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Charles Christopher Camosy
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Resisting Throwaway Culture: How a Consistent Life Ethic Can Unite a Fractured People Kindle Edition

by Charles Christopher Camosy (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
Winner of the 2020 "Excellence in Publishing Award" from the Association of Catholic Publishers (General Interest category).

This is a book about hope in the midst of a polarized culture. Camosy begins with a hopeful starting point in the midst of a crumbling US political culture: two of every three Americans constitute an “exhausted majority” who reject right/left polarization and are open to alternative viewpoints. Especially at this time of realignment, we have been given a unique moment to put aside the frothy, angsty political debates and think harder about our deepest values.

A Consistent Life Ethic, especially one which embraces Pope Francis’ challenge to resist “throwaway culture”, has the capacity to unite people who for the last several decades imagined themselves in a polarized culture war. On issues ranging from hook-up culture, reproductive technology, abortion, euthanasia, poverty, immigration, treatment of animals, and mass incarceration, this book articulates a new moral vision in which a culture of encounter and hospitality replaces a consumer culture in which the most vulnerable get used and discarded as so much trash.

At bottom, Camosy offers readers a golden opportunity to dialogue about what kinds of values should serve as the foundation for a new political culture.
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  1. Print length
    316 pages
  2. Language
    English
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  4. Publication date
    May 15, 2019
  5. File size
    4.1 MB
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From the Publisher

Catholic book of 2020

Editorial Reviews

Review

I m grateful to Charles Camosy for doing the hard work of trying to hash out what Catholic social teaching looks like in practice in the world as it is today. You don t have to agree with every word in this book to be inspired to do the same. This book is an exercise in moral civic responsibility and an act of love. --Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review

Camosy diagnoses America's current ills better than anyone and offers the most compelling and hopeful way forward of anybody I've read. Unlike a lot of pro-life activists, he doesn't shy away from the most difficult moral issues of our time. Indeed, he embraces them, even as he dismantles modern America's "throwaway culture." I don t always agree with Charlie on everything, but if you're looking for a coherent argument and compassionate worldview delivered by someone with the credentials to reach a sophisticated and cynical world this is the only book of its kind. --Matt Lewis, Senior Columnist at the Daily Beast and CNN Political Commentator

Camosy is a principled. smart, faithful and courageous defender of human life and human dignity. A lot of us talk about the consistent life ethic, but he articulates, demonstrates and practices it. If you want to understand how the throwaway culture challenges both parties, left and right, and every one of us, read this book. --John Carr, Georgetown University

From the Back Cover

On issues ranging from hook-up culture, reproductive technology, abortion, euthanasia, poverty, immigration, treatment of animals, and mass incarceration, this book articulates a new moral vision in which a culture of encounter and hospitality replaces a consumer culture in which the most vulnerable get used and discarded as so much trash. At bottom, Camosy offers readers a golden opportunity to dialogue about what kinds of values should serve as the foundation for a new political culture.

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About the author

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Charles Christopher Camosy

Charles Christopher Camosy

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I grew up in the Midwest (Kenosha, WI), but I'm now a bioethicist and associate professor of theology at Fordham University in New York City.

Especially in light of our polarized national conversations, I'm interested in building conversation, dialogue, and even solidarity between groups which sometimes find it difficult to engage. In particular, I want to show the overlap between 'pro-life conservatives' and 'social justice liberals.' I also work on exchange between people who identify as secular and those who identify as religious.

At the time I update this bio, I'm the author of six books and have written regularly for papers like the New York Times, Washington Post, New York Daily News, New York Post, and more. I write the "Purple Catholicism" column for Religion News Service and serve as a contributor for Crux.

I'm active on Twitter (@ccamosy) and can be reached at ccamosy@gmail.com

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Kristin Collier
    5.0 out of 5 stars what is the 'throwaway culture'?
    Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Professor Charlie Camosy writes this book for all of us concerned with ethical issues of the day - state sponsored violence, immigration, treatment of animals, climate change, euthanasia etc and presents a coherent way of thinking about them under one consistent ethic - namely a 'consistent life ethic.'

    In his usual easy to read, engaging style, he takes on some of the biggest issues of the day and shows us how they are all connected. He shows us how many of our practices are rooted in violence and stem out of an all consuming focus on personal autonomy as the greatest good, a lack of vested relationships, and avoidance of burden sharing.

    He presents the concept of a 'throwaway culture' - where in our modern day consumer driven culture - everything is 'thing-a-fied' and objectified and used as a means to an end, and then discarded when no longer useful or convenient for us. His antidote to this is a 'culture of encounter' whereby we open ourselves to others in a way to engage with them and recognize their inherent dignity. This approach transcends political and or religious affiliation.

    An interesting and effective technique that he uses is that he also presents hypothetical 'counter-arguments' to his arguments at the end of each chapter, in order for the reader to 'on-the-spot' engage more deeply with what they just read.

    I don't say this lightly, but this really is a 'must-read.'
    20 people found this helpful
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  • NMCKat
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for every Catholic who should know what it means to be truly Catholic
    Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2020
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    This is an excellent book; well written and clearly articulates the true moral compass of Catholicism. Sad to say but, in this day and age, those who think of Catholicism as liberal/progressive or conservative, do not have a sound understanding of what it means to be Catholic. Respect for human life and dignity is not boiled down to 1 or 2 issues to the exclusion of all others in the name of being progressive or conservative. The term for such is relativistic which Catholicism is not. CLE is what every Catholic is called to. Nothing less. Thank you, Dr Camosy, for shedding light on and clearly articulating our beliefs and mandates from none other than Christ himself.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Audible Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Vatican 2 Catholic would love this book.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2020
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    Disclaimer: I am a Baptist minister of the Gospel. The book was challenging. I often found myself reading scripture and weighing scripture against scripture to verify tenets purported by the author. The book was a slow read and often felt more like a selection from a seminary syllabus. Many precepts where scriptural based, but several were pure Catholic or Papal iso-Jesus drivel. A Vatican 2 Catholic would love this book.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • S. Sloan
    3.0 out of 5 stars If only I was a conservative Catholic...
    Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2021
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    I understand the thesis and mostly agree with the idea that we shouldn’t be just throwing away stuff, people or any other God-given blessing. Where I differ is that I don’t see this thesis supporting prohibitions on contraception—especially if you want to end abortions. You can’t have it both ways, guys.

    My hope was that the book would offer me practical ways to resist the culture where we just use and discard. However, my copy of the book came in a non-recyclable Amazon mailer. I knew then it was futile.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Christopher C. Healy
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Critical Book for Our Times
    Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Resisting Throwaway Culture is a superb work. It engages you on the issues of culture, ethics and how to live one's life. You don't have to be a religious person to appreciate Camosy's work. His evaluation of America's growing secular culture that dismisses and tries to marginalize Judeo-Christian values isn't a dry polemic. Camosy gets rights into the issues of the day, offers clear insight and engages the reader into taking a position. The book has a steady pace and doesn't lecture, it engages. Anyone who wonders how we can move forward as a generous, loving people should take the time to read this excellent work.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Greg Metzger
    5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling, Inspiring, Thoughtful
    Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2019
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    In this book, Camosy unpacts a lot of the themes of Pope Francis' pontificate and writing and applies them to American life. He looks at the political and cultural implications, and does a wonderful job explaining why Catholics need to be consistent with their promotion of human dignity and life. He offers reflections on a number of different topics. I think the best part of this book is how he crosses political and cultural lines to build a vision for a better society. Yes, this book is for Catholics, but it's also an important read for anyone who wants to see a more just and peaceful world.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Carolina G
    5.0 out of 5 stars excellent boook
    Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2021
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    I have followed this author for some time. This is an excellent book.
    One person found this helpful
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  • MDB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous book that EVERYONE needs to read!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2020
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    Well written! Highly recommended!
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Wilf B
    2.0 out of 5 stars Christian Life Ethics
    Reviewed in Canada on November 3, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    CLE as described by Charles throughout the book echoes a mainstream humanistic woke narrative that is destroying the very foundations of Christian civilization.

    Isolation from our Creator is the root of all evil. Catholic Christians should stick to their core competency - teaching humanity how to connect with their Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. Only those Christian’s who are in a right relationship with their Creator will bring peace on earth.
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