Catholicism and Liberalism
Contributions to American Public Policy

No other book offers such a detailed exploration of the encounter between Catholicism and liberalism in the USA.

R. Bruce Douglass (Edited by), David Hollenbach (Edited by)

9780521445283, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 24 February 1994

370 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.2 cm, 0.66 kg

"This excellent collection of essays can well serve both as an introduction to the many questions and problems posed by the uneasy relationship between liberalism and Catholic thought, as well as a provocative springboard to salvaging the best each tradition has to offer for the benefit of our future society." Journal of Church and State

Liberalism and Catholicism are two of the most important forces shaping the contemporary political culture of the United States. This book explores what is at stake as they encounter each other in new contexts today and what a fresh conversation between them promises for the future of American public life. It is based on the conviction that both traditions continue to have much to learn from each other and that both would contribute more constructively to the resolution of the problems facing the nation if they were to do so. It is thus an invitation to the dialogue that could produce such mutual learning, and is a collaborative effort that brings together the work of scholars from a variety of disciplines. Though the book gives particular attention to the United States, it has relevance to debates about the future of liberalism and Catholicism in many other parts of the world.

Preface
Introduction
Part I. Historical Conflicts and Developments: 1. The failed encounter: the Catholic Church and liberalism in the nineteenth century Peter Steinfels
2. American Catholics and liberalism, 1789–1960 Philip Gleason
3. Vatican II and the encounter between Catholicism and liberalism Joseph A. Komonchak
4. Liberalism after the good times: the 'End of History' in historical perspective R. Bruce Douglass
Part II. New Encounters and Theoretical Reconstructions: 5. A communitarian reconstruction of human rights David Hollenbach
6. Catholic social thought, the city, and liberal America Jean Bethke Elshtain
7. The common good and the open society Louis Dupre
8. Catholic classics in American liberal culture David Tracy
Part III. Practices and Institutions: 9. Catholicism and liberal democracy Paul E. Sigmund
10. Feminism, liberalism, and Catholicism Mary C. Segers
11. The family, liberalism, and Catholic social teaching Laura Gellot
12. Rights of persons in the Church James Provost
Afterword: a community of freedom
Index.

Subject Areas: Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholic Church [HRCC7]