The Francis Effect explores how a church once known as a towering force for social justice became known for a narrow agenda most closely aligned with one political party, and then looks at the opportunities for change in the “age of Francis.” Pope Francis has become an unlikely global star whose image has graced the covers of Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, Time, and even the nation’s oldest magazine for gays and lesbians. The first Latin American pope, the first Jesuit, and the first to take the name of a beloved saint of the poor, Francis is shaking up a church that has been mired in scandal and demoralized by devastating headlines. His bracing critique of an out-of-touch hierarchy, pastoral style when it comes to divisive issues, and humble gestures rejecting the trappings of papal power have changed the conversation about the world’s most powerful religious institution. But in the United States, Pope Francis finds a church that has been transformed over the past three decades by a vocal minority of culture warrior bishops, conservative intellectuals, and Christian evangelicals. The first half of the book analyzes the key trends that shaped the Catholic Church over the past century, while the second half looks at the words and actions of Pope Francis, and what they mean for real change. “With this book, Gehring has created a thoughtful response to the papacy of the first man to take, as his regnal name, that of Francis of Assisi, the medieval saint renowned for the radical simplicity of his life and message. In Gehring’s view, Francis’s ascendancy has both global implications and meanings particular to the West, specifically the United States. Pope Francis has already provoked discussion of the most divisive issues facing the church such as those related to marriage and family life, encouraged the revival of Liberation Theology, and been an outspoken advocate for action on climate change. VERDICT A thoughtful, important study of an ever-evolving and exciting time in the Catholic Church.” ― Library Journal, Starred Review “Gehring, Catholic director at the advocacy group Faith in Public Life, presents a well-researched work that features dozens of Catholic voices driving the conversation about Pope Francis and his universal call for a radical embrace of the Gospel. Gehring is a veteran journalist who digs for the nuances at the heart of a story; in a media climate often filled with suspicion and polarization, it is refreshing to read something with true journalistic integrity. While not afraid of offering criticism, Gehring is most interested in finding common ground. The book focuses on the consistent, but challenging message that Pope Francis proclaims regarding care for the poor and the resonance of faith in all aspects of life. This message has transformed many faithful who felt disenfranchised by the Church’s sex scandal and injected new and vital energy into Catholicism―a progression the author describes in his punchy style. Gehring is able to cover numerous topics that are accentuating Francis’ effect on the worldwide Church, including LGBT rights, Catholic identity of institutions, religion and politics, and the necessity to stem the tide of Millennials exiting the Church in droves. Anyone who is curious about where the Catholic Church is headed in the 21st century will be fascinated.” ― Publishers Weekly “In this narrative and analysis of the papacy of John Francis, Gehring provides a detailed primer of opposition to Francis within the Roman Catholic Church as well as a discussion of current progressive Catholic leaders. Focusing exclusively on Catholicism in the US, though referencing John Paul II and Benedict XVI, Gehring describes the rise of conservative Catholic leaders in the US hierarchy and the unofficial lay organizations that promote traditionalist views. During the ascendancy of traditionalist leaders, progressive thinkers and activists―once leading voices in Roman Catholic life in the US―found themselves increasingly on the margins of influence. By ‘Francis effect,’ the author means the return to the forefront of progressive Catholics, who have different conclusions about church teachings on a variety of issues, including economics and sexuality. Gehring offers an up-to-date summary of the diverse perspectives of Catholic leaders in the US and the role that Francis is playing in the conflict among those holding differing views. Gehring invites readers to consider the future of a Roman Catholic Church that has experienced new life with the ascendancy of its progressive wing. The future has yet to tell if unity can exist without uniformity. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers.” ― Choice Reviews “The majority of Gehring’s book is on the Church itself, and Francis’s efforts at reform from within. The author does an excellent job of rendering clearly what might seem to outsiders like so much inside baseball,