COMPENDIUM OF THE SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

by the Pontifical for Justice and Peace 

Unique in the history of the Church

An indispensable reference tool

The publication of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church represents the first Vatican release of its kind in the history of the Church. This comprehensive resource contains a complete overview of the Church's doctrine on Catholic social teaching, presented in a simple and straightforward format that makes it accessible to all.

Designed as a companion to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, this exhaustive reference work of more then 500 pages will be of service to all the faithful, Catholics and others, on matters related to the Church's teaching on social morality.

A complete overview of the Church's social teaching
The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church presents in a complete and systematic manner the Church's social teaching. A far-reaching compilation, it covers all the challenging cultural and social issues facing society today, from globalization to homosexual marriage. Topics include: the environment, preventive war, terrorism, the death penalty, immigration, poverty, free markets, human rights, politics, the family, business, workers' rights, private property, and much more.

The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church is organized in three parts. The first part deals with the fundamentals of social doctrine. The second part discusses the various social issues themselves. The third part contains a series of recommendations for the use of social doctrine in the pastoral activity of the Church and in the lives of Christians, above all, the laity.

The work is accompanied by two useful indexes: a complete reference index to Scriptures and documents from the Vatican and other sources, as well as an extensive 168-page analytical index.

A necessary resource for all
Catholics and all who seek the good of humankind will find theCompendium not just useful, but indispensable. It is a must-have resource for leaders of social ministry at the diocesan and parish level, as well as those in religious education, schools, and youth and adult ministry. A reference for family, civil and professional life, it will be useful for Christians and all people of good will in their private and public lives. Accessible to a universal audience, the Compendium is also intended as an instrument for fostering ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.