The Holy See, Social Justice, and International Trade Law

Book excerpt: The Holy See, Social Justice, and International Trade Law: Assessing the Social Mission of the Catholic Church in the GATT-WTO System highlights the uniqueness of the Catholic Church as the foremost institution in the world that can confront issues in world trade that affect the common good. The distinguished author Rev. Dr. Alphonsus Ihuoma provides a superbly broad and deep examination that is both scholarly and practical of the mission of the Catholic Church in the world as one that centers on the temporal and eternal needs of humanity. His discussion treats thoughtfully the mediatory role of the church in world affairs and argues persuasively that the church has been engaged in this role since its very beginning, even before nations embraced organized politics two thousand years ago. This remarkable book is a great tool for any reader seeking to know more about the unique position of the church in world affairs, especially in the GATT-WTO system. The book rightly lauds the churchs achievements in history. But it equally and rightly argues that the church must do more to address present challenges in the world trading system. Readers will be enlightened by the treatment of the failures of the GATT-WTO system in pursing the objectives for which it was established, the churchs efforts to pursue vital related objectives, and the need for her to do more.