A Conference at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Princeton</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> on April 9, 2010
Civilizing the Economy: A New Way of Understanding Business <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Enterprise</st1:city></st1:place>?
Hosted by the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Princeton</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> Faith & Work Initiative
http://faithandwork.princeton.edu
It is all too seldom that leading religious figures comment on marketplace matters. And when they do, it is rarely front page news. However, Pope Benedict XVI's recent social encyclical on the marketplace (Caritas in Veritate) garnered global media attention. Some of the world's most prominent financial papers and magazines carried stories with such eye-catching headlines as:
- "Vaticanomics: The Holy Father Tackles Globalization" (Wall Street Journal);
- "Pope Calls for a Group to Oversee World Markets" (Wall Street Journal);
- "Pope Censures Capitalism's Ethical Failure" (Financial Times); and
- "New Sins, New Virtues" (The Economist).
Clearly, the Pope's timely encyclical struck a nerve and merits serious reflection by business leaders and religion scholars, Catholic and non-Catholic alike.
In light of this interdisciplinary interest, the Princeton University Faith & Work Initiative is hosting a free conference to consider the practical and theological ramifications of Pope Benedict XVI's recent encyclical on the marketplace, Caritas in Veritate (Love in Truth). We will use the Pope's new teaching as a springboard for a constructive conversation about business, religion, ethics, and the marketplace. The conference, "Civilizing the Economy: <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">A New Way</st1:address></st1:street> of Understanding Business <st1:city w:st="on">Enterprise</st1:city>?" will be held at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Princeton</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> on April 9, 2010.
The design idea of this conference is to gather a mixture of thought leaders from the realms of business and religion, allowing them to engage each other and the audience. We have 17 exceptional speakers, including leading CEOs, economists, B-School deans, theologians, and two Italian scholars who helped the Pope craft his letter. Each person, speaking out of their own area of expertise, will respond to the issues and ideas raised by this relevant and provocative social encyclical. They will assess it in light of their own field and faith tradition, considering other management and religious teachings on work and the economy, and the practical realities of the current global marketplace crisis and unfolding structural changes. This rare combination of leading marketplace practitioners and religion scholars will offer special insights into the practical and theological impact of Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical. To learn more and register, go to: http://faithandwork.princeton.edu/conference.php. Or email me with questions: dwm@princeton.edu.
Thank you,
David W. Miller, PhD
Director, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Princeton</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> Faith & Work Initiative