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Georgetown University
College of Arts and Sciences
Theology Department

Course Title: God, Power, and Money

Course #: THEO 158-01 Location: Walsh 492 Time: TTH 4:15-5:30 PM Office Hours: and by appt. Office Location: Berkley Center 3307 M Street, Suite 200

Contact: [email protected]

I. Course Description:

Normative discussion about the basic institutional patterns for economic life remains a major point of debate today among both secular and religious groups throughout the world because of economic globalization and the persistence of wide-scale poverty. The desire to address the challenges of economic globalization and the problem of global poverty, as defined by The United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals, is a commitment shared by many within these groups. Although secular and religious organizations often share a common commitment to address the challenges brought about by economic globalization as well as meet the needs of the poor and marginalized, they often differ about the most suitable means to meet this challenge and their needs. The purpose of the course is to examine how religious groups, particularly Christian denominations, have thought about these issues – particularly the problem of eradicating poverty today.
The first part of the course focuses on the teaching aspect of the Christian tradition regarding economic life and its basic institutional structures. The historical survey begins at the end of the nineteenth century at the height of the Industrial Revolution to the rise of economic globalization at the conclusion of the

twentieth. This section addresses several questions including, “What is the vision of

the human person that underwrites a Christian view of economic life? Does this view of the person affect their economic decisions? Finally, how did the Christian tradition wrestle with the benefits and shortcomings of the two dominant economic models of the twentieth century: Capitalism and Marxism?”
The second part of the course focuses on how members of the Christian tradition today seek to meet the economic problems of people living in a globalized economy as well as examining solutions to meet the needs of those who live in

poverty. This section focuses on questions such as, “What does the Christian church

believe about basic institutional economic structures at present? Are these patterns both effective and sustainable toward meeting the needs of those in poverty? Finally, how can members of this faith community work with other faith communities and secular organizations to address the challenges of economic globalization and poverty today?”

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II. Required Texts:

De Soto, Hernando. The Mystery of Capital: Why Capitalism Triumphs in the West and

Fails Everywhere Else. New York: Basic Books, 2003.

Ferguson, Niall. The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World. New York:

Penguin, 2009.

Gutierrez, Gustavo. We Drink from Our Own Wells: The Spiritual Journey of a People.

Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2003.
Hollenbach, David. The Common Good and Christian Ethics. Cambridge, MA:
Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Novak, Michael. The Catholic Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. New York: The Free

Press, 1993.

Yunus, Muhammad. Creating a World without Poverty: Social Business and the

Future of Capitalism. New York: Public Affairs, 2009.

III. Supplementary Texts:

Curran, Charles. “The Changing Anthropological Bases of Catholic Social Ethics.”

The Thomist 45 (1981): 284-318.

de Soto, Hernando. “Listening to the Barking Dogs: Property Law Against Poverty in

the Non-West.” European Journal of Anthropology 41 (2003): 179-185.

Friedman, Thomas. “Today’s Date: 1 E.C.E. Today’s Weather: Hot, Flat, and

Crowded,” in Hot, Flat, and Crowded 2.0. New York, NY: Picador, 2009.

Finn, Daniel. “John Paul II and the Moral Ecology of Markets.” Theological Studies 59

(1998): 662-680.

Fortin, Ernest L. “Sacred and Inviolable”: Rerum Novarum and Natural Rights.”

Theological Studies 53 (1992): 203-233.

Hughson, Thomas. “Public Catholicism: An American Prospect.” Theological Studies

62 (2001): 701-730.

Kingston, William. “Property Rights and the Making of Christendom.” Journal of

Law and Religion 9 (1992): 373-397.

Pope, Stephen J. “Proper and Improper Partiality and the Preferential Option for the

Poor.” Theological Studies 54 (1993): 242-271.

These texts are for additional reading for a given class.

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IV. Films and Videos

1. Is Wal-Mart Good for America?  2004; New York, NY: PBS Frontline, 2004.

2. Ten Trillion and Counting. 2009; New York, NY: PBS Frontline, 2009. 3. The Ascent of Money. 2009; New York, NY: PBS.

4. The Commanding Heights: The Battle for the Global Economy. 2003; New

York, NY: PBS.
5. The Persuaders. 2004; New York, NY: PBS Frontline, 2004. 6. The Power of the Poor. 2009; Philadelphia, PA: The Templeton Foundation,
2009.

 The instructor will show these videos in class.

V. Procedures:

The course consists of a combination of lectures, interactive class discussions, and group exercises.

VI. Requirements:

1. The instructor will take attendance at the beginning of each class. Students will be penalized a plus or minus grade for each absence after two unexcused class absences.
2. Students should participate regularly in class. Each student should be prepared to discuss the major themes covered in the required reading(s) during each class.
3. Assignments, including required readings, exams, and papers are due on the dates specified on the syllabus. The instructor will not grant extra-credit

assignments for the course. The instructor reserves the right to revise the syllabus and the due dates for assignments.

4. The Mid-term exam (3/1/2011) covers major themes examined in the

course up to that point in the semester. The mid-term exam will consist of short answer, multiple choice, true/false, and essay questions.
5. The papers (Paper 1 - 3/1/2011) (Paper 2 - 5/8/11) examine major topics

addressed in class. The papers are due on the assigned dates.   There will be no

extensions! The instructor will place the format for the papers on Blackboard. The instructor will base grades on the content of the papers as well as the consistency of the arguments. Please speak to the instructor well in advance about these assignments because they will require extensive time and research to develop sound arguments.

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VII. Grade Evaluation:



Class Participation (10%) Mid-term exam (20%) Paper one – 6-7 pages (30 %) Paper two – 7-8 pages (40%)

VIII. Grading Scale

Grade AA- B+ BB- C+ C
Percentages
100-95 94-90 89-86 85-81 80-77 76-74 73-72 71-70 69-0
DF

IX. Cheating and Plagiarism:

The instructor will deal with all incidents of cheating and plagiarism as specified by the Georgetown University Honor Code. Please consult the Honor Code regarding questions pertaining to these matters.

X. Blackboard:

Students should consult Blackboard regularly to access the syllabus, pertinent course information, both required and supplementary readings assignments, PowerPoint presentations, and websites necessary for this course.

XI. Course Content:

  • Date Topic
  • Assignment

  • 1/13 Introduction
  • Opening Questions

The Historical Context: Basic Themes of Christian Teaching on Economic Life

1/18 The Historical
Context: The
1. ST II-II, q. 66, arts. 1, 2, 6 2. ST II-II, q. 78, arts. 1-4

3. Rerum novarum # 1-14

Ascent of Money?

4. Ernest L Fortin, “Sacred and Inviolable”: Rerum

Novarum and Natural Rights,” Theological

Studies 53 (1992): 203-233.
5. Ferguson – Chapters 1-2

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Kingston, William. “Property Rights and the Making of Christendom.” Journal of Law and

Religion 9 (1992): 373-397.

The Ascent of Money Episode 1: From Bullion to Bubbles

1/20 The Historical
Context: The

1. Rerum novarum # 20-21, 23-45

2. Ferguson – Chapters 3-4
Ascent of Money:

De Soto, Hernando. “Listening to the Barking

Dogs: Property Law against Poverty in the Non-

West.” European Journal of Anthropology 41

(2003): 179-185.
1/25 Engaging the
Industrial

The Ascent of Money Episode 1: From Bullion to Bubbles

Revolution:

The Ascent of Money Episode 2: The Bonds of

Confronting Marxism and Capitalism

War
40 Years After Rerum Novarum: Quadragesimo Anno

1/27 Social Justice and

The Commanding Heights: Episode One:
The Battle of Ideas

Subsidiarity

1. Quadragesimo Anno # 76-98

2. Novak – Chapters 1 & 3
2/1

2/3
Social Justice and Subsidiarity

Thomas Hughson, “Public Catholicism: An

American Prospect,” Theological Studies 62

(2001): 701-730.

The Mid-Twentieth Century: New Themes and Ideals?

The Dignity of the

1. Gaudium   et spes # 12-22

Human Person, Authentic Human Development

2. Populorum   progressio # 1-32

Charles Curran, “The Changing Anthropological Bases of Catholic Social Ethics,” The Thomist 45

(1981): 284-318.

  • 2/8
  • The Preferential

Option for the Poor
1. Gutierrez – Chapters 1-5

Stephen J. Pope, “Proper and Improper

Partiality and the Preferential Option for the

Poor,” Theological Studies 54 (1993): 242-271.

2/10 The Preferential
Option for the
1. Gutierrez – Chapters 6-10
Poor cont.

The Rise of Economic Globalization: New Challenges and Possibilities

  • 2/15 Social Justice
  • 1. Hollenbach – Chapters 1-4

2. Laborem exercens # 4-16

Revisited and the Dignity of Work
2/17 The Concept of
Solidarity & The
1. Hollenbach – Chapters 5-8

2. Economic Justice for All – # 15, 68-76

Van der Waag

Free Economy

6

3. Centesimus annus # 30-61

 Finn, Daniel. “John Paul II and the Moral

Ecology of Markets.” Theological Studies 59

(1998): 662-680.

The Commanding Heights: Episode Two:
The Agony of Reform

2/22 2/24

  • 3/1
  • 1. Mid-Term Exam

2. Paper 1

Strategies to Alleviate Poverty

  • 3/3
  • The Advent of

Economic

The Commanding Heights: Episode Three:
The New Rules of the Game

Globalization
3/15 The Advent of
Economic

The Commanding Heights: Episode Three:
The New Rules of the Game

Globalization
3/17 Solutions for
Sustainable
1. De Soto – Chapters 1-3

The Power of the Poor

Development
3/22 Solutions for
Sustainable
1. De Soto – Chapters 4-5

The Power of the Poor

Development
3/24 Solutions for
Sustainable
1. De Soto – Chapters 6-7

Development
3/29 Solutions for
Sustainable
1. Yunus – Chapters 1-2
Development
3/31 Solutions for
Sustainable
1. Yunus – Chapters 3-7 2. Ferguson – Chapter 5

The Ascent of Money Episode 3: Risky Business

Development
4/5

4/7
Solutions for Sustainable Development Solutions for Sustainable Development
 Millennium Challenge Corporation Presentation 1. Yunus – Chapters 8-11 2. Ferguson – Chapter 6

The Ascent of Money Episode 4: Planet Finance

1. Friedman, Thomas. “Today’s Date: 1 E.C.E.
Today’s Weather: Hot, Flat, and Crowded,”

Is Wal-Mart Good for America? The Persuaders

4/12 The Challenges of
Economic Globalization
4/14 The Challenges of
Economic Globalization
4/19 The Challenges of

The Persuaders

Van der Waag

Economic

7

Globalization
4/21 The Challenges of
Economic

Ten Trillion and Counting

Globalization
4/26 Closing Remarks 4/28
Paper 2

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