Catholicism and Liberalism Contributions to American Public Policy

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.

Liberalism and Catholicism are two of the most important forces shaping the contemporary political culture of the USA. This book explores what is at stake as they encounter each other in new contexts today. This book has relevance to debates about the future of liberalism and Catholicism elsewhere.