Catholic Social Teaching and the "Economy of Francis"

Pope Francis has made a number of statements on economic matters that have led critics to describe him as "left wing" or even "Marxist". The reality is different. This lecture will present Pope Francis's Catholic social teaching and draw out his main concerns. It will be shown that his social teaching does not coincide with any particular school of political or economic thought and relate it to the broader tradition of Christian thinking on economic matters.

Recommended Readings

Anna Rowlands, "Between Jericho and Jerusalem: the challenging vision of Pope Francis' Fratelli Tutti, available at: Between Jericho and Jersualem: the challenging vision of Pope Francis’ Fratelli Tutti - Theos Think Tank - Understanding faith. Enriching society.

Pope Francis, Encyclical Letter on Fraternity and Social Friendship, available at: Fratelli tutti (3 October 2020) | Francis (vatican.va)

Phillip Booth, "Fratelli tutti - the rights and wrongs of private property," available at: Fratelli tutti – the rights and wrongs of private property - Catholic Social Thought

Samuel Gregg, Understanding Pope Francis: Argentina, Economic Failure, and the Teologia del Peublo, available at Understanding Pope Francis: Argentina, Economic Failure, and the Teología del Pueblo (independent.org)