Promise and Challenge. Mary Rice Hasson, Editor

"The Church cannot be understood without women…" – Pope Francis, July 28, 2013 In the new book Promise and Challenge, ten diverse Catholic women – theologians, philosophers, attorneys, and an economist – answer Pope Francis' call to address the deeper questions about the meaning of womanhood and the role of women in the Church. Based on their presentations at the 2014 Symposium on Women in the Church, these women help move the conversation forward through their intriguing insights and analysis of established teachings and traditions combined with original scholarship and new ideas. Through their personal experience, spiritual depth, and professional expertise, you'll examine: Threshold issues and important context to expand the role of women in the ChurchSeveral important aspects of complementarity that require further theological development theologicallyPractical issues related to the place of women in the churchThe promise and challenge of the future With insight, clarity, and great love for the Church, these women touch on both the challenges of today and the promise of tomorrow for women in the Church.