The Papal Visit and the Rhetoric of Conciliation: An Epideictic Perspective

Abstract

Using the epideictic as a hermeneutic entrance, this paper argues that Pope Francis' rhetoric of conciliation during his visit to the United States in September 2015 resonated with a majority of Americans because he identified and consubstantiated with American society, American values, and American people in both word and deed. Casting himself as a brother and friend with profound knowledge of American history and cultural realities, the Holy Father refrained from pontificating and criticizing; rather, he chose the path of fearless dialogue amplified with performative rhetoric.