The Future Church: Written by John L. Allen, Jr. ABOUT THIS BOOK One of the world’s foremost religion journalists offers an unexpected and provocative look at where the Catholic Church is headed—and what the changes will mean for all of us. What will the Catholic Church be like in 100 years? Will there be a woman pope? Will dioceses throughout the United States and the rest of the world go bankrupt from years of scandal? In THE FUTURE CHURCH, John L. Allen puts forth the ten trends he believes will transform the Church into the twenty-second century. From the influence of Catholics in Africa, Asia, and Latin America on doctrine and practices to the impact of multinational organizations on local and ethical standards, Allen delves into the impact of globalization on the Roman Catholic Church and argues that it must rethink fundamental issues, policies, and ways of doing business. Allen shows that over the next century, the Church will have to respond to changes within the institution itself and in the world as a whole whether it is contending with biotechnical advances—including cloning and genetic enhancement—the aging Catholic population, or expanding the roles of the laity. Like Thomas Friedman’s The World Is Flat, THE FUTURE CHURCH establishes a new framework for meeting the challenges of a changing world. THE TEN TRENDS: 1. A World Church - Two thirds of its members in Africa, Asia and Latin America. 2. Evangelical Catholicism - Called to be the Church in the Modern World by the Second Vatican Council, the Church now seems to be reacting against modernity - "This politics of identity is in part a reaction to runaway secularization." 3. Islam - The Church's dialogue partners has been Judaism. It must now come to terms with Islam, asserting itself around the world. 4. The New Demography - The Church which has traditionally focused on the young must now focus on the largest aging population in history. 5. Expanding Lay Roles - The clergy who have provided ministry in the Church are declining and an increasing number of laity are providing ministry in a growing number of ways. 6. The Biotech Revolution - The Church has to apply her moral teaching to a rapidly development set of new technologies. 7. Globalization - The Church's social teaching, crafted during the industrial revolution around workers' right, now must deal with justice issues in a complex world of multinational corporations and intergovernmental organizations. 8. Ecology - New theological and moral reflection is required on behalf of the whole cosmos. 9. Multipolarism - The Church is dealing with many sources of power in the world which are no longer Catholic and no longer Christian. 10. Pentecostalism - Pentecostal movements now represent 20% of all Christianity world-wide, drawing many of their new members from traditional Christianity.
|