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Pope Francis
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The Joy of the Gospel: Evangelii Gaudium (Publication / United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) Paperback – December 13, 2013

by Pope Francis (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars 743 ratings
The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium) is the long-awaited teaching of Pope Francis on the proclamation of the Gospel. Pope Francis is calling upon the Church and the world with encouragement to begin a new chapter in evangelization. This dynamic document is written in the plain, everyday language for which the pope has become famous.
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  1. Print length
    152 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
  4. Publication date
    December 13, 2013
  5. Dimensions
    5.98 x 0.51 x 9.02 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1601374585
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1601374585
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; F Second Printing Used edition (December 13, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 152 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1601374585
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1601374585
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.98 x 0.51 x 9.02 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 out of 5 stars 743 ratings

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Pope Francis

Pope Francis

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Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17 1936, is the 266th and current Pope of the Catholic Church, having been elected Bishop of Rome and absolute Sovereign of Vatican City.

Born in Buenos Aires as the son of Italian parents, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was ordained a priest in 1969. From 1973 to 1979 he was Argentina's Provincial superior of the Society of Jesus. He became Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, and a cardinal in 2001. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in February 2013, on March 13, 2013 the papal conclave elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who chose the papal name Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. Pope Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first pope from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere and the first non-European Pope since Pope Gregory III, 1272 years earlier.

Throughout his life, both as an individual and as a religious leader, Pope Francis has been noted for his humility, his concern for the poor, and his commitment to dialogue as a way to build bridges between people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and faiths.

Pope Francis has published a compilation of his teachings in two volumes entitled Simple Wisdom: Hold On to Hope, Vol. 1, and Simple Wisdom: The Joy of Evangelization, Vol. 1. He also published his first encyclical entitled The Light of Faith: Lumen Fidei, which is available in English and Spanish.

The Joy of the Gospel: Evangelii Gaudium, recently published, is the long-awaited teaching of Pope Francis on the proclamation of the Gospel. He is calling upon the Church and the world with encouragement to begin a new chapter in evangelization.

Pope Francis has captured the attention of the world with his simple ways, humbleness, and love for the poor and sick.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
743 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book provides true enlightenment for believers and is an excellent read for Christians, with writings that are very easy to read and understand. Moreover, the book offers fine insight into Pope Francis, highlighting his gentle nature and great humility. Additionally, customers appreciate its attractive design and consider it well worth the price and time.

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190 customers mention "Spiritual content"190 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the spiritual content of the book, describing it as rich and inspirational, providing true enlightenment for believers.

"...This document is so full of rich spirituality, deep theology, and compassionate social analysis that it boggles the mind to consider how easily it..." Read more

"...The Bishop of Rome has written a powerful call to all Christians reminding us of our common mission and our common faith...." Read more

"...I highly recommend this reading. It will help people reflect on life and our purpose in living. A good buy also. Jerry O'Mahony" Read more

"This is not simply a teaching tool, it is a book meant for slow and repeated reflection...." Read more

105 customers mention "Readability"105 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as an excellent and miraculous read that is wonderful for Christians.

"...document, an apostolic exhortation by Pope Francis, is so compelling that President Obama even quoted it to lend moral credibility to a speech he..." Read more

"This is one of the best books I have read--other than the Bible itself--about how to bring people to Christ by living out the Gospel...." Read more

"...highly recommended reading for anyone." Read more

"Pope Francis' Exhortation is a good read and a real challenge for Catholics. It is also a good source of encouragement...." Read more

83 customers mention "Ease of reading"75 positive8 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and understand, appreciating its plain spoken words and down-to-earth approach.

"...By that I mean first and foremost that it is eminently readable. I also felt that it was a beautiful insight into the heart of Pope Francis...." Read more

"This is a long work, but an easy read. Pope Francis wanted to write this for the people of the Church to read...." Read more

"This book really does exceed my expectations, maybe because it is so easy to read and it seems to be written from the Holy Father's heart and..." Read more

"Pope Francis has written an entirely readable exhortation...." Read more

35 customers mention "Insight into pope"35 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insights into Pope Francis, describing him as spectacular and humble, with one customer noting that he writes from the heart.

"...I also felt that it was a beautiful insight into the heart of Pope Francis...." Read more

"...I already have a copy and have taken a class on this important document written by Pope Francis...." Read more

"...God has found a great Vicar for the Roman church in Pope Francis. Every protestant pastor should read this book...." Read more

"...A wonderful book for us all and an insight into Pope francis who is such a beloved Pope." Read more

13 customers mention "Compassion"13 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's compassionate and gentle approach, noting its great humility, with one customer highlighting its abiding concern for the marginalized.

"...Francis' exhortation is overflowing with a deep and abiding concern for the marginalized while revealing that both the political right and left..." Read more

"...It's the masterpiecet of a man of great humility, holiness and spiritual insight...." Read more

"...He is a fully human being, with experiences which make him compassionate with the poor, with the handicapped, with the downtrodden and with the..." Read more

"...While the Holy Father emphasizes kindness, compassion, and non-judgment, he does not ignore or repeal the basic tenets of the faith and the..." Read more

10 customers mention "Design"10 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's design, describing it as attractive and a masterpiece, with one customer noting its good color plates.

"...Now I'm very glad to have a paperback in this attractive design...." Read more

"This is a document rather than a book. It's the masterpiecet of a man of great humility, holiness and spiritual insight...." Read more

"...this was one from Amazon was of such better quality, more beautifully presented on cover, etc...and the size was nicer. Everything was nicer...." Read more

"Good color plates, nice print, nice size, I am happy to have this book to read. Will keep it for many years, even though it is a paperback." Read more

9 customers mention "Intelligence"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the author powerful and interesting, with one customer noting his humility and another describing him as a wonderful human being.

"...polarization, we finally have hope that this man is a real person with a humility that mirrors Christ, St. Francis, Mother Theresa, Ghandi, and all..." Read more

"...He is a very interesting person ." Read more

"This Pope is a breath of fresh air. He is intelligent, wise, and he has guts...." Read more

"He is amazing! He is so down to earth...." Read more

8 customers mention "Value for money"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well worth its price and time, with one customer noting it's cheaper than printing out the PDF version.

"...It will help people reflect on life and our purpose in living. A good buy also. Jerry O'Mahony" Read more

"...But it could be of equal value to other people of faith because they would find, I think, that the Pope's strong faith and optimism and his..." Read more

"...This is cheaper than printing out the pdf version, and is something I can put on my shelf. I have used this already in two sermons...." Read more

"Excellent copy, only a slight crease on the cover; quick delivery, good price...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Transcendental Thomist
    5.0 out of 5 stars The evangelizing vision of Pope Francis
    Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2014
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    This extraordinary document, an apostolic exhortation by Pope Francis, is so compelling that President Obama even quoted it to lend moral credibility to a speech he gave in December 2013. It outlines the pope's vision of the church and its mission of evangelization in today's world, suggesting guidelines for spreading the gospel in today's world of haves and have-nots. This document is so full of rich spirituality, deep theology, and compassionate social analysis that it boggles the mind to consider how easily it flows. Personally, I found the fresh vision of Christianity's role in the world today in the first half of the letter even more compelling than the second half, where we get a bit more church-speak and dense theology. But it's all wonderful. This letter transcends the pope's Jesuit roots and even the Catholic Church. I know many non-Catholics who have read it with delight and amazement. Essentially, the central question here is how to spread Jesus Christ's message to love God and love your neighbor in our technological society that brushes aside the poor in its self-seeking vanity. The answer of Francis will surprise you. Although this letter is available for free at the Vatican website along with all of the Holy Father's addresses, I find this lightweight paperback from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) much easier on the eyes. Initially, I read the entire letter online, but it was such a struggle to plow through the text on a screen (220-some pages on an iPad!) that it took me a few weeks. Now I'm very glad to have a paperback in this attractive design. For all who appreciate holding a text that doesn't need to be recharged or clicked upon, but prefers something solid to read by the bedside in meditation, I think this edition is the one to get.
    11 people found this helpful
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  • RobertinHouston
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Protestant's View of Francis' Exhortation
    Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2013
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    I am an evangelical protestant but it is my fervent hope that this "exhortation" will be widely read across the community of Christ throughout the world. The Bishop of Rome has written a powerful call to all Christians reminding us of our common mission and our common faith. He has called upon us to embrace that mission with joy, passion, and love for all. Following in the tradition of John Chrysostom, Francis' exhortation is overflowing with a deep and abiding concern for the marginalized while revealing that both the political right and left have embraced two varieties of the identical sin: idolatry of self.

    As an aside, accounts of this "exhortation" in the popular press could hardly be more misleading in their emphasis. Many news stories have focused on a fragment of a single sentence that says inviting women into the Priesthood is "not open for discussion." (To be clear, this subject is not addressed beyond this small portion of this single sentence.) Nor is this exhortation merely - or even mostly - a road map for the Roman Church. From the very first page, Francis makes clear that he is reaching out to the entirety of Christ's body on earth: "I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ..." It certainly speaks to Catholics, but it is simultaneously aimed at all Christians everywhere.

    Francis begins with the most precise description I have ever seen of the ravine in which the modern West has become trapped: "The great danger in today's world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience."

    His approach to escaping this ravine is the same as it ever was: follow the steep and narrow path cut by the Joy of the Gospel. And for my Protestant friends, Francis could not be clearer that this is an unmerited gift: "The salvation which God offers us is the work of his mercy. No human efforts, however good they may be, can enable us to merit so great a gift..." or "No one is saved by himself or herself, individually, or by his or her own efforts. "

    Francis reminds us that, "Christian morality is not a form of stoicism, or self-denial, or merely a practical philosophy or a catalogue of sins and faults. Before all else, the Gospel invites us to respond to the God of love who saves us ... All of the virtues are at the service of this response of love."

    If I have any discomfort with this exhortation, it is at those (thankfully few) moments when Francis seems to shift from calling upon Christians to calling upon governments to redress the plight of the marginalized. Here, we would do well to remind ourselves of Chrysostom's warning with respect to this. We would also do well to remember that governments by their nature always serve the selfish needs of their kings and courts (God warned us of this in 1 Samuel chapter 8). This is not to say that I disagree with the ends the Pope seeks, only that governments are a fundamentally flawed instrument for furthering God's Kingdom. Nonetheless, we can and should join with him in praying that politicians will receive appropriate guidance.

    There is a great deal here which all Christians ought to embrace. To be sure, many Protestants will feel discomfort at the Marian language near the end of the exhortation, and those reared to distrust the Deuterocanonical Books/Apocrypha will bristle at quotations from Tobias, Sirach, and others. Thankfully, Francis takes time to ground each major theme in sources deemed authoritative by all, as if to remind the Protestant reader at each turn that he and we remain standing on common ground (a point which he makes very explicit in discussing the evangelization of non-Christian cultures).

    Pope Francis' exhortation stands as a challenge to all Christians to embrace the Joy of the Gospel and to live as if the world depended upon it - because it does. It has certainly rankled specific groups with specific agendas (from traditionalists to progressives, from economic liberals to social liberals) but in all of the discussion about one sentence or another, I hope and pray that the message does not get lost: it is time for all Christians - the clergy, the laity, women and men across denominations - to joyfully embrace the missionary mandate of the Gospel through our words, our actions, and our whole selves.
    328 people found this helpful
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  • Jerry O
    5.0 out of 5 stars It's the masterpiecet of a man of great humility, holiness and spiritual insight
    Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2015
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    This is a document rather than a book. It's the masterpiecet of a man of great humility, holiness and spiritual insight. It's a written statement of one mans' spiritual life, a life of faith, prayer, deep reflection, discipline and Jesuit formation. He anchors his work on the inspired words and example of Jesus and the gospel. Francis maps out the way to a full and happy personal, social and spiritual life. His basic reference is the gospel and works of Jesus "love one another as I have loved you"...."by this shall all people know that you are my disciplels in the love you have for one another"...."do to no one what you would not want them do to you...". Pope Francis points us to the need for all to be mindful of our place in the wider community and our rights and responsibities for the wellbeing and needs of social order, the impliclations of globalization on the lives of people and especially how the poor are victimized. He covers the various social systems, the role of capitalism in a world that sees more of world wealth and rresources being in the hands of the elite and an ever increading number of the dispossessed. He points out the false idols we worship today, serving Mammom instead of God and the needs of others. The writer links this false worship to many of our modern evils of war, social unrest, terrorism, the extremes of which are often linked to our own making. Pope Francis assures us that we need to return to the simplicity of gospel living and refelct anew on the Word of God and the teachings of Jesus. Learn anew the mystery of life that God wished all to live.in faith, peace, love and hamony of a social family, and realize that we are born to love and not to violence and death.
    I highly recommend this reading. It will help people reflect on life and our purpose in living. A good buy also.

    Jerry O'Mahony
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Beatrice Taylor
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
    Reviewed in Canada on November 14, 2024
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    Very insightful read.
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  • PatriciaW
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Man with a Mission
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 10, 2014
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    'Evangelii Gaudium' is a sensitively written call, or exhortation in Vatican language, by Pope Francis, inviting all who have been baptised to recover the joy and freshness of the gospel message in today's world. In keeping with the way that he has conducted his ministry since becoming Pope, 'The Joy of the Gospel' addresses all people including those who 'feel far from God.' The Pope reminds us that 'God's love for us is all embracing.'

    For many Catholics 'Evangelli Gaudium' is also a welcome call for a reform of the church structure at every level. Having watched her stumble from one crisis to another, suddenly we are presented with a Pope who has gently dispensed with all the trappings of his office, is not afraid to put in place all the necessary reforms,and has managed to gain the respect of people all around the world whether they have faith or not. He stresses the importance of dialogue and alliance between between believers and non-believers and of taking on board the diversity of peoples who experience the gift of God for 'every culture has positive values to offer which can enrich the way that the gospel is preached, understood and lived.' For at the end of the day 'God has already spoken and, there is nothing more that we need to know, which has not been revealed to us.'
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  • Chris Herrick
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Australia on August 13, 2014
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    CLEARLY WRITTEN AND INSPIRING
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  • Amazon-mori
    5.0 out of 5 stars われら人間の生きる指針をはっきり書かれている
    Reviewed in Japan on July 28, 2014
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    非常によかったです。　日本語版とは違い、持ち運びやすいし、内容もわかりやすかったです。
    それに表紙も写真入りで、ハードカバーでないのが良かった。
    とにかく内容がよかった。　すぐに送ってくださりありがとうございました。
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  • Yves Guisan
    4.0 out of 5 stars Gaudium Evangelii, édition anglaise
    Reviewed in France on August 3, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    L'édition française est facile à lire, en caractères de taille suffisante, avec une bonne présentation des notes et références. L'édition anglaise n'obéit malheureusement plus à ces critères. Le texte est présenté de façon ramassée en plus petits caractères, il y a peu de place pour écrire des notes personnelles. L'édition parait à première vue plus luxueuse que la française, mais elle est manifestement moins plaisante à l'usage.

    Yves Guisan
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