Up for a “Caritas in Veritate” Reading Group?

Posted on July 8th, 2009 by John Schwenkler

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So … anyone out there interested in reading the new encyclical together, a chapter or two at a time? I should acknowledge right away that I’m no expert on Catholic social teaching (though I did once research and write a long but unsigned encyclopedia article on the topic, and came away with very few sympathies for the standard Novak-Weigel-Neuhaus line), and of course I do have my own biases that I should be better about allowing documents like this one to challenge, but then again remedying such defects would be very much the purpose of the exercise.

What I’d do is post some very general talking points – perhaps on Sunday afternoons? – and then let the discussion unfold in the comments from there. I see six chapters, plus an introduction and a conclusion, which would mean about two months to get through the whole thing if we really took our time. Leave a note in the comments if you’re interested; if enough people are, we can get started on the introduction for this coming weekend.

UPDATE: Okay – I’d call this sufficient interest, so here’s the deal. We’ll read the introduction (that’s secs. 1-9) for this coming weekend, and a chapter a week from then on. I’ll plan to have my notes up by midday (California time, I guess)  each Sunday. Sound good? (The text of the encyclical is here.)

UPDATE 2: Here’s the first installment.

Filed under: religion

32 Responses to “Up for a “Caritas in Veritate” Reading Group?”

  1. JohnMcG, on July 8th, 2009 at 6:48 pm Said:

    I’ll have to find my red and gold markers.

  2. John Schwenkler, on July 8th, 2009 at 6:58 pm Said:

    I’ll have to find my red and gold markers.

    Ha!

    (Does that mean you’re in?)

  3. DDanicic, on July 8th, 2009 at 7:02 pm Said:

    You bet. It’s tough to read in one sitting.

  4. Mike at The Big Stick, on July 8th, 2009 at 7:34 pm Said:

    I’ll give it a try. My cousin Sister Immanuel would have been so proud!

  5. Nathan P. Origer, on July 8th, 2009 at 7:38 pm Said:

    Yes! Yes! Yes!

    I’m working through it right now, in toto. I’m seriously down with a group effort on discussing it, piece by piece.

  6. The Western Confucian, on July 8th, 2009 at 8:14 pm Said:

    I’d like to join in on the discussion. I haven’t gotten past a quick skim of yet.

  7. Thomas O. Meehan, on July 8th, 2009 at 9:50 pm Said:

    I’m game but I wonder if the terminology may throw some of us off. The church uses it’s own rather particular language. This is no reason not to do this. But I do predict that a lot of time will be taken up getting to the bottom of what the Pope means when he says XYZ. On the other hand, we will all know a lot more about it by the end.

  8. Kirt Higdon, on July 9th, 2009 at 4:18 am Said:

    Count me in. What’s the first assignment?

  9. gauche, on July 9th, 2009 at 5:19 am Said:

    Count me in. I want to read it but know I am likely to be distracted without some outside impetus.

  10. Petellius, on July 9th, 2009 at 5:56 am Said:

    I am interested, but I can’t make any promises about my diligence. (I have a lot of other stuff on my plate right now.) But even if my own contribution is minimal, I’d be very interested in reading the comments of others.

  11. John Schwenkler, on July 9th, 2009 at 6:03 am Said:

    Alright, it’s on. Check the update, folks.

  12. Anodos12, on July 9th, 2009 at 6:29 am Said:

    Count me in.

  13. Davey Henreckson, on July 9th, 2009 at 7:10 am Said:

    Are Protestants allowed?

  14. Davey Henreckson, on July 9th, 2009 at 7:12 am Said:

    I should say: I’d leave my theses at home.

  15. John Schwenkler, on July 9th, 2009 at 7:24 am Said:

    Are Protestants allowed?

    Of course!

  16. Thomas O. Meehan, on July 9th, 2009 at 9:49 am Said:

    Having glossed the Encyclical I think my previous skepticism about difficult language may have been over done. The language is pretty straight forward and not difficult to interpret. Let’s do it?

  17. Lewis McCrary, on July 9th, 2009 at 10:40 am Said:

    I’m up for it. Perhaps we should do some kind of Skype conference call.

  18. Is Blog Stipes Est In Latin « Around The Sphere, on July 9th, 2009 at 11:18 am Said:

    [...] John Schwenkler wants to start a reading group. [...]

  19. Tara, on July 9th, 2009 at 12:19 pm Said:

    I’m definitely interested. Thanks for the opportunity!

  20. H.C. Johns, on July 9th, 2009 at 12:55 pm Said:

    Count me in. I’m about 5 pages in myself… This should be excellent.

  21. Reading the New Encyclical « The Other Right, on July 9th, 2009 at 1:02 pm Said:

    [...] 9, 2009 John Schwenkler proposes an excellent idea which may appeal to some of this blog’s readers: So … anyone out there interested in [...]

  22. Arthur Glass, on July 9th, 2009 at 2:40 pm Said:

    The Latin text should be up tomorrow.

    Count this homeless ex-Anglo-Catholic in.

  23. David von Seggern, on July 10th, 2009 at 8:30 am Said:

    I will participate to some extent. I am a fallen-away Catholic, not prone to reading papal encyclicals; but this appears to be one of the most relevant social documents to emanate from the Vatican in a long time. Thanks for taking the lead.

  24. Crunchy Con, on July 10th, 2009 at 9:18 am Said:

    Benedict’s crunchy-con encyclical…

    If you want to read the full 30,000-word text of Pope Benedict’s new (and third) encyclical, Charity in Truth (Caritas in Veritate), go here. But Catholic Culture offers a fine summation of it. Here are excerpts from that precis relevant……

  25. jh, on July 10th, 2009 at 9:28 am Said:

    THis neo Con leaning Catholic will be there. I am excited about this dicument

  26. JFD, on July 10th, 2009 at 12:35 pm Said:

    I’d like to get in on this. I’m new to philosophy/theology. But as a prospective seminarian I’d like to throw my hat into this group.

  27. Br. Matthew Augustine Miller, OP, on July 10th, 2009 at 2:52 pm Said:

    Count me in.

  28. Clare Krishan, on July 10th, 2009 at 6:00 pm Said:

    What a good suggestion, I’m in (as a Grandma, development means what sort of a world am I leaving my granddaughter?)

    ditto Thomas Meehan, “The church uses it’s own rather particular language”

    Perhaps a vocab list as the material is covered (and while there’s already been a wordcloud generated it may be helpful to group terms that are related, for example logic or -ology (as in anthropology,.ecology) crop up consistently (over two dozen times) and indicate a train of thought that has a particular relevance for Christians when viewed as distinct from the predominant secular logical positivist mindset.

  29. Laura L Baylis-Lockett, on July 10th, 2009 at 6:31 pm Said:

    I’m in!

  30. Linda Oppelt, on July 10th, 2009 at 9:23 pm Said:

    I would like to participate too, as much as I am able.

  31. Chris Faddis, on July 11th, 2009 at 10:59 am Said:

    I’m in… thanks for setting this up. I will be reposting your invite to this discussion on my blog as well. Blessings.

    Chris Faddis

  32. Darthe Hues, on July 12th, 2009 at 10:07 am Said:

    I would like to join the group please.

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