europe. Here for the first time in English are their complete writings, brought together in one volume.
Francis de Sales & Jane de Chantal (SOS)
by Wendy WrightThe story of the extraordinary spiritual friendship between Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal is recounted in this welcome addition to the Saints by Our Side series. Francis de Sales (1567–1622) was a priest, bishop, founder of Salesian spirituality, and a renowned spiritual director. Jane de Chantal (1572–1641) was a wife, a mother, a nun, and the founder of a religious community.
Francis of Assisi: A New Biography
by Augustine ThompsonAmong the most beloved saints in the Catholic tradition, Francis of Assisi (c. 1181–1226) is popularly remembered for his dedication to poverty, his love of animals and nature, and his desire to follow perfectly the teachings and example of Christ. During his lifetime and after his death, followers collected, for their own purposes, numerous stories, anecdotes, and reports about Francis. As a result, the man himself and his own concerns became lost in legend.In this authoritative and engaging new biography, Augustine Thompson, O.P., sifts through the surviving evidence for the life of Francis using modern historical methods. The result is a complex yet sympathetic portrait of the man and the saint. Francis emerges from this account as very much a typical thirteenth-century Italian layman, but one who, when faced with unexpected crises in his personal life, made decisions so radical that they challenge his own society—and ours. Unlike the saint of legend, this Francis never had a unique divine inspiration to provide him with rules for following the teachings of Jesus. Rather, he spent his life reacting to unexpected challenges, before which he often found himself unprepared and uncertain. The Francis who emerges here is both more complex and more conflicted than that of older biographies. His famed devotion to poverty is found to be more nuanced than expected, perhaps not even his principal spiritual concern. Thompson revisits events small and large in Francis's life, including his troubled relations with his father, his contacts with Clare of Assisi, his encounter with the Muslim sultan, and his receiving the Stigmata, to uncover the man behind the legends and popular images.A tour de force of historical research and biographical writing, Francis of Assisi: A New Biography is divided into two complementary parts—a stand alone biographical narrative and a close, annotated examination of the historical sources about Francis. Taken together, the narrative and the survey of the sources provide a much-needed fresh perspective on this iconic figure. "As I have worked on this biography," Thompson writes, "my respect for Francis and his vision has increased, and I hope that this book will speak to modern people, believers and unbelievers alike, and that the Francis I have come to know will have something to say to them today."
Francis of Assisi: The Life
by Augustine ThompsonThis elegant and accessible biography of one of Catholicism's most beloved saints was originally published as Part 1 of Francis of Assisi: A New Biography by Augustine Thompson, O.P. It stands alone as a richly informed portrait of a man whose complex faith and commitment continue to inspire today. An introduction by Thompson places his biography in the context of continuing discussions about Francis's legacy, particularly the new Pope's decision to adopt the saint's name.
Francis of Assisi: The Life and Afterlife of a Medieval Saint (Medieval Lives Ser.)
by Andre VauchezA biography of the saint as both mystic and man: &“The single best book about Francis now available in English&” (Commonweal). In this towering work, Andre Vauchez draws on the vast body of scholarship on Francis of Assisi, particularly the important research of recent decades, to create a complete and engaging portrait of the saint. He also explores how the memory of Francis was shaped by contemporaries who recollected him in their writings, and completes the book by setting &“il Poverello&” in the context of his time, bringing to light what was new, surprising, and even astonishing in the life and vision of this man. The first part of the book is a fascinating reconstruction of Francis&’s life and work. The second and third parts deal with the texts—hagiographies, chronicles, sermons, personal testimonies, etc.—of writers who recorded aspects of Francis&’s life and movement as they remembered them, and used those remembrances to construct a portrait of Francis relevant to their concerns. Finally, Vauchez explores those aspects of Francis&’s life, personality, and spiritual vision that were unique to him, including his experience of God, his approach to nature, his understanding and use of Scripture, and his impact on culture as well as culture&’s impact on him. &“Considered one of the great spiritual leaders of humankind, Francis of Assisi was also a man of many faces and personas: ascetic, the founder of a religious order, a romantic hero, a mystic, a defender of the poor, a promoter of peace. But as Vauchez emphasizes—and this biography constantly reminds us—Francis was also a flesh-and-blood human being . . . A bracing, erudite account of a mystic&’s life.&” —Booklist
Francis of Assisi: The Life of a Restless Saint
by Volker LeppinAn award-winning historian reconstructs the life of Francis of Assisi, uncovering the man behind the myths One of the most famous figures in Christian history, Francis of Assisi (1181/82–1226) was revered as a miracle worker during his life and quickly canonized after his death. He has inspired generations of Christians and other spiritual seekers, from medieval ascetics to 1960s hippies and modern environmentalists. The &“poverello&” wrote poems praising the sun, moon, and stars, spoke to the birds, and—so the story goes—even tamed a wolf. But what do we know for sure about who he was, and what is simply legend? Drawing on centuries of scholarship, Volker Leppin pieces together fragments of Francis&’s life story to find a seeker who never reached his destination, a man whose extraordinary charisma drew others in yet who was uncomfortable in the spotlight. Amazingly, Francis stayed within the fold of the church while offering a new and radical vision of Christianity that proved wildly popular. Leppin&’s Francis of Assisi sets Francis&’s inner emotional and spiritual world against a broader historical background to show how the message of this inspiring and often vexing medieval saint continues to resonate in our contemporary world.
Francis, Pope of Good Promise
by Jimmy BurnsFrom the moment Pope Francis stepped on to the balcony of St Peter's, people around the globe sensed that not only the Catholic Church, but the world at large, could be entering a new spiritual, political and social age. The pomp and circumstance that had characterised the Vatican for as long as most people could remember evaporated as Francis asked the throng gathered in the square to "pray over" him before he gave his first blessing. Not since John XXIII, had a new Pope opened the windows of the Church so widely to let in some much needed fresh air.This biography of Pope Francis charts Jorge Mario Bergoglio's formation as a priest and bishop against the dramatic backdrop of Argentina's turbulent politics and the challenging principles he adopted as a member of the Jesuit order. It examines critically the extent to which his social conscience was influenced by the legacy of the country's controversial president General Peron and his wife Evita, and questions his moral standing during the Argentina military junta's 'Dirty War' when he was accused of not having done enough on behalf of the victims, including fellow Jesuit priests. Few Vatican elections have generated as much interest as that of Cardinal Jose Bergoglio. Francis, Pope of Good Promise, the first detailed biography to include an analysis of Pope Francis's first year at the Vatican, will appear just as he makes his first visit to the US.
Francis, The People's Pope
by Ted RallCulminating his bestselling series of graphic biographies (Snowden, New York Times Graphic Books Bestseller Bernie, and Trump), Ted Rall's Pope Francis presents the life, ideas, and political impact of the most progressive spiritual leader the world's Roman Catholics have had since Jesus Christ himself. And just in time too! Can a reformer, working within an established, conservative, bureaucratic institution make real change? Usually, radical thinker and political cartoonist Ted Rall would be among the first to shout "hell no." But Rall believes that Pope Francis may be the one notable exception. By expressing sympathy and outrage on behalf of the poor and hungry, solidarity with same sex couples, and righteous anger against the world's banks' use of capital to gain profit at the expense of local communities and on the backs of the middle class, Pope Francis may have already changed the tone and substance of the conversation, Rail believes. As the world's governments persist in ignoring global warming, and exporting war and suffering, Rall considers Pope Francis to be the one world leader who might be able to encourage and inspire a new populism to turn the tide. Raised Roman Catholic himself, Ted Rall is able to bring depth to his latest graphic biography as perhaps no other writer or comics artist could. Rall's art is always attuned to the human comedy, his protagonists funny at the same time as they provide a serious account of some of the most pressing issues and struggles of our times.
Francis, a New World Pope: A New World Pope
by Michel CoolAfter Pope Benedict XVI's historic resignation of the papal office in February 2013, the College of Cardinals elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires -- now Pope Francis -- as the new leader of the world's estimated 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.But who is this new Pope -- really?In Francis, a New World Pope, Michel Cool surveys Pope Francis's journey to the papacy, his convictions, his personality, his writings, and the challenges he faces in his new office -- governance of the church, new evangelization in secularized societies, and poverty, among many others.Peppered throughout with anecdotes that demonstrate the humanity of Pope Francis -- and his sensitivity to those who are most distant from the Church -- this book paints a vibrant portrait of the man who has chosen for his motto miserando atque eligendo: "lowly but chosen."
Francis, the Poor Man of Assisi
by Tomie De PaolaBeautifully drawn illustrations pair with great storytelling in this glimpse into the life of Francis of AssisiIn lively prose and folksy paintings, Tomie dePaola gives a glimpse into the life of Francis of Assisi. After witnessing his father disrespect a beggar, Francis comes to forsake his worldly possessions and travel from village to village helping the poor and sheltering animals. dePaola's recognizable artistic style and episodic telling of events in the life of Francis are accessible to young readers, and the humble tales of the lives of the saints are told with tenderness and reverence. This is a fixed-format ebook, which preserves the design and layout of the original print book.
Francis: A Pope for Our Time
by Luis Rosales Daniel OliveraFrancis: A Pope for Our Time, The Definitive Biography incisively chronicles Pope Francis' ancestry, youth, call to faith, humble beginnings with the Society of Jesus, and rise through Argentina's ecclesiastical ranks, all the way to the Vatican. The book emphasizes His Holiness' Jesuit background of humility, poverty, and service that stands to reform the Vatican's long history of lavish excess. The book illustrates Pope Francis' pastoral commitment to society's most underprivileged and disenfranchised.
Francis: From Argentina's Bergoglio to the World's Francis
by Jimmy BurnsFrom the moment Pope Francis stepped on to the balcony of St Peter's Basilica for the first time, a global audience sensed that not only the Catholic Church but the world at large could be entering a new spiritual, political and social age. In the days following Pope Francis' election, there would be further early signs of the simplicity worthy of the first apostles and the leader that inspired them. Not since John XIII appeared on the scene half a century earlier had a new Pope opened the windows of the Church in such a way as to let in some much needed fresh air. Nevertheless, for the excitement generated by the first Latin American Pope and a man who claimed to want to put the poor back at the centre of the Church's social teaching, people could still only guess where it might be all be leading.Francis: Pope of Good Promise is neither an instant media job, nor a hagiography based on authorised interviews, but the product of diligent investigation across a wide range of official and independent sources - a measured, objective portrait of a man who, in circumstances that he neither sought nor foresaw, found himself handed the highest office at a time of crisis not just for the Church but for long established institutions worldwide from banks to political parties.
Francis: Man of Prayer
by Mario EscobarFirst Jesuit. First Latin American. And a new pope who chose as his first act a simple request: please pray for me.The recent resignation of Pope Benedict XVI took the world by surprise and for good reason. More than 600 years had passed since a pope last left his post.Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, is a man of prayer, a man of action, and a humble man who has always promoted others over himself. In fact, it was Bergoglio who bowed out of the running in the papal election of 2005 to facilitate the rise of Benedict XVI.However, the new pope faces a Catholic Church in crisis--a church that has lost the media pull of John Paul II and is still hounded by pedophile scandals and the filtration of documents from former papal administrations. His first year may not be an easy one, but neither this man nor the church itself has ever shied away from the challenges thrust upon them.Pope Francis is austere and simple but has vast theological training. He is a man of his time but one who also travels by subway and bus just like any other citizen. Tirelessly fighting poverty and marginalization, he is a beacon of hope for the poor, persecuted sectors of the church. Has a Catholic spring finally arrived after a very long winter?Francis is the complete biography of a humble man who has suddenly become one of the most powerful and influential men on the planet.
Franciscan Saint of the Day
by Patrick MccloskeyThis book introduces the saints of the Franciscan Calendar, men and women who make up the "multitude" of the Francisan family which spans the 800 years from Francis's birth to our own day. Each entry consists of a brief biographical sketch, a quote either from the person or about the person, and a comment on some aspect of the person's life particularly relevant to a follower of Francis today. Saints and blessed are listed on the days indicated by the Franciscan calendar.
Franciscan Spirituality and Mission in New Spain, 1524-1599: Conflict Beneath the Sycamore Tree (Luke 19:1-10) (Catholic Christendom, 1300-1700)
by Steven E. TurleyFranciscans in sixteenth-century New Spain were deeply ambivalent about their mission work. Fray Juan de Zumárraga, the first archbishop of Mexico, begged the king to find someone else to do his job so that he could go home. Fray Juan de Ribas, one of the original twelve 'apostles of Mexico' and a founding pillar of the church in New Spain, later fled with eleven other friars into the wilderness to escape the demands of building that church. Fray Jerónimo de Mendieta, having returned from an important preaching tour in New Spain, wrote to his superior that he did not want to enlist again, and that the only way he would return to the mission field was if God dragged him by the hair. This discontent was widespread, grew stronger with time, and carried important consequences for the friars' interactions with indigenous peoples, their Catholic co-laborers, and colonial society at large. This book examines that discontent and seeks to explain why the exhilaration of joining such a 'glorious' enterprise so often gave way to grinding discontent. The core argument is that, despite St. Francis's own longing to do mission work, his followers in New Spain found that effective evangelization in a frontier context was fundamentally incompatible with their core spirituality. Bringing together two streams of historiography that have rarely overlapped - spirituality and missions - this book marks a strong contribution to the history of spirituality in both Latin America and Europe, as well as to the growing fields of transatlantic and world history.
Franciscans and the Elixir of Life: Religion and Science in the Later Middle Ages (The Middle Ages Series)
by Zachary A. MatusOne of the major ambitions of medieval alchemists was to discover the elixir of life, a sovereign remedy capable not only of healing the body but of transforming it. Given the widespread belief that care for the body came at the cost of care for the soul, it might seem surprising that any Franciscan would pursue the elixir, but those who did were among its most outspoken and optimistic advocates. They believed they could distill a substance that would purify, transmute, and ennoble the human body as well as the soul. In an age when Christians across Europe were seeking material evidence for their faith and corporeal means of practicing their devotion, alchemy, and the elixir in particular, offered a way to bridge the terrestrial and the celestial.Framed as a history around science, Franciscans and the Elixir of Life focuses on alchemy as a material practice and investigates the Franciscan discourses and traditions that shaped the pursuit of the elixir, providing a rich examination of alchemy and religiosity. Zachary A. Matus makes new connections between alchemy, ritual life, apocalypticism, and the particular commitment of the Franciscan Order to the natural world, shedding new light on the question of why so many people claimed to have made, seen, or used alchemical compounds that could never have existed.
Francisco el Papa del pueblo
by Leticia del Rosario BarrientosEl Papa Francisco, es símbolo de la pobreza, la humildad, la sencillez y la reconstrucción de la Iglesia Católica. Desde su nombramiento ha venido rompiendo esquemas del vaticano, manejándose con una austeridad absoluta, sorprendiendo al mundo entero con su doctrina incluyente hacia todas las religiones. En este libro encontrará una semblanza anecdótica del Papa que nos ayuda a comprender el porqué de su actuar y sus sentimientos. También incluye una selección de sus frases más personales, datos relevantes de los viajes que ha realizado y resúmenes de sus encíclicas.
Francisco: El primer papa latinoamericano
by Mario EscobarEl Primer Papa Latinoamericano. Un hombre que eligió como su primer acto una simple petición: por favor oren por mí.Francisco es la biografía completa de un hombre humilde que de la noche a la mañana se ha convertido en uno de los hombres más influyentes del planeta.La reciente dimisión del Papa Benedicto XVI tomó al mundo por sorpresa y por buenas razones. Más de 600 años han pasado desde que un Papa renunció a su cargo.Jorge Mario Bergoglio, ahora Papa Francisco, es un hombre de oración, un hombre de acción y un hombre humilde que siempre ha promovido a otros sobre sí mismo. El fue quien en 2005 renunció al papado, para facilitar el ascenso de Benedicto XVI.Sin embargo, el nuevo Papa enfrenta a una iglesia católica en crisis --una iglesia que ha perdido la atracción de los medios de comunicación de Juan Pablo II y es acosada por los escándalos de pedofilia. Su primer año puede no ser fácil, pero ni este hombre ni la Iglesia han eludido los retos que se les han impuesto.El Papa Francisco es un hombre sencillo pero con una amplia formación teológica. Es un hombre de su tiempo, pero uno que también viaja en metro y autobús al igual que cualquier otro ciudadano. ¿Ha llegado por fin la primavera después de este invierno tan largo?El primer papa latinoamericano es una completa biografía de un hombre humilde que repentinamente se ha convertido en uno de los hombres más poderosos e influyentes del planeta.