Austen Ivereigh describes Pope Francis’ various reforms in light of the work of Dominican theologian Yves Congar and his influence on the Holy Father’s thought. According to Ivereigh, Congar had a decisive impact on Pope Francis, specifically in his views on church reform as delineated in his 1950 book True and False Reform in the Church. In the August 2003 Issue of First Things, Avery Cardinal Dulles remarked on the book’s legacy, saying:
More than a decade before Vatican II the French Dominican Yves Congar wrote a book with the title True and False Reform in the Church. The work was considered controversial in its day, but has, I think, been vindicated as thoroughly orthodox. It is still in my opinion the most searching theological treatise on our subject.
Cardinal Dulles breaks down Congar’s reflections into eight basic principles of authentic reform. In this brief video, Ivereigh distills Congar’s thought into three broader points which he sees reflected most prominently in Pope Francis’ papacy.
Read Cardinal Dulles’ review in full here. Watch the interview with Austen Ivereigh below:
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