Catholic Social Thought and Contemporary Moral Issues

Understood broadly, Catholic social thought includes all the ideas and theories that the Catholic tradition has developed on matters of social life. More specifically, the notion of 'Catholic Social Teaching' refers to a 125 year tradition of ǧauthoritative Catholic teachings on a wide variety of social, political, economic, and ecological issues. In either sense, ,Catholic social thought is an essential part of Catholic faith and life. The central message of Catholic social thought is straightforward: a faith is only Catholic if it hears and heeds the call to serve those in need and to work for justice and peace. This course will introduce students to Catholic Social Teaching and to the wider tradition of Christian social thought out of which it comes. It will investigate how this tradition engages with a wide variety of social issues, and will put it in conversation with a variety of other approaches to social ethics and justice.