The paper attempts to provide a basis for exploring the continued relevance of Catholic social teaching to business ethics, byinterpreting the historic development of a Catholic work ethic and the traditions of Catholic social teaching in light of contemporary discussions of economic globalization, notably those of Robert Reich and Peter Drucker. The paper argues that the Catholic work ethic and the Church’s tradition of social teaching has evolved dynamically in response to the structural changes involved in the history of modern (...) economic development, and thus is well poised to speak to the ethical challenges implicit in the advent of a knowledge-based society. In order to test this thesis, the author sketches an approach to the ethical challenge of corporate downsizing that he believes illustrates the continued relevance of Catholic social teaching to business ethics. (shrink)

v. 1. Religion and the powers of the common life -- v. 2. The spirit and the modern authorities -- v. 3. Christ and the dominions of civilization -- v. 4. Globalization and grace.

Against those who hold that human rights find an adequate grounding in secular conceptions of human dignity, the author argues that the foundations of human rights claims are essentially theological. Against those who represent religion as the opponent of human rights, the author argues that though some religious communities have violated human rights, these violations can be seen as the culpable failures of sinful cultures and pagan or secular forces as much as the expressions of a critically held faith. Reason (...) converges with some religious orientations to form theology, and theology provides the key resources by which we can judge the bad faith of religious communities and provide the moral architecture for civilization --including the convictions expressed in human rights discourse. (shrink)

After critiquing those views of ethics which sharply segregate moral reflection from both social theory and from theological concerns, this paper argues that in dealing with the problem of justification for basic moral stances, an appeal to the "holy" is required. The key debates at this level of moral discourse, thus, are not whether theological matters are involved but how the "holy" is identified or "located." This problem attends both religious and nonreligious views, and inevitably leads ethics to apologetics. Since (...) this is the problem, the question is what the major alternatives are for locating the "holy." The middle part of the paper thus focuses on a "map" whereby we can discern the major options. Finally, the implications of the map are traced out so that its utility in both descriptive and in prescriptive dimensions of moral discourse can be seen. Theological concerns are intrinsic and not extrinsic to ethics. (shrink)

Theological statements and sermons which attempt to spell out contemporary economic applications of biblical texts all too often strike those who study modern economic institutions or policies as journalistic, ideological, or simply misinformed.