Francis in the Far East: Two Languages of Catholic Ethics
Since Pope Francis’s election in 2013, a feeling has emerged that Catholic discussions about moral issues are essentially now being spoken in two different languages. There is a “Franciscan” language focusing on broad issues of what social philosophers call the Good Society, such as immigration and the environment. There is also a “pre-Franciscan” language focusing on issues of personal virtue, especially sexuality and family life. This is, in part, simply incorrect; previous Popes taught extensively...