Papal Economics: The Catholic Church on Democratic Capitalism, from Rerum Novarum to Caritas in Veritate (Culture of Enterprise)

Perhaps "capitalism" sounds harsh and insinuates a greed mentality. However, Pope John Paul II who grew up under Communism and Nazism saw the value of the free market. A wonderful book that coordinates with this one is Thomas E. Woods, Jr.'s "The Church and the Market" where he gives an enlightening argument in favor of the free market (over big government policies of the Obama administration) as he point out the the Free Market mirrors Natural Law! Hopefully Pope Francis can read this in Italian or Spanish so that he can explain his prinicples in light of Natural Law and not confuse by the words that he speaks. I pray that the Holy Spirit will shower him with wisdom and prudence as the secular media is ready to pounce on his words and paint him into their secularist world!!! Not so as he reminds that he is a Son of the Church and he will adhere to the dogma and doctrines of the Catholic Faith!

Solid overview of Catholic economic teaching. A voice showing the intersection of faith, culture, and fiscal activity. Recommended for all.

This book gives a broad overview of all other Popes' understanding of economics. Some Popes lean more towards a socialist view of economics, while criticizing socialism. But Pope John Paul II separates ideology from religion and critiques both socialist economics and democratic capitalism, from the standpoint of respecting human dignity. He shows that economics cannot be separated from morality because economics is a human activity. He explains how truth and freedom are related; without truth totalitarian government takes away our freedom.

Fr. Zieba has produced an excellent commentary that summarizes the Papal Encyclicals which have come to define Catholic Social doctrine. It can be dense at times, but overall he communicates the message with clarity. I would recommend this as an intermediate level introduction to Catholic teachings.

fascinating book laying out the Catholic Church's views or a variety of economic issues. Clear and relatively easy to read which is unexpected in anything to do with economics.

Intensely dense, and I went in with low expectations. But so far, Father Zieba has exceeded my expectations. I know somewhere in here has to be a defense of the one mortal sin that democratic capitalism fails at stopping; but I've yet to run into it. In fact, quite the opposite- Chapter 2, while a rousing defense of Private Property, was very careful to state that the right of Private Property is neither absolute nor an end unto itself.Can't wait to get to the Benedict years, and also see what he has to say about Pope Francis.

The book arrived on time and met all of my expectations. I look forward to reading the book. I will rate the book at some point.

Father Zieba goes to great length to show that neither the Catholic Church, Pope John Paul II or other popes have a problem with Capitalism. But the Catholic Church, John Paul II and five other popes in ten classsical encyclicals do have a problem with Free Market Economics. So the whole issue of Father Zieba's book completely misses the point. And if Father ZIeba was better versed in the Economics of his own Dominican brother, St. Thomas Aquinas, he would know why: And if he were more familiar with one of the most articulate spokesman for Aquinas Economics, St.Antoninus of Florence, he would discover more reasons why.Has Father Zieba even read one of the prime sources of a regulated Capitalism. The "Summa Moralis" of his other Dominican brother, St. Antoninus of Florence?If Father ZIeba is hinting, stating or affirming that the Catholic Church in its papal teaching favors a Free Market Economics, as the Acton Institute and Austrian Economics understand it, the statement is false and the book is a fraud. The best evidence of that are the words and teaching of Pope Francis on the subject of Economics.Capitalism is not the issue - Free Market Economics is. The Catholic Church and at least six Popes in ten classical encyclicals have condemned, and Pope Francis continues to condemn, Free Market Econimics, as understood and advocated by the Acton Institute, Austrian Economics, and the most vocal critic of papal social teaching, Father Robett Sirico. Father Zieba's book seems to be just another attempt to reshape Catholic papal Economics to favor a Free Market Economy. In that, it is misleading and deceptive.Father Clifford StevensArchdiocese of Omaha

After nearly a century and a half, the Catholic social teaching has presented an alternative to both the unrestricted and uncontrolled capitalism and totalitarian regimes such as Communist Russia and Nazi Germany. Papal Economics revises the papal encyclicals regarding the major social issues of then and now, from pope Saint Leo XXIII to pope Saint John Paul II.