Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation: The Joy of Love (Amoris Laetitia) brings together the results of the two Synods on the Family convoked by Pope Francis in 2014 and 2015. The Apostolic Exhortation is appreciated as an aid to reflection, dialogue and pastoral practice, and as a help and encouragement to families in their daily commitments and challenges. "Each marriage is a kind of "salvation history," which from fragile beginnings - thanks to God's gift and a creative and generous response on our part - grow over time into something precious and enduring." (221).

A practical guide to understanding and implementing Amoris Laetitia. The pastoral implications of this document will be of interest to church professionals.

Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis' post-synodal exhortation on love in the family, turned out to be one of the most controversial documents of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church in recent decades. It was published in April 2016 following the two "Synods of Bishops on the Family" held in 2014 and 2015. The document brought division amongst the Catholic hierarchy, theologians and pastors and nearly two years after its publication the exact meaning of the document and its implications for the Church are still a matter of dispute. A number of prelates present at the Synods indicated that these gatherings were animated by "the spirit of Vatican II." This work links the notion of "the spirit of Vatican II" with Amoris Laetitia and it argues that a hermeneutics of interpretation of the Second Vatican Council which focuses on following "the spirit of the Council" is the hermeneutics which can be, and in the future most likely will be, the predominant way of interpreting and implementing Amoris Laetitia. This book aims to provide a contribution to this hotly debated topic in the field of Catholic theology.

Given that Pope Francis is a popular global religious leader, and in the light of the lessons drawn from the nature, meaning, and functions of Israel's prophets, this tripartite work historically, pastorally, and theologically examines whether, and how Francis' teaching, visits, outreach to the poor, preaching, and recent biblically based writings (Lumen Fidei, Evangelii Gaudium, Amoris Laetitia, Laudato Si', Gaudete et Exsultate, Letters, and Messages) have had any prophetic effects or impact on contemporary society.

Essays by distinguished bishops and theologians that not only introduce readers to the theological depth found in Amoris Laetitia, but consider the full document, including its reception in the multicultural and diverse environment that characterizes the church in the United States and the full range of challenges and issues related to marriage and family life.

There is no papal document that has generated as much interest, controversy, and debate in recent times as Pope Francis's Amoris Laetitia. This document, which came out of two very divisive synods of Catholic bishops and leaders in Rome in 2014 and 2015, will probably be the most discussed document ever produced by a pope in modern Catholicism on marriage and family life. This volume has gathered seminal commentaries on Amoris Laetitia by African Catholic theologians, social scientists, and pastoral workers. They offer African theological and pastoral responses to the principles and practices proposed by Pope Francis and the Synod on the family on such contested issues as same-sex relations, divorce and remarriage, and reception and denial of Holy Communion in the church, among other divisive issues. These important essays and commentaries show the strengths and weaknesses of this papal commentary and point out the missing link in the global conversation on marriage, family, and same-sex relations. Their argument for the inclusion of African perspectives and moral traditions in the search for a third way in finding an inclusive and integrated pastoral art of accompaniment is very compelling. The authors here also call for the inclusion of Africa's own unique challenges--like polygamy, childless marriages, and the impact of migration, civil conflict, diseases, ecological and population crises, and the rights of African women--in the global discussion on marriage and family life. They also challenge uncritical cliches in world Christianity that Africa's opposition to same-sex marriages (or Western propaganda about population or birth control and contraception) are conservative, while showing diverse African conversations on these topics in the search for abundant life on this beautiful continent.

When Amoris Laetitia was published in 2016, it became the most controversial papal document since Humanae Vitae. Many said that Amoris Laetitia was "confusing" and "required clarification." Others claimed that it was heterodox, while comparing it unfavorably with other church documents. But is this really the case? In this book, Pedro Gabriel sets out to explore Amoris Laetitia's controversial eighth chapter. What does the document actually teach as it pertains to the access of divorced and civilly remarried people to the Eucharist, and how can it constitute a legitimate development? As Pedro Gabriel tries to answer these questions, he will also cover the most common arguments being leveled against Amoris Laetitia, and show how this exhortation can be reconciled with Catholic orthodoxy.

"Offers overview and summary of ten of Pope Francis's principle documents"--

How has Pope Francis’s groundbreaking document on marriage and family, Amoris Laetitia, been implemented in Africa? In Asia? In Latin America? In this volume, scholars from across these regions reflect on their experiences, correcting the overly western focus of most reactions to AL. The contributions look at local issues like polygamy in Africa, as well as more global issues in a local context, like feminism in Indonesia and synodality in Colombia. The reader will find that concerns about marriage and family can be similar throughout the world or specific to different contexts. As a whole, the book contributes to a more diverse and revisited catholic understanding of marriage and family.