SAN FRANCISCO, July 5, 2013 | Faith is the source of light, of guidance for the Christian life. “We walk by faith, not by sight,” wrote St Paul.
In his highly anticipated first encyclical, The Light of Faith (Lumen Fidei), Pope Francis reflects on the meaning of faith, the beginning of God’s gracious salvation and the means by which man encounters the living God through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.
Ignatius Press is slated to release the encyclical as a high-quality, hardcover, deluxe edition in August, in time for the fall celebrations of the Year of Faith.
“Ignatius Press is honored and delighted to publish Pope Francis’ first encyclical in a special hardcover edition and to get it before the reading public,” said Ignatius Press President Mark Brumley. “This follows what we did with Pope Benedict’s encyclicals and other works.”
In “The Light of Faith”, Francis draws on key themes of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who wrote encyclicals on charity and hope. He intended to complete the set with a reflection on faith, which would also have underscored the Year of Faith that he launched. Benedict’s history-making retirement meant he was unable to finish his encyclical. Francis took up the task, adding his own insights, themes and emphases to the work begun by Benedict XVI.
According to Francis, “The Light of Faith” is a “four-hand document.” Pope Benedict, Francis notes, “handed it to me, it is a strong document. He did the great amount of work.” Thus, although officially The Light of Faith (Lumen Fidei) is an encyclical of Francis’ and reflects his teaching ministry, it is also reflects the work of Pope Emeritus Benedict. It’s not only Francis’ first encyclical; it is also among the few encyclicals openly acknowledged to have been written by two successors of St. Peter.
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Carl E. Olson is editor of Catholic World Report and Ignatius Insight. He is the author of Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?, Will Catholics Be "Left Behind"?, co-editor/contributor to Called To Be the Children of God, co-author of The Da Vinci Hoax (Ignatius), and author of the "Catholicism" and "Priest Prophet King" Study Guides for Bishop Robert Barron/Word on Fire. His recent books on Lent and Advent—Praying the Our Father in Lent (2021) and Prepare the Way of the Lord (2021)—are published by Catholic Truth Society. He is also a contributor to "Our Sunday Visitor" newspaper, "The Catholic Answer" magazine, "The Imaginative Conservative", "The Catholic Herald", "National Catholic Register", "Chronicles", and other publications. Follow him on Twitter @carleolson.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 5, 2013 | Faith is the source of light, of guidance for the Christian life. “We walk by faith, not by sight,” wrote St Paul. 