The Magisterium and Catholic Social Doctrine

Debates about Catholic social doctrine often revolve around whether a given theory or practice is compatible with the magisterium or not.  There is a scholarly literature on the nature and scope of the magisterium, but little has been written on the magisterium as it pertains to social doctrine. This paper explores what the magisterial documents and scholarship says about the sources, levels, and scope of the magisterium in relation to social doctrine.  The better we understand the magisterium in relation social doctrine, the more charitable and fruitful debate will be.

The presenter, P. Bracy Bersnak is associate professor in the Department of Political Science and Economics at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia.  He received master’s degrees in modern European history and political theory and his Ph.D. in political theory from the Catholic University of America.

The respondent, Dr James Bergida is a Junior Research Fellow of the Hall and an Adjunct Professor of Political Science and Economics at Christendom College.

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