Description
Book SynopsisVatican II opened new pathways to engagement with societies shaped by modernity. Its project could be read as an attempt to interpret the stance of the church in relation to the whole project of modernity. The fundamental presumption of this collection of essays is that it is timely, indeed imperative, to keep alive the question of the church''s self-understanding in its journey alongside the complex, often rebellious, always restless mind of the modern world. Cornelius J. Casey and Fáinche Ryan have assembled some of the most prominent commentators on ecclesiastical and social-political engagements from the fields of theology, political philosophy, social theory, and cultural criticism. The contributors present differing perspectives on the role of the church. Some argue that pluralism is here to stay. Others point out that the liberal pluralism of contemporary society is aggressively powered by global corporate consumerism. This book, with its variety of voices, explores these iss
Trade Review
"This is a well-structured anthology of essays that bear effectively on the challenges and limits of pluralism as well as the inevitable tensions of the church's engagement with such social settings. The Church in Pluralist Society is a useful resource for the ways in which Catholic intellectuals grapple with the challenge of living in the midst of the growing incomprehension of a secular world." —David Walsh, Catholic University of America
"The topic of Social and Political Roles of Church in Today's Pluralist Society is of critical, current interest. The work includes an impressive range and reputation from its contributors, as well as a large variety of disciplines and ecclesial contexts. Casey and Ryan's collection could very well be used in a course on contemporary or global Catholicism." —M. Cathleen Kaveny, Boston College
Table of ContentsPreface
1. Church-World and Church-State: The Journey since Vatican II by J. Bryan Hehir
2. Against Pluralism by Terry Eagleton
3. Hegemonic Liberalism and the End of Pluralism by Patrick J. Deneen
4. The Church in a World of Options by Hans Joas
5. The Church’s Place in a Consumer Society: The Hegemony of Optionality by William T. Cavanaugh
6. The Established Church Dilemma by Massimo Faggioli
7. “On Consulting the Faithful in Matters of Doctrine”: The Twenty-First Century by Fáinche Ryan
8. The Secular Is Not Scary by Patrick Riordan, SJ
Epilogue by Cornelius J. Casey
Contributors
Index
