THEO46230: Catholic Social Thought and Practice (DL)

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• THEO43930

• To introduce students to the body of texts and the main themes and contours of Catholic Social Thought from 1891-present.
• To enable students to develop a critical literacy in social theologies of the papacy and of regional and national bishops conferences and of key lay theologians and activists during the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.
• To enable students to interpret a range of contemporary social issues through a social theological lens, and develop a competency in analysing such issues in their own voice.

• The end of the 19th century marked the beginning of a significant new tradition of Catholic papal teaching: the social encyclical. This tradition was born out of the end of an era of throne-and-altar Catholic politics and the emergence of the papacy into a world of nascent European nation states and urbanising industrial capitalism. From the loss of territorial powers, the Church crafted a new genre of Catholic theology out of the old: from the patristic, medieval and early modern reflections of theologians and bishops emerged a distinctive canon of social principles and teachings which have shaped key aspects of the modern world we inhabit. These ideas have been at the heart of post-war constitutions, human rights frameworks, reforms to workers rights, resistance and liberation movements, migration norms, and now ecological action. The distinctive theological formation of each papacy has led to important differences of emphasis, controversies of interpretation and wider critique. Often this teaching has also been closely connected with grassroots movements inside and outside the Church, forming a complex web of intellectual and praxis-based influences. This module attempts to map the emergence of key themes, trajectories of thought, principles and propositions within the broad CST field. It explores the encyclicals chronologically and thematically. It relates the development of theory to praxis, where possible, and reads the tradition critically. In addition to the popes, students will encounter the work of Joseph Pieper, Simone Weil, Gustavo Gutierrez, Dorothy Day, Charles Taylor, Ivan Illich, Jacques Maritain, Emmanuel Mounier, John Courtney Murray and others.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Critical understanding of key texts produced within the genre of papal social teaching.
• Critical understanding of thinkers, movements and debates in 19th, 20th and 21st century Catholic social theology.
• Understanding of debated issues of theological method

Subject-specific Skills:

• Skills in understanding and interpreting a range of different kinds of theological, sociological and ecclesial texts
• The ability to treat theological, sociological and ecclesial texts and ideas both fairly and critically
• The ability to articulate and evaluate differences in substance, method and style between theologians
• The ability to develop independent theological arguments

Key Skills:

• Critical evaluation of a developing ecclesial tradition of thought
• An ability to explore a variety of intellectual positions
• Developing and defending nuanced critical arguments
• Written communication skills

• The module is delivered via online learning, divided into 10 units, with specially produced resources and a structured path leading the student through each unit. Resources vary across units but include video and audio content (supported by the provision of transcripts), content-based slides, directed reading, reflective activities, opportunities for self-assessment, and peer-to-peer learning. The central component of work in most units will be the digesting of core teaching via video, audio and slides and completing guided reading of, and reflection on, primary theological texts.
• Optional online synchronous seminars offer an opportunity for students to deepen their engagement with the theological texts and debates in conversation with one another and the tutor.
• Formative assessment is designed to ensure early engagement with tutor and feedback to students, and to enable students to deepen their understanding and critical analysis of key texts and debates through written exploration.
• Tutorials are also designed to ensure early engagement, as well as to strengthen the effectiveness of feedback and build the tutor/student relationship.
• In addition to the two required tutorials, the tutor will provide online office hours on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
• The first summative essay is normally submitted after a student has completed the first 6 units of study, and the second after completion of all units.

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