Pope Francis’ desire for a renewed approach to the study of Church History is strongly connected to his vision for a renewed Church. The Pope highlights the tragedies that plague the Church, making her less effective in the world – ignorance of history, perception of history as a second-class discipline, chronological, apologetical, or even reductionist study of history, and selective history-telling that subtly constructs ad hoc, identity-based, and exclusionary memories. These approaches, Francis argues, ignore the actual reality of the Church, focusing rather on an imagined Church characterised by narcissistic and false triumphalist perceptions.
Accordingly, Pope Francis advocates for genuine historical awareness and mastery, which often lead to ethical responsibility, collective conscience, sharing, and solidarity. In other words, he denounces an anti-history ideological agenda and the growing culture of seeking the entombment of history, envisioning a true historical renaissance, where the interpretation of history implies the knowledge of the inseparability of an event from its consequences, thus preserving the memory of the whole truth. In effect, Pope Francis envisages a methodical shift from mere historicity of past events to historical hermeneutics, attentive to historical details, dimension and scope. This way, a balanced image of the Church (saints and sinners) is realised, the Church becomes more humble to seek forgiveness and renewed fraternity, and history becomes a vital consultative basis for decision-making. A renewed approach to teaching Church history would thus imply a comprehensive inclusion of unpopular faces, especially martyrs, which have been ignored over the centuries. Beyond mere historians, Pope Francis emphasises the urgency to form historiographers.
Fr. Stephen Eyeowa, SJ
Hekima University College
Scripture Scholar
