Jubilee: Much More and Much Better than a Holy Year

by Leonardo De Chirico, Joshua Kannard (Translator), Tim Challies (Foreword)

A mobilization is underway in the religious world and beyond in preparation for the 2025 Jubilee.The Roman Catholic Church has long since begun preparations. Millions of people are organizing to make some kind of pilgrimage to Rome, whether secular or religious. The interests of those involved are high. The questions raised are many. What does “jubilee” mean in history and what does this “holy year” mean today? What are the stakes of “jubilee” for those who claim to be believers? What message can it have for our society?

In this short ebook, pastor Leonardo De Chirico explores the Biblical foundations for jubilee, the current Roman Catholic practice in 2025, and how we can experience the true and greater jubilee offered by God’s grace.
About the Author Leonardo De Chirico is an evangelical pastor in Rome and a professor of historical theology at the Istituto di Cultura Evangelica e Documentazione (ICED) in Padua, Italy. Among his The Christian’s Pocket Guide to the Papacy (2016), Mary, Mother of God? (2017); Same Words, Different Do Catholics and Evangelicals Believe the Same Gospel? (2022); Engaging with Thomas An Evangelical Approach (2024); and Tell Your Catholic Friends (2025).

76 pages, Paperback

Published February 11, 2025

About the author

Leonardo De Chirico is the pastor of Breccia di Roma, a church that he helped plant in Rome in 2009. He served as Vice Chairman of the Italian Evangelical Alliance from 2003-2021 and now serves as chairman for the theological commission of the IEA.

Previously, Leonardo planted and pastored an evangelical church in Ferrara, Italy, from 1997 to 2009. He earned degrees in History (University of Bologna), Theology (ETCW, Bridgend, Wales) and Bioethics (University of Padova).

His PhD is from King's College (London); it was published as Evangelical Theological Perspectives on Post-Vatican II Roman Catholicism.

In 2015, he published A Christian Pocket Guide to Papacy and A Christian Pocket Guide to Mary: Mother of God? through Christian Focus.

He is a lecturer of Historical Theology at Istituto di Formazione Evangelica e Documentazione in Padova, Italy.

Additionally, Leonardo is the Director of the Reformanda Initiative, which aims to equip evangelical leaders to better understand and engage with Roman Catholicism, and the leader of the Rome Scholars & Leaders Network (RSLN).

Reviews

[Gordon Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A helpful summary of the biblical practice of Jubilee, its relation to the work of Christ, and its misuse in the Roman Catholic idea of 'Holy Years' and the granting of indulgences

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great explanation from a trusted source. It will help you connect the dots between biblical jubilee and what’s happening now in the world and in history.