Modern Catholic Social Teaching: Commentaries and Interpretations

Modern Catholic Social Teaching is the most thorough and authoritative analysis and assessment of modern Roman Catholic social teaching available. Including contributions from twenty-two leading moral theologians, this reference work is designed for anyone interested in understanding or studying the key documents that comprise the central corpus of Catholic social teaching. In addition to interrogations of the major documents, the volume provides an understanding of the biblical and philosophical foundations of Catholic social teaching, addresses the doctrinal issues that arise in such a context, and explores the social thought leading up to the "modern" era, generally accepted as beginning in 1891 with the publication of Pope Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum. The book also includes a review of how Catholic social teaching has been received in the United States, and an informed look at the shortcomings and questions that future generations must address. This second edition will include two new commentaries: one on Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical Caritas in veritate, and one on Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato Si'. In addition, several chapters have been revised and updated.