Call for Publications: Integral Human Development

Pope Benedict XVI’s Caritas in Veritate (2009) was promulgated explicitly in the social encyclical tradition of reflection on the idea of integral human development. It has been a challenge throughout the ages for Christians to adequately and appropriately value the relationship between the material and the spiritual.

Caritas in Veritate understands the necessity of such integral human development as an aspect of Christian obedience: “A vocation is a call that requires a free and responsible answer. Integral human development presupposes the responsible freedom of the individual and of peoples: no structure can guarantee this development over and above human responsibility” (17).

These dynamics between individuals and institutions, freedom and constraint, as well as the relationship between the material and the spiritual, have been the occasion for significant thinking by Christians from a variety of theological and ecclesiastical traditions. The Cape Town Commitment, arising out of the Third Lausanne Congress, included recognition of a failure “to regard work in itself as biblically and intrinsically significant, as we have failed to bring the whole of life under the Lordship of Christ.” It is with this background in view that the Journal of Markets & Morality issues a call for submissions for inclusion in a special theme issue, “Integral Human Development,” to appear in the Spring of 2013 (vol. 16, no. 1). Peter Heslam (University of Cambridge) and Manfred Spieker (Universität Osnabrück) will serve as guest editors for this issue.

Papers are welcome from a variety of disciplinary and theological perspectives. We welcome papers that deal with the implications of social work for evangelism and missions, globalization and trade, aid and international development, the theoretical and practical relationship between material and spiritual realities, enterprise solutions to poverty, business and ministry, social justice and the dignity of the human person, and more. Queries are welcomed, as are submissions by international scholars and graduate students.

Article submissions must be received by December 1, 2012, in order to proceed through the review process in a timely manner. For queries, please e-mail here.

Peter Heslam was also recently interviewed at the EPS website about his work on Kuyper, poverty and entrepreneurship.