Is Pope Francis changing the face of the church?

The man who used to be Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the cardinal-archbishop of Buenos Aires, has shown he's a master of flipping the script. As the first pope from the global South, he has brought an abrupt departure in style from his predecessor. He says striking and surprising things. He uses Twitter and takes selfies. It seems he is blowing like a strong breeze through the traditionalist corridors of his tiny state and his huge following.

Is his unconventional leadership changing the face of the Catholic Church? A new Pew Research study says “sort of.”

Among American Catholics, 71 percent of those polled said they felt Pope Francis' leadership has been a change for the better. A quarter said no.

Since Francis' election, there has been no change whatever in Mass attendance.

The survey also showed that only a quarter of American Catholics have become more excited about their faith over the last year.

Has the Catholic Church changed since Pope Francis was elected?

Is his new leadership style attracting Catholics back to the faith?

Has his modern touch given the church a better public face?

We consulted a panel of experts for the Inside Story.

This panel was assembled for the broadcast of “Inside Story.”

For future hard-hitting conversations, find Al Jazeera America on your TV.