Catholic Social Teaching

Catalog description

This seminar will introduce the basic terms, ideas, and practices of Catholic Social Teaching [=CST], as it extends from Pope Leo XIII to Pope Francis. The focus will be on the historical development and theological matrix on the global and local level of key themes such as solidarity, subsidiarity, option for the poor, and environmental justice. The course will examine key documents as well as major proponents, protagonists, and critics (e.g., Bishop Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler, Oswald Von Nell-Breuning, Dom Hélder Câmara, Gustavo Gutiérrez, Virgil Michael, Dorothy Day, Peter Maurin, Óscar Romero, Leonardo Boff, Denise Levertov, Phillip Berrigan, George Higgins, and Michael Novak). The practical applications of CST for ministry, community organizing, advocacy, and ecological care will also be emphasized.