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Title: Politics and social justice
Review: What are Cornel West and Jim Wallis doing in a book about Catholic social teaching? Professor West sees the world almost entirely through the prism of race, while Wallis is best known for providing cover for abortion rights politicians with his Sojourners organization. Yet somehow Mich endorses works by both of these partisan figures in his book. There are useful things to learn from Mr. Mich, but the vision of social justice on display in these pages is frequently politicized. (One of the accomplishments cited by Mich is lobbying for a reallocation of funds from a large tobacco settlement toward favored political projects.) That isn't surprising; Mich is employed by the Diocese of Rochester, a redoubt of progressive politics and doctrinal dissent. Readers are advised to seek other resources, and they might consider learning what the Church teaches about social justice. Fr. Rodger Charles'sAn Introduction to Catholic Social Teachingis a good place to start.
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