The Moral Dynamics of Economic Life

Caritas in veritate (Charity in Truth) is the ''''social'''' encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI one of many papal encyclicals over the last 120 years that address economic life. This volume based on discussions at a symposium co-sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace analyzes the situation of the Church and the theological basis for Benedict''s thinking about the person community and the globalized economy. The Moral Dynamics of Economic Life engages Benedict''s analysis of ''''relation'''' the characteristics of contemporary social and economic relationships and the implications of a relational Trinitarian God for daily human life. Crucial here is the Pope''s notion of ''''reciprocity'''' an economic relationship characterized by help freely given but which forms an expectation that the recipient will ''''reciprocate'''' either to the donor or often to someone else. This ''''logic of gift'''' Benedict argues should influence daily economic life especially within what he calls ''''hybrid'''' firms which make a profit and invest a share of that profit in service to needs outside the firm. Similarly development - whether of an individual or of a nation - must be integral neither simply economic nor personal nor psychological nor spiritual but a comprehensive development that engages all dimensions of a flourishing human life.The essays written by social scientists theologians policy analysts and others engage extend and critique Benedict''s views on these issues as well as his call for deeper dialogue and a morally based transformation of social and economic structures.