In The Synodal Pope: The True Story of the Theology and Politics of Pope Francis, Jean-Pierre Moreau traces the history and theological development of Pope Francis from his upbringing in Argentina and formation by the liberationist Jesuits. Moreau, a keen observer of liberation theology, many of whose leading figures he personally met when he was a special correspondent for the Figaro-Magazine in the 1980s, has made a close study of the personal and intellectual itinerary of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, described by his closest supporters as professing the “theology of the people.” This particular focus on “the people” has theological and political underpinnings that many modern commentators do not grasp fully. It lies at the heart of understanding the Synod on Synodality.

This is why Pope Francis puts so much emphasis on the “signs of the times” and on history. These are the new tools at the service of a doctrine that is inherently evolutionary. This book sheds light on the “real Bergoglio” and the real influences behind him. It is anything but a catalogue of trivia about Pope Francis’s “governance”: rather, it shows his deep-rooted coherence and true affiliations (which go back further than is generally imagined), and more importantly, it reveals the truly revolutionary nature of his idea of “synodality.” If you want to understand this term from its genesis, this book is a must-listen.