Review of “Embracing the Way of Jesus” by Pope Francis
I was excited to read this book, a collection of sermons and writings by Pope Francis, because I was interested in getting a deeper understanding of the pope’s perspectives on many of the issues he discusses in it. The publisher describes the book as “a beautifully curated collection of excerpts from the homilies and writings of Pope Francis, all centering on Christianity as a way of life—or, as the earliest Christians would have understood it, ‘the Way’.” It is a book about discipleship, how to follow Jesus, and carries the theme of “the way” throughout, contemplating The Way of the Cross, The Way of Prayer, The Old Testament Way, and others. Having been raised Catholic but since becoming a Salvationist, I was curious to see if and where Pope Francis departed from what I have seen as traditional Catholicism. Many of his public statements have certainly raised the ire of the more conservative elements of the Catholic Church even as they have been celebrated by many Catholics and