Universalism and Liberation: Italian Catholic Culture and the Idea of International Community 1963-1978 [KADOC Studies on Religion, Culture, and Society, Vol. 20]

• Published in: The Catholic Historical Review 2018-09, Vol.104 (4), p.723-724
• Main Author: Faggioli, Massimo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 20th century; Catholicism; Culture; Interest groups; International relations; Late Modern European; Political organizations; Politics; Terminology; Universalism; World War II
• ISSN: 0008-8080; 1534-0708

The introduction frames the broad historical context, the terminology, the periodization: the focus is the pontificate of Paul VI, and the case chosen to explore the importance of the idea of international community is Italian Catholicism and specifically the social and political organizations of Italian Catholics. The analysis is based on primary and archival sources and focuses on the convergence between the political elites of the party (especially Amintore Fanfani, Giulio Andreotti, Mariano Rumor, and Aldo Moro) and the Catholic culture of "new universalism" in a careful balance with the demands of Cold War geopolitics, of the new European community, and the geographical position of Italy, in the Mediterranean and very close to the Middle East. The final chapter expands on the political culture of internationalism in the vast world of Italian Catholic organizations-such as labor organizations (Associazioni Cristiane Lavoratori Italiani), cultural publications (journals like Testimonianze), and new ecclesial movements of the laity (such as Communion and Liberation and the Community of Sant'Egidio).