The Vision of John Paul II

Book excerpt: The Vision of John Paul II assesses the writings, work, and ecclesial Vision of this long-serving pontiff. Moving beyond the scope of so many other books on John Paul II, this volume seeks to fill a gap by focusing on his lasting influence on pressing issues facing the church today: social justice, women's roles, collegiality, ecumenism, and interreligious dialogue. Readers will appreciate the contributions of internationally known and respected scholars: ' Michael Walsh ' Ronald Modras ' Paul McPartlan ' Gerard Mannion ' Judith Merkle ' Jim Voiss ' Charles E. Curran ' Mario I. Aguilar ' Susan Rakoczy ' Paul Lakeland ' Gemma Simmonds ' Raymond G. Helmick ' Peter Phan This accessibly written volume allows readers to engage with a variety of viewpoints and to understand the ways in which the legacy of John Paul II continues to impact today's church. Gerard Mannion serves as chair of the Ecclesiological Investigations International Research Network and is presently a Visiting Senior Fellow of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium. The founding director of the Centre for the Study of Contemporary Ecclesiology, he is also cochair of the Ecclesiology Program Group of the American Academy of Religion. His most recent publications include Ecclesiology and Postmodernity: Questions for the Church in Our Time (Liturgical Press, 2007) and The Routledge Companion to the Christian Church (2007, ed. with Lewis Mudge).