Church Ethics and Its Organizational Context

Learning from the Sex Abuse Scandal in the Catholic Church

Contributions by John P. Beal, Francis J. Butler, Patricia M. Y. Chang, Daniel R. Coquillette, Michele Dillon University of New Hampshire; coauthor of American Catholics in Transition, Kimberly D. Elsbach, Richard R. Gaillardetz, Richard M. Gula, S.S., C R. Hinings, James F. Keenan, SJ Boston College, Paul Lakeland Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., Michael K. Mauws, Judith A.McMorrow, Richard P. Nielson, James M. O'Toole, James E. Post, Denise M. Rousseau Edited by Jean M. Bartunek, Mary Ann Hinsdale, IHM, James F. Keenan, SJ Boston College

Publication date:

10 November 2005

Length of book:

224 pages

Publisher

Sheed & Ward

Dimensions:

234x176mm
7x9"

ISBN-13: 9780742532472

Church Ethics and Its Organizational Context is the first book to provide a broadly interdisciplinary approach to understanding the leadership crisis in the Catholic Church in the wake of the sex abuse scandal and how it was handled. Well-known scholars, religious clergy, and laymen in the trenches of church formation and leadership come together from the disciplines of organizational behavior, theology, sociology, history, and law, to foster the creation of a new code of ethics that is both ecclesial and professional. Touching on issues of governance, authority, accountability, and transparency, this volume goes on to specifically explore whether and how professional ethics can shape the identity and actions of Church leaders, ministers, and their congregations. While evoked by the sex scandal in the Church, the essays in this book raise questions that have implications far beyond this current issue, to much broader issues such as the role of professionalism in ethics and what it means for an organization to engage in moral action.

Chapter 1 Introduction
Part 2 Part I. New Ways of Understanding the Crisis
Part 3 Section 1: The Crisis and the Scandal
Chapter 4 Understanding the Crisis in the Church
Chapter 5 The Sexual Abuse Scandal as Social Drama
Part 6 Section 2: The Context of the Church in the United States
Chapter 7 The Six Stages of Catholicism in America
Chapter 8 The Struggle to Preserve Religious Capital: A Sociological Perspective on the Catholic Church in the United States
Part 9 Section 3. The Church and Leadership: Perspectives on Reform
Chapter 10 Ecclesiological Perspectives on Church Reform
Chapter 11 Looking Good vs. Being Good: Pitfalls of Maintaining Perceptions of Strong Leadership Following Organizational Scandals
Part 12 Part II. Ethics, Organizations, and Church Culture
Part 13 Section 1: Framing Professional Relationships in the Church
Chapter 14 Toward an Ecclesial Professional Ethics
Chapter 15 Renewing the Psychological Contracts of the Clergy and Laity
Part 16 Section 2: Organizational Perspectives on Morality and Ethics
Chapter 17 Organizational Morality
Chapter 18 Ethics Codes, Intervention and Corruption Reform Methods for Ecclesial Professionals
Part 19 Section 3: Proposing an Ethical Code?
Chapter 20 A Professional Code of Ethics Reflecting the Nature of a Christian Vocation and an Understanding of Leadership in the Church
Chapter 21 A Professional Code of Ethics?
Part 22 Section 4: Civil and Canonical Cautions
Chapter 23 Toward an Ecclesiastical Professional Ethic: Lessons from the Legal Profession
Chapter 24 "Turning Pro:" Theologico-Canonical Hurdles on the Way to a Professional Ethic for Church Leaders
Part 25 Section 5: Reflections on an Ethical Church Culture
Chapter 26 Reflections on Ethics Organizations, and Church Culture
Chapter 27 An Ethical Church Culture
Part 28 Biographical Sketches

This book should be required reading for all members of all churches, and especially for all church leaders or anyone in a particular office or role in the church. The interdisciplinary essays in this book never lose their clear and solid focus on ethical guidelines for the internal life of the church and its external mission. We have here, therefore, a remarkable new set of insights into church relationships and roles, and a significantly new understanding of the church itself. Moral responsibility is finally brought together in very specific ways with profound faith and accountable service. The result holds great promise for new life in the multiple concrete situations of every church.