The Shepherd in the Thought of Pope Francisco and in the Andean World: A Documentary and Biographical Study

Abstract

The purpose of the research was to analyze the figure of the shepherd in the thought of Pope Francis to describe the role, characteristics, and attitudes of shepherds; to identify shepherds in the style or opposition to Jesus. For this, in the theoretical framework, the vision of the shepherd in the Hebrew, biblical and Christian world was approached. This qualitative study used the method of documentary analysis to analyze 18 documents - homilies, speeches, and audiences - from 2013 to 2023 through inductive coding. The results show that God and Jesus are unique, prototypical, and true shepherds to describe their protection, deliverance, and salvation; Hebrew and current authorities are evaluated in their attitudes; in Jesus the promises of the good, redemptive, and eschatological shepherd are fulfilled. The conclusions show that the shepherds have attitudes of closeness to God, Jesus, and the people; they are characterized by their service, gentleness, tenderness, and compassion, being Samaritans, open doors, artisans of encounter and witnesses of mercy. They act in the style of Jesus being servants of the brothers, but they oppose when they move away, take advantage, exploit the people, seek power, money, ecclesiastical career, and personal interest.