God Is Young

Starred review from August 27, 2018
Pope Francis speaks frankly about problems facing the young and the elderly, Catholic and non-Catholic, throughout the world in this brief treatise. Francis begins by insisting that God is young because he dreams and makes things new again. During his conversation with Leoncini (Born Liquid), he discusses the problems (mostly moral and economic) that ordinary people face. He indicts a global culture that fails to put people first, and condemns treating both youths and the aged as “disposable.” He blames problems within those demographics, such as high youth unemployment, squarely on a world “too powerfully and compellingly dominated by an economic crisis” that primarily concerns itself with loss of “bank shares” before loss of human lives. Interwoven with his analysis is discussion about his own youth, and the hope that Christianity can provide a “revolution of tenderness.” Francis states his truths plainly and unequivocally—“nuclear weapons should be destroyed immediately”—and repeatedly asserts the need for a compassionate, harmonious social order. While not sugarcoating problems, Francis’s simple, humane voice emerges clearly in this beautiful book of hope and inspiration.

Starred review from September 15, 2018
God is young, Pope Francis tells Italian journalist Thomas Leoncini, who has conducted this book-length interview. He is always new. The sentiment comes at a salutary time, for this is the Roman Catholic Church's Year of Youth, during which the pope will focus particular attention on young people, as he does in this enlightening book. To talk about young people, the pope says, is to talk about promise and to talk about joy. Later, he amplifies this by stating that the attributes a young person should never lack are passion, joy, and a sense of humor, which is essential in order to breathe. In the context of youth, he often invokes the word tenderness, but not everything is positive in the pope's disquisition. He regards youth, in our throwaway society, as a discarded, uprooted, and even exploited generation in concert, interestingly, with the elderly. He feels a dialogue between the two generations is essential to challenge an uprooted society. One must never underestimate the power of words, he adds. Speaking of words, the interview is extremely wide-ranging. The answers contemplate not only philosophy but such quotidian things as plastic surgery, pets, cell phones, consumerism, and more. The pope's answers are generous in their length, some being even mini homilies. But all are thoughtful and thought-provoking, of interest and benefit to readers of all ages.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

October 1, 2018

This conversation between Italian journalist and writer Thomas Leoncini and Pope Francis was conducted in connection with the Catholic Church's Year of Youth, which began on Palm Sunday this year. The title refers to a passage from the Book of Revelation, "Behold, I make all things new," which Pope Francis interprets as meaning that God is ever young. The premise is that young people are made in God's image even when treated as castoffs in a society based on consumerism from which they need to be liberated. The pope advocates a "sweet revolution" uniting believers of all ages in remaking the world. In addition to a focus on the debilitating effects of excessive consumption and a "culture of discarding," concepts covered include concern for the environment and its impact on future generations, "post-truth" and fake news, and perceiving foreigners as evil. Francis cites what he terms dangerous "diseases" plaguing contemporary society, such as "spiritual Alzheimer's," "existential schizophrenia," and deification of leaders. VERDICT Of interest to anyone concerned about the challenges facing the modern world.--Denise J. Stankovics, Vernon, CT

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2018

In this published interview, Pope Francis addresses the role of millennials in the Catholic Church, which he argues needs their energy and hunger for change; as the Pope says, "God is young, He is always new."

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.