As the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales stated in their Common Good document of 1996: “The general purpose of the Church’s social teaching is to contribute to the formation of conscience as a basis for specific action … (this teaching) … is a lived and living tradition” (CG 27).
St Mary’s takes this formation of a “social conscience” seriously, emphasising the special dignity of the human person. As well as the creation of a social conscience in individuals the University stresses through its education the formation of the whole person: mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
In this pillar our colleagues’ research should embrace Catholic values and social justice, sustainability, and both the personal and common good. Colleagues at all levels of academic achievement and across disciplines including philosophical, theological, historical, psychological, sociological, and anthropological methodologies to work in a rich multi- and cross-disciplinary fashion to examine subjects such as:
- Theology and scripture
- Meaning of truth and knowledge
- Bioethics
- Catholic social teaching/faith and society
- Christian spirituality
- Catholic education
- Inter-faith relations, peace, and reconciliation