Property

Property is an institution fundamental to civilization. What is a Christian perspective on the subject? Is the Catholic Church a stalwart defender of private property or a proponent of common ownership? The answers to these questions are not always simple and straightforward. In these pages, Professor Wolfgang Grassl examines Scripture, the Church’s social tradition, philosophy, and economics to arrive at a balanced and informed presentation of Christian social thought’s view of property, one that shatters conventional categories of thinking on property. His findings are relevant to a wide variety of policy questions, including eminent domain and copyright and patent law, as well as practical matters such as business management.