Description
Book SynopsisDebating God’s Economy is a history of American Catholic economic debates taking place during the generation preceding Vatican II. Prentiss maintains that the tradition is better understood as a debate grounded in a common mythology that provides Catholics with a distinctive vocabulary and touchstone of authority.
Trade Review“This is a skillfully contextualized, intelligent, and empathetic study of the authors, activists, and social scientists on all sides of the debate that rocked the American Catholic Church between the Depression and Vatican II. It raises new and fruitful questions about the nature and workings of the American Catholic community on the eve of Vatican II.”
—D. Campbell Choice
“Prentiss has written a solid and insightful study of the topic that deserves to be incorporated into the history of what has been called ‘the Church’s best-kept secret': Catholic social teaching. . . . The critical distance maintained with the aid of an overall approach from religious studies is on balance a great boon to historical understanding.”
—Paul Misner Catholic Books Review
“This book presents an excellent history, much of it from original sources, of some of the main institutional dialogues or approaches from this time. Those in search of a readable, balanced history of this lively era of American Catholic life could hardly do better than this book.”
—Paul Sullins Journal of Religion
Table of ContentsContents
List of Acronyms
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. The Encyclicals
2. Sanctifying Life on the Land
3. Sanctifying Industrial Labor
4. Sanctifying American Capitalism
5. Catholics and Right-to-Work Laws
6. Industry Councils
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
