Portrayals of Pope Francis's Authority in the Digital Age

Damian Guzek, Ph.D. DS.c. (1985) is an associate professor at the University of Silesia in Katowice. He has published monographs and many articles on digital media, religion and politics, including Mediatizing Secular State (Peter Lang, 2019).

• List of Figures and TablesIntroduction: Discussing Approaches to the Study of Papal Authority1 The Discarded Image: The Pope on hbo and Netflix1 Films on the Modern Papacy2 Evolving Archetypes of the Papacy3 Two Ways for the Future Church3.1 The Way of Rigorism3.2 The Middle Way4 Discarded Image: In Search of Papal Metaphors of BeingRadical Traditionalism as Atheistic4.1 Secular Sacred4.2 Nominalism2 Portraying Francis on the Web1 Choose Your YouTube Narrative: The Pope as a Threat or Hope?1.1 The Pope as Hope1.2 The Pope as the Enemy1.3 The Pope’s Agency2 Polarized Approaches to Websites2.1 Francis Makes Things Simple2.2 Francis Changes the Accent of Catholic Teaching2.3 Francis Recognizes the Other’s Primacy3 Traditional Catholic Users: Consuming Mediated Papacy, Protecting the Old Rules and Doctrines1 Defining Traditional Catholic Users2 Three Types of Traditional Catholic Users2.1 Negotiators2.2 Descriptors2.3 Contesters3 Identity Marks: Objective Truth, Catholic Orthodoxy and the Latin Mass3.1 The Idea of Objective Truth and Unchanging Human Nature3.2 Identity Reflecting Catholic Orthodoxy3.3 The Latin Mass as a Point of Reference4 Strategies for Negotiating Francis’ Leadership4.1 Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome, or Maybe Simply Bergoglio?4.2 Refiguring the Sacred4 Post-Vatican ii Catholic Users: Media Consumption, Supporting the Modern Papacy1 Defining Post-Vatican ii Catholic Users2 Three Types of Post-Vatican ii Catholic Users2.1 Digital Followers2.2 Hybrid Followers2.3 Supporters3 Hallmarks of Christian Life: Decentralization of Orthodoxy and Contextualization of Catholicism3.1 Decentralization of Orthodoxy3.2 Catholicism Dwelled in the Context4 Approaches to Francis’ Ministry4.1 Ways to Embrace Francis4.2 Leadership that Matters4.3 Refiguring the MinistryConclusion: Rethinking the Pope’s Authority through the Activities of Traditional and Liberal Catholic Users1 Rethinking the Pope’s Authority in the Digital Sphere2 The Deeply Mediatized Way of Negotiating the Pope’s Authority3 Final Thoughts on the Future of Papacy in the Digital AgeMethodological AppendixBibliographyIndex