This book provides a broad view of the basic features of the rich tradition of Catholic reflection and action on social issues. In the words of Brady, "the Catholic social tradition is about action and contemplation. It calls on persons to take responsibility for themselves and for their neighbors. It aims to reach the hearts and the minds of persons. . . . It seeks personal conversion and social transformation." Written in an accessible style and designed for a one-semester course, it presents the principles of Catholic social thought along with their historical development and abridged excerpts from relevant documents. Each chapter includes study/discussion questions and begins and ends with a traditional Catholic prayer.

Revised and expanded, this rigorous and comprehensive review of Catholic social teaching includes excerpts of crucial documents and up-to-date analyses of the latest encyclicals.

This classic compendium of church teaching offers the most complete access to more than 100 years of official statements of the Catholic Church on social issues.

This introductory book to Catholic social teaching covers not only the official documents and encyclicals but also gives a sense of the movements and people who embodied the struggle for social justice in the last 100 years.

An analysis of contemporary Catholic social thought, including topics of multiculturalism, economic justice, abortion, and capital punishment.

Catholic Social Thought presents detailed commentary and response to the Vatican's 2005 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, with contributions from outstanding American scholars. Addressing theology, social theory, the family, economy, government, labor, global society, gender, peace, and the environment, the various authors explore the core theology, explain the Compendium's themes and arguments, and apply their own intellectual powers to applications of its teachings. Some of the essays are largely expository, some more critical (in both positive and negative senses). Some operate from a standard of magisterial assent in conformity with Ad Tuendam Fidam, others do not. Together, the essays represent the range of Catholic thinking on social issues in the American Church today.

How can the Catholic faith help not only Catholics, but all people, build a just and flourishing society? The Catholic Church contributes first and foremost to the common good by forming the consciences of the faithful. Faith helps reason achieve an understanding of the common good and guides individuals in living justly and harmoniously. In this book, J. Brian Benestad provides a detailed, accessible introduction to Catholic social doctrine (CSD), the Church’s teachings on the human person, the family, society, political life, charity, justice, and social justice. Church, State, and Society explains the nuanced understanding of human dignity and the common good found in the Catholic intellectual tradition. It makes the case that liberal-arts education is an essential part of the common good because it helps people understand their dignity and all that justice requires. The author shows the influence of ancient and modern political philosophy and examines St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, papal social encyclicals, Vatican Council II, and postconciliar magisterial teaching. Benestad highlights the teachings of popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI that the attainment of the common good depends on the practice of the virtues by citizens and leaders alike. In addition to discussing the tension between CSD and liberal democracy, the book takes an in-depth look at: –Key themes of social life: the dignity of the human person, human rights, natural law, and the common good –Three principal mediating institutions of civil society: family, Church, and Catholic university –The economy, work, poverty, immigration, and the environment –The international community and just war principles “Excellent . . . The best treatment of Catholic Social Doctrine as a whole and a precious reminder of the intrinsically problematic character of modern democracy.” —Perspectives on Political Science

Handbook of Catholic Social Teaching employs a question and answer format, to better accentuate the response of the Church's message to the questions Catholics have about their social role and what the Church intends to teach about it. Written in consultation with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, the Handbook should take its place alongside the Catechism of the Social Doctrine of the Church on the shelf of informed Catholics as works that can inform what we believe and do in the public sphere.

Luigi Taparelli, SJ, 1793-1862, in his Theoretical Treatise of Natural Right Based on Fact, 1840-43, presents a neo-Thomistic approach to social, economic, and political sciences grounded in an integral conception of the human person as social animal but also as rational truth seeker. His conceptions of social justice and of subsidiarity are fundamental to modern Catholic social teaching (CST). His work moves away from traditionalist-conservative reaction in favor of an authentically human, moderately liberal, modernity built on the harmony of faith and reason. He zealously deconstructs laissez-faire liberal ideology and its socialist progeny in scores of articles in the Civiltà Cattolica, the journal that he co-founded in 1850. His arguments figure prominently in the Syllabus of Errors (1864) of Pius IX. Though a moderate liberal himself, his reputation as anti-liberal reactionary and defender of Papal temporal sovereignty is the chief reason why Pope Leo XIII later sought to quiet Taparelli’s contribution to the foundations and pillars of modern CST that began with the restoration of Thomistic philosophy in Aeterni Patris (1879), and the “magna carta” of modern Catholic social teaching, Rerum Novarum (1891). Pius XI relies heavily on Taparelli’s concept of subsidiarity in Quadragesimo Anno (1931), and sought to advance interest in Taparelli studies. However, Taparelli’s eclectic philosophical orientation and writing style have been a considerable stumbling block. In this present book, Taparelli’s ideas are evaluated both for their philosophical character but also in their historical context. Taparelli’s theories of the just society and ordered liberty, are as timely nowadays for reasoned political and ethical discourse as ever. The book includes an appendix of translated portions of the Theoretical Treatise of Natural Right Based on Fact that relate to subsidiarity.