Episcopal Conferences Worldwide and Catholic Social Thought,in Theory and Praxis: An Update

Abstract

The article surveys the work of the world’s episcopal conferences (ECs) on Catholic social thought (CST) over the past 15 years. This updates an earlier study on a century of the ECs’ socioeconomic statements. After noting significant developments around the world, the article focuses on three countries of the Global South, showing a trend toward more social activism and fewer statements. It then argues that those developments not only refine CST but that CST cannot be understood apart from the communities that live it in theory and practice.