The Moral Dynamics of Economic Life

Caritas in veritate (Charity in Truth) is the "social" encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, one of many papal encyclicals over the last 120 years that address economic life. This volume, based on discussions at a symposium co-sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, analyzes the situation of the Church and the theological basis for Benedict's thinking about the person, community, and the globalized economy. The Moral Dynamics of Economic Life engages Benedict's analysis of "relation," the characteristics of contemporary social and economic relationships and the implications of a relational, Trinitarian God for daily human life. Crucial here is the Pope's notion of "reciprocity," an economic relationship characterized by help freely given, but which forms an expectation that the recipient will "reciprocate," either to the donor or, often, to someone else. This "logic of gift," Benedict argues, should influence daily economic life, especially within what he calls "hybrid" firms, which make a profit and invest a share of that profit in service to needs outside the firm. Similarly, development - whether of an individual or of a nation - must be integral, neither simply economic nor personal nor psychological nor spiritual, but a comprehensive development that engages all dimensions of a flourishing human life. The essays, written by social scientists, theologians, policy analysts and others, engage, extend, and critique Benedict's views on these issues, as well as his call for deeper dialogue and a morally based transformation of social and economic structures.
"An outstanding collection of stellar scholars here takes the study of Catholic social teaching far past the standard parameters. They join social analysis and natural law with theology and spirituality, yet expose dangers in giving love priority over justice. They confront new complexities of global governance and economics, both challenging and expanding the received ideal (still operative in Benedict XVI) of sovereign states cooperating for the common good under the unified authority of the U.N. The analyses are interdisciplinary, international, and representative of the Catholic right, left, and middle. The productive friction that results yields a glimmer of hope that the faith-based efforts of Christian intellectuals, leaders, and activists can help shape a world order that is more participatory, reciprocal, and just."
--Lisa Cahill, J. Donald Monan Professor, Boston College

FOREWORD ; CONTRIBUTORS ; INTRODUCTION ; CHAPTER 1: THE SITUATION ; CARITAS IN VERITATE IN BROADER CONTEXT J. BRYAN HEHIR ; WHO ARE THE AMERICANS? AMELIA J. UELMEN ; AMERICANS AND GOVERNMENT TODAY REBECCA M. BLANK ; OUR CURRENT ECONOMIC SITUATION MATTHEW J. SLAUGHTER ; GLOBAL ECONOMIC FORCES ALBINO BARRERA ; CHAPTER 2: THE THEOLOGICAL GROUNDING OF CARITAS IN VERITATE ; SITUATING POPE BENEDICT'S THEOLOGY BISHOP WILLIAM F. MURPHY ; DEVELOPMENTS IN POPE BENEDICT'S THINKING JOHN A. COLEMAN ; A THEOLOGY OF GRATUITOUSNESS PAULINUS I. ODOZOR ; BENEDICT'S VIEW OF THE PERSON KENNETH R. HIMES ; CHALLENGES TO BENEDICT'S VISION: SIN MICHAEL NOVAK ; THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE MARKET ALBINO BARRERA ; THE PROMISE AND RISK OF CHARITY DAVID HOLLENBACH ; LISTENING TO THE EXPERIENCE OF THE POOR JOHAN VERSTRAETEN ; CHAPTER 3: MARKETS AND GOVERNMENT ; THE VITALITY OF MARKETS MICHAEL NOVAK ; THE BENEFITS OF THE MARKET ALBINO BARRERA ; GOVERNMENT AND JURIDICAL FRAMEWORK J. BRYAN HEHIR ; MARKET FAILURE & THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT REBECCA M. BLANK ; INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUAL MORALITY REBECCA M. BLANK ; GLOBALIZATION AND GLOBAL GOVERNANCE J. BRYAN HEHIR ; FROM GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNANCE JOHN A. COLEMAN ; CHAPTER 4: RE-CONCEIVING"RELATION" ; THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN RELATION MIGUEL H. DIAZ ; RESOURCES FOR RECEPTIVITY TO A "TRANSCENDENT VOCATION" AMELIA J. UELMEN ; CULTURE AS THE LOCUS FOR ECONOMIC RELATION MARY L. HIRSCHFELD ; CHAPTER 5: RECIPROCITY IN ECONOMIC LIFE ; RECIPROCITY AND FRATERNITY STEFANO ZAMAGNI ; RECIPROCITY, TRUST, AND SOCIAL CAPITAL DANIEL K. FINN ; THE LOGIC OF GIFT AND THE WORLD OF BUSINESS MICHAEL J. NAUGHTON ; CHAPTER 6: BUSINESS ; LEADERSHIP ETHICS AND CARITAS IN VERITATE LUK BOUCKAERT ; THE BUSINESS ENTERPRISE MICHAEL J. NAUGHTON ; CHAPTER 7: DEVELOPMENT ; HOW MUCH OF TRUE DEVELOPMENT CAN BE MEASURED? MARY JO BANE ; EXPANDING THE ECONOMIC PARADIGM OF DEVELOPMENT MARY L. HIRSCHFELD ; INTERNATIONAL AID: CHARITY IS INSUFFICIENT KATHERINE MARSHALL ; DEVELOPMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL FAILURES STEFANO ZAMAGNI ; CHAPTER 8: POLARIZATION ; THE PROBLEM OF PUBLIC POLARIZATION JOHN L. ALLEN ; RESOURCES FOR REDUCING POLARIZATION IN GOVERNMENT MARY JO BANE ; HOPE IN POLARIZATION AMELIA J. UELMEN ; CHAPTER 9: LANGUAGE AND THE ORIENTATION TO DIALOGUE ; THE NEED FOR ACCESSIBLE LANGUAGE JOHN A. COLEMAN ; THE AMBIGUITIES OF ACCESSIBLE LANGUAGE MARY L. HIRSCHFELD ; TENSIONS BETWEEN PROCLAMATION AND DIALOGUE LUK BOUCKAERT ; DIALOGUE IN LIGHT OF THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES JOHAN VERSTRAETEN ; CHAPTER 10: IMPLICATIONS ; NEW INSTITUTIONS AND SOCIAL PROCESSES MARY JO BANE ; A BETTER LEGAL DEFINITION OF WHAT IS REASONABLE AMELIA J. UELMEN ; PARTICIPATION AS KEY FOR A JUST ECONOMY JOHAN VERSTRAETEN ; RE-CONCEIVING WELFARE POLICIES STEFANO ZAMAGNI ; SHIFTING ATTENTION WITHIN THE CHURCH MARY JO BANE ; DEVELOPING RESOURCES FOR BUSINESS AND BUSINESS SCHOOLS MICHAEL NAUGHTON ; IMPROVING BUSINESS EDUCATION MATTHEW J. SLAUGHTER ; CHAPTER 11: CONCLUSION: CARITAS IN VERITATE IN THE TRADITION OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL THOUGHT CARDINAL PETER TURKSON ; BIBLIOGRAPHY