Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
Understanding the Terminology 6
Seven Themes-A Starting Point 8
Reading the Signs of the Times 10
Social Analysis and the Pastoral Circle 11
Types of Authority in the Church 14
1 The Challenge of Being Prophetic: Gospel and Culture 17
The Nature of Discipleship 18
Living the Gospel in U.S. Culture 20
Following Christ in a Consumer Culture 22
Christian Scriptures 29
Early Church Tradition 33
A Prayer for Social Justice (Pope Pius XII) 39
Discussion Questions 40
2 God's Gift of Creation 41
Sister Dorothy Stang 41
Our Lived Experience 44
Biblical Perspectives 45
From Boniface to Francis of Assisi 50
Creation as the Sacrament of God 51
The Voices of the Popes and Bishops 53
Prayer of St. Basil 63
Discussion Questions 64
3 Human Dignity: Respect for Every Life 65
All Have the Same Human Dignity 67
Cardinal Bernardin and the Consistent Ethic of Life 70
Building a Culture of Life 75
The Death Penalty 79
Sex Trafficking 86
Prayer for Life 89
Prayer for Justice 89
Discussion Questions 90
4 Community, Family, Participation 91
The Community of the Trinity 93
The Principles of Catholic Social Teaching 99
Teachings on Family in Early Christianity 105
Family Since Vatican II 107
Prayer for Community 112
Discussion Questions 113
5 Option for the Poor 114
An Ancient yet New Teaching 116
Latin American Roots of the Option for the Poor 120
The Option for the Poor Articulated in Catholic Social Teaching 124
A Religious and Political Option 127
Catholic Campaign for Human Development 130
Farmworkers and Immigrants 131
How Do We Make an Option for the Poor 135
Prayer for the Poor 137
Discussion Questions 138
6 Rights and Responsibilities 139
Biblical Perspectives 140
The Church and Human Rights 146
Civil Rights, Responsibilities, and Racism 153
Church Teaching on Racism 157
Economic Rights and Responsibilities amid Poverty 161
Pope Benedict's Encyclical: Caritas in Veritate 164
Prayer for Basic Rights 167
Discussion Questions 168
7 The Dignity of Work and Workers' Rights 169
The Imbalance of Power 172
Biblical Perspectives 176
The Teachings of the Church 178
Global Working Conditions 181
The Dignity of Work 184
Just Wage 188
United Farm Workers' Prayer 198
Discussion Questions 198
8 Solidarity: War and Peace 199
Solidarity: Ancient Concept, Recent Term 199
A Theology of Solidarity 202
Forgiveness as a Building Block of Peace 205
The Way to Peace: Defend Life 209
The Bible on Solidarity and Peace 213
The Early Church and Its Legacy 214
Just War Arguments 216
Pacifism 221
Nonviolence 222
Reconciliation, Forgiveness, Peace-building, and Spirituality 227
Ongoing Conversion 228
A Muslim, Jewish, and Christian Prayer for Peace 229
Discussion Questions 230
Notes 231
Catholic Social Teaching: Selected Bibliography 255
Related Websites 256
Index 257
