Catholic Perspectives on Law course at Oklahoma

This spring I will be teaching a seminar on Catholic Perspectives on Law using Recovering Self-Evident Truths:  Catholic Perspectives on American Law as the primary text.  Supplemental reading will be from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, the Catechism, and a few other Church documents.  The students will also be required to read MOJ, and I have encouraged them to respond to posts and also to pose their difficult questions to the authors and readers of MOJ.

The draft course syllabus is reproduced, and I welcome your comments or suggestions for improving the course.  I also need specific help with the supplemental reading for Class 7 and Class 9.  What Church documents (preferably one’s I can get online) would go well with a section on Contract and Property Law? What Church documents (preferably one’s I can get online) would go well with a section on Criminal Law and/or Professional Ethics?

Class 1 - January 14

• Francis Cardinal George, Foreword in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. xi-xii.

• Michael Scaperlanda and Teresa Collett, Introduction in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 1-14

• Kevin Lee, The Foundations of Catholic Legal Theory:  A Primer in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 15-35.

I.  The Nature of the Human Person

Class 2 – January 28

• Lorenzo Albacete, A Theological Anthropology of the Human Person in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 39-51.

• Benedict Ashley, A Philosophical Anthropology of the Human Person in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 52-65.

• Compendium: ¶¶ 1-6, 13-20, 34-37, 72-78, 105-159.

II The Person in Community

Class 3 – February 4

• Avery Cardinal Dulles, Truth as the Ground for Freedom in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 69-84.

• Catechism, Part III, Chapter One, Articles 2-7:  ¶¶ 1718-1719, 1730-1742, 1749-1756, 1762-1770, 1776-1794, 1803-1829.

Class 4 – February 11

• Robert Vischer, Solidarity, Subsidiarity, and the Consumerist Impetus in American Law in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 85-103.

• Robert Araujo, The Constitution and the Common Good in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 104-127.

• Compendium:  ¶¶ 160-197.

III.  Political and Legal Theory

Class 5 – February 18

• Christopher Wolfe, Why We Should (and Should Not) Be Liberals in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 131-151.

• Robert George, Reason, Freedom, and the Rule of Law in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 152-160.

• Compendium:  ¶¶ 377-427.

IV.  Substantive Areas of Law

Class 6 – February 25

• Thomas Kohler, Labor Law:  “Making Life More Human” – Work and the Social Question in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 163-190.

• Compendium:  ¶¶ 323-376.

Class 7 – March 3

• James Gordley, Contract Law:  A Catholic Approach? in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 191-204.

• Vincent Rougeau, Property Law:  Catholic Social Thought and the New Urbanism in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 205-219.

• Compendium:  ¶¶ 323-376.

Class 8 – March 10

• Amelia Uelmen, Tort Law:  Toward a Trinitarian Theory of Products Liability in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 220-253.

• Gaudium et Spes ¶¶ 1-5, 12-38.

Class 9 – March 24

• Richard Garnett, Criminal Law:  “Everlasting Splendors” – Death-Row Volunteers, Lawyer’s Ethics and Human Dignity in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 254-274.

• Catechism, Part Three, Section Two, Chapter Two, Article 5 ¶¶ 2258-2267.

Class 10 – March 31

• John Coughlin, Family Law:  Natural Law, Marriage, and the Thought of Karol Wojtyla in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 275-291.

• Compendium ¶¶ 209-254.

Class 11 – April 7

• Michael Scaperlanda, Immigration Law:  A Catholic Perspective on Immigration Justice in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 292-316.

• Strangers No Longer:  Together on the Journey of Hope, Pastoral Letter Concerning Migration.

Class 12 – April 14

• Mary Ann Glendon, International Law:  Foundations of Human Rights the Unfinished Business in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 317-332.

• Compendium ¶¶ 433-520.

Class 13 - April 21

• Russell Shaw, Catholics and the Two Cultures in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 333-340.

• Randy Lee, Epilogue in Recovering Self-Evident Truths, pp. 341-348.

• Dignitatis humanae.