[Book review] Sandri Luigi Anno 2289 L’Ultimo Conclave

Abstract

In philosophy, as well as in certain empirical sciences or mathematics, counterfactuals are frequently used to determine the soundness of a hypotheses or theory. One would imagine a possible but not real scenario, to see whether the theory or hypothesis in question works in the counterfactual situation. If in this scenario the hypothesis or theory “holds,” the theory or hypothesis will be established as sound. Luigi Sandri: Anno 2289 L’Ultimo Conclave involves such an exercise in relation to certain religious and theological issues; issues that have been topical at least since the Second Vatican Council. These concern how the church ought to be organized, the idea of priesthood, the role/s women ought to play within the Church and, more generally, what changes are desirable and/ or possible within the Roman Church, and the manner in which changes ought to occur, for instance, whether change ought to be carried out by an enlightened Pontiff, or whether it ought to start off at grass-roots level.