Interrupting Capitalism: Catholic Social Thought and the Economy

In the decade since the financial crisis of 2008, governments around the world have struggled to develop strategies to stabilize precarious markets, encourage growth, and combat mounting wealth inequality. In the United States, the recovery from that crisis has exacerbated the fears of the working and middle classes and pitted those classes against the wealthy. Although we participate every day in economic life as workers, consumers, employers, or activists, we often experience the economy as a mysterious force that we cannot control, or fully understand. Matthew Shadle argues that Catholics ought to be able to draw on their faith to help navigate and make sense of economic life, but too often the effort to get ahead or just stay afloat drowns out faith's appeal. Interrupting Capitalism proposes a new strategy for Christian economic discipleship. Rather than engage the two theological poles of continuity and rupture, Christians should interrupt capitalism: neither whole-heartedly endorsing global capitalism nor seeking to dismantle it. This means "breaking into" the economy, embracing those aspects that enhance human well-being while transforming the market in a spirit of solidarity. Shadle argues that all three of the dominant theological approaches dealing with economic life-the progressive, neoconservative, and liberationist-are theologies of continuity. A fourth approach, a communitarian one, he believes, can best embody the strategy of interrupting capitalism. The Catholic tradition, including its tradition of social teaching, provides a cultural structure that, along with their own social context, conditions how Catholics think about and engage in economic activity. Drawing on the resources of the tradition, theologians reflect on this activity, giving it a theoretical justification and offering correctives. Both the experience of Catholics engaged in economic activity and the work of theologians feed into new articulations of Catholic social teaching. This teaching structure furthers economic activity and intellectual reflection on it. In offering an overview of Catholic thought since the Second World War, Shadle breaks the book into two "cycles" of this process, beginning with the experience of Catholics in Western Europe at mid-century, moving to Latin America and the United States in the 1970s and 80s, and then concluding with the phenomenon of globalization.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements Chapter One: Interrupting Capitalism Chapter Two: Three Theses for a Catholic Vision of Economic Life Chapter Three: Reconstructing Europe's Economy Chapter Four: Social Catholicism and Christian Democracy Chapter Five: Modern Catholic Social Thought: Maritain and Chenu Chapter Six: The Aggiornamento Framework Chapter Seven: The Aggiornamento Framework's Economic Vision Chapter Eight: Liberation Theology in Latin America Chapter Nine: Liberation Theology and Social Analysis Chapter Ten: American Social Catholicism and the U.S. Economy Chapter Eleven: Progressive Catholicism in the United States Chapter Twelve: Neoconservative Catholicism in the United States Chapter Thirteen: The Early Teaching of John Paul II Chapter Fourteen: John Paul II's Centesimus Annus Chapter Fifteen: Globalization and Benedict XVI's Caritas in Veritate Chapter Sixteen: Catholic Social Thought in an Age of Austerity Conclusion: Pope Francis Bibliography

About the Author :
Matthew A. Shadle is Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Studies, Marymount University.

Review :
"The broad vision developed here sheds much new light on social values relating to the dynamics of government intervention in market economies, social provision, and balanced economic development. The reader comes away with new resources with which to challenge market fundamentalists and adherents to laissez-faire approaches in our unsustainable consumer-driven society." -- Thomas S. Massaro, SJ, Theological Studies "The fair-minded, insightful accounts of the positions of others are exemplary throughout the text. Shadle's constructive position presents a challenge to most others in the field. It's quite likely that whatever your view of these issues, his work will helpfully call your position into question." -- Daniel Finn, Commonweal "Shadle (Marymount Univ.) argues against two extremes-fully upholding capitalism or dismantling it-and instead calls for interrupting capitalism by retaining aspects of it that contribute to the common good while challenging aspects that diminish human flourishing. To do this, he sets this conversation within the breadth of Catholic social thought, considering Jacques Maritain and Marie-Dominique Chenu, Vatican II, liberation theology, American Catholicism, John Paul II, and globalization. In considering these thinkers, movements, and circumstances together, the author exposes the reader to the entire scope of Catholic social thought and avoids the all-too-common temptation to privilege some aspects of Catholic social thought over others. Shadle makes clear that all elements of Catholic social thought must be considered when seeking to offer a theological approach to and account of the economy. This comprehensive treatment is well suited to broad audience." -- CHOICE "Matthew A. Shadle's book sets an exceptionally learned benchmark for a comprehensive treatment of modern Catholic social thought, especially its treatment of economic life... It should be required reading for all Catholic social ethicists, as well as for those outside the field who want to understand what contributions it might make to contemporary economics. It is the kind of book that I will have ready on my shelf for consultation for decades to come. And it surely sets up Shadle for a further book developing his alternative vision." --David Cloutier, Reading Religion "This lucid volume offers a cogent and persuasive analysis of post-World War II modern Catholic social thought's treatment of economy and economics. Shadle's historically-informed presentations of key issues and texts, judicious engagement with theological-ethical and social-scientific literatures, and constructive interpretive proposals make this an illuminating and valuable contribution. Recommended reading!"--Christine Firer Hinze, author of Glass Ceilings and Dirt Floors: Women, Work, and the Global Economy "Shadle's truly helpful book challenges tired and narrow debates of whether the Church is 'for' or 'against' capitalism with a nuanced look at the concrete intellectual, political, cultural, and policy contexts in which the Church's modern social teaching has developed-from Leo XIII and postwar Social Democracy to Liberation Theology and American Neocons. By taking history seriously, this book opens the possibility of a richer debate about how to move forward. "--Vincent Miller, author of Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in a Consumer Culture