Catholic Social Justice: Theological and Practical Explorations

Description

Published in association with Caritas (the Catholic Church's agency for social justice) this book draws together a distinguished panel of academics and practitioners involved in the area of social justice. Combining theory and practice, the book explores issues facing the church and its role in today's society and the relationship between Theology, Social Justice and Social Spirituality. The book looks at how the church identifies its social priorities today, allocates its resource, shapes, facilitates and governs its practices, relates to and seeks to influence civil and secular society. In today's climate, the emerging relationship between religion and society is a matter of intense public interest and the book will also address the role of the church/faith in public life. The book also raises questions related to the nature of social ethics and social spirituality today. Particular problems and challenges pose pertinent questions both in relation to the church and society, and these also demand theological reflection, dialogue and exploration. Such themes include human liberation and freedom, globalisation, marginalisation, the changing anthropological bases of social ethics, as well as theological attempts to understand how the worlds of work and leisure relate to human being in both its individual and communal contexts.

Philomena Cullen is the Social Policy Co-ordinator of Caritas-Social Action in England and Wales, UK. Trained in theology, philosophy and social studies, she is also a qualified social worker. She was educated at New College, Oxford University and at Durham University, UK. Bernard Hoose lectures in Christian Ethics at Heythrop College, University of London, UK. His publications include Proportionalism: The American Debate and its European Roots, (Georgetown University Press) 1987, Received Wisdom? Reviewing the Role of Tradition in Christian Ethics (Geoffrey Chapman, 1994). He is editor of Christian Ethics: An Introduction (Cassell, 1998), Authority in the Roman Catholic Church (Ashgate, 2002) and Authority in Roman Catholicism (Matthew James, 2002). He presently serves on the Theology Commission of Caritas-Social Action. 'Gerard Mannion is the Amaturo Professor in Catholic Studies at Georgetown University, Washington, DC, where he is also a Senior Research Fellow of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs. He serves as chair of the Ecclesiological Investigations International Research Network (www.ei-research.net) and is editor of the Bloomsbury Series, Ecclesiological Investigations'

"The book is clearly structured, and covers a great deal of ground ... There are articles on spirituality; a splendid piece by Duncan Forrester on a comparison of Protestant thought; and a critical piece by one of the well-known Asian liberation theologians, Tissa Balasuriya, on Pope Benedict's Deus Caritas Est." - Church Times Reviewed in Theology. 'This collection of fourteen essays originated from the UK charity, Caritas Social Action. The first half of the book focuses on 'theological explorations in social justice and social spirituality', while the latter half turns to 'the practice of social spirituality'. Although socially located in Catholic Christianity in Britain the contributors are ecumenical and international, thus promising a wide exploration of the theology and practice of social justice in the twenty-first century.' Victor Lee Austin, Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue New York -- Victor Lee Austin Featured in Theologische Rundschau 2nd May 2010 (Germany) "Seldom have I been both encouraged and challenged as much as I have by this collection of essays which were inspired by Pope Benedict XVI through his first Encyclical Letter, Deus Caritas Est, and motivated by the Roman Catholic Church's social agency, Caritas Social Action. ... Each of the essays of these fourteen contributors, who also include Jim Richards, Sir Stephen Wall, Bernard Hoose, Jayne Hoose, Philomena Cullen, and Sheila Cassidy, is worthy of serious study and I heartily commend this book, regardless of one's denominational affiliation." --Brian L. Gant, York St. John University, Anglican Theological Review 91:3 -- Brian L. Gant, York St. John University * Anglican Theological Review * "There are helpful essays written in transparent English, many of which bring new goods to a well-worn table" -- Austen Ivereigh * Tablet, The * Title mention in an article by Philomena Cullen in The Tablet, October 2007 * Tablet, The * "Ms Cullen's critique throws down some bold challenges not only to Church but to government... Philomena Cullen's critique raises important questions for the Church about its view of the family" Paul Donovan, The Universe, October 2007 -- Paul Donovan * The Universe *