Shanet, Peter Jacob (2023) “My Peace I Give You” (John 14: 27): Benedict XVI’s Logic of the Gift and Peacebuilding in Catholic Social Teaching. PhD thesis, St. Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth.

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Abstract

This thesis deals with two themes in Catholic Social Teaching: the principle of gratuitousness and peacebuilding. The former is a relatively new articulation in Catholic Social Teaching that relies on the logic of the gift. The latter has and continues to be a global issue. The early scholarly discussion on gift-giving is widely traced to Marcel Mauss (1872-1950). He raised questions that drew the attention of philosophers and sociologists such as Jacques Derrida (1930-2004), Jean-Luc Marion (1946 - ), and René Girard (1923-2015). They advanced the discussion, highlighting opportunities and ambiguities. This thesis argues that Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI writes about the logic of the gift in a positive perspective and situates it within Catholic Social Teaching. The dissertation maintains that rather than Catholic Social Teaching relying on the criteria of law and order guided by reason, the logic of the gift – which is based on the Christian notion of God, creation, the Trinity, and the human person – provides a resource for Catholic models of peacebuilding. It argues that this approach can supplement Basic Human Needs Theory– a significant model in the field of peacebuilding – that aligns with earlier Catholic social thought. The thesis concludes that Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI’s writings on the subject can be a moral framework of encounter that supports theologically informed means to consider peacebuilding models and the practices of those who engage them.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Keywords:	Joseph Ratzinger; Benedict XVI; the gift; gift-giving and receiving; the logic of the gift; peacebuilding; Catholic Social Teaching; and basic human needs;
Academic Unit:	St Patrick's College, Maynooth > Faculty of Theology
Item ID:	19209
Depositing User:	IR eTheses
Date Deposited:	21 Nov 2024 12:37
URI:
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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