Pope Francis once said that “realities are more important than ideas” (Evangelii Gaudium [EG]). This statement is emblematic of the inductive approach he takes when he theologizes and writes his encyclicals, apostolic exhortations, and pastoral letters. It explains, for instance, why in Laudato Si’ he discusses first the evidence provided by science and then reflects on it in the light of Gospel values and Church teaching. James H. Kroeger’s essay, “Pope Francis and Missionary Signs: Exploring the Vision of Evangelii Gaudium,” detects a similar inductive approach in Evangelii Gaudium under the rubric of scrutinizing the “signs of the times.” First used by Pope John XXIII in 1961 to convoke the Second Vatican Council, the term has since become a locus theologicus in many Church teachings. According to Kroeger, scrutinizing the “signs of the times” involves sociological analysis and theological reflection. Indeed, what Francis envisions is the genuine discernment of God’s will in events that are happening in contemporary society, “the approach of a missionary disciple” (EG 50). – F. Ramirez (ed.)