Santa Clara University

David DeCosse, Ph.D.

Lecturer (Academic Quarter)

In addition to teaching, David DeCosse is the Director of Campus Ethics Programs at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara. A graduate of Harvard, David earned an M.A. in Journalism at Columbia University before earning an M.A. in Theology at Fordham University and a Ph.D. in Theological Ethics at Boston College.
 

Courses

  Courses taught at Santa Clara University
      TESP 163 Christianity and Politics
      TESP 159 Ethics of War and Peace
      
  

Research

Research Interests & Publications

Articles in Academic Journals and Book Chapters

“Freedom of the Press and Catholic Social Thought: Reflections on the Sexual Abuse Scandal in the Catholic Church in the United States,” Theological Studies 68.4 (December 2007): 865-899

“Authority, Lies, and War: Democracy and the Development of Just War Theory,” Theological Studies 67.2 (June 2006): 378-394. Reprinted in Credereoggi, “Theology in North America,” n. 164 (March-April 2008)

“Rahner’s Ethics and the Pacific Rim,” in Rahner Beyond Rahner: A Great Theologian Encounters the Pacific Rim, ed. Paul G. Crowley, S.J. (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2005): 133-35.

“Authority, Democracy, and the Iraq War,” Heythrop Journal 45:2 (April 2004): 227-233

“Beyond Law and Economics: Theological Ethics and the Regulatory Takings Debate" Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review 23 (1996): 829-849.

Books Edited

But Was It Just? Reflections on the Morality of the

Persian Gulf War ed. and intro. David E. DeCosse (New York: Doubleday, 1992). Edited essays by Michael Walzer, George Weigel, Jean Bethke Elshtain, Stanley Hauerwas, Sari Nusseibeh, and the editors of La Civilta Cattolica.

The Lonely Man of Faith by Joseph B. Soloveitchik (New York: Doubleday, 1992). Classic essay of Modern Orthodox Judaism brought to first-time publication as a book.

Lead Us Not Into Temptation: Catholic Priests and the Sexual Abuse of Children by Jason Berry (New York: Doubleday, 1992). First major work of investigative reporting on the sexual abuse crisis within the Catholic Church.

Conscience, Consensus, and the Development of Doctrine by Cardinal John Henry Newman. With commentary and notes by James Gaffney (New York: Image Books, 1992. Included in one volume Newman's An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, On Consulting the Faithful in Matters of Doctrine,and the "Letter to the Duke of Norfolk."

Essays

“Can Citizenship Be Earned?” America, Vol. 199, No. 11, October 13, 2008: 10-12 (NOTE: I was the principal drafter of this essay on behalf of a group of immigration experts gathered by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics)

“Can Morality Change? An Unprecedented International Conference Examines Ethics in the Church,” Santa Clara Magazine, Spring 2007; available at http://www.scu.edu/scm/spring2007/afterwords.cfm

“Commentary: War and the Perfection of Lying,” Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, posted March 23, 2007, available at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week1030/exclusive.html

“Time for a Unifying National Debate on the War on Terror,” San Francisco Chronicle, September 8, 2006: B11

“Dialogue and Democracy: The Political Community and the Compendium [of the Social Doctrine of the Church],” America March 27, 2006: 18-20.

“Immigration: Should the Rules Change?” Essay presented on November 10, 2005, at Ethics Outlook event sponsored by Markkula Center for Applied Ethics; available at http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/ethicsoutlook/2005/immigration-rules.html

“What Are Environmental Ethics? A Short Course – With Lesson Plans – for Beginners,” with Keith Warner, posted in October 2005 on Web site of Markkula Center for Applied Ethics; available at http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/environmental_ethics/homepage.html

“Responsibility and the ‘War on Terror,’” Essay presented on November 18, 2004, at Ethics Outlook event sponsored by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics; available at http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/ethicsoutlook/2004/war-responsibility.html

“Totaling Up: It Was an Unjust War,” San Jose Mercury News May 16, 2003. Revised and reprinted as “Moral Clarity in War is a Challenge to Discern” in Santa Clara Magazine Winter 2003.

“American Catholic Church Earthquake Ripples Worldwide,” Pacific News Service, July 16, 2002; available at http://news.pacificnews.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=696

“The Common Good Matters” San Jose Mercury News October 9, 1998: Opinion Page. Revised and Reprinted in The Boston Globe, November 15, 1998: Opinion Page.

“‘Taking’ Property and the Common Good,” America July 15, 1995: 10-12.

Position Paper on Roman Catholic Social Teaching and Pending Congressional Takings Legislation. Submitted on March 27, 1995, to Walter Grazer, Manager, Environmental Justice Program of the United States Catholic Conference

“Anti-condom ads fall way short of Christian ideals,” The New York Daily News [with Margaret Hyre] July 8, 1994: Opinion Page.

“Labor Law Reform,” America February 5, 1994: 22-23 and 37.

“The Catholic Case for Inclusion,” America May 8, 1993: 15-16.

“‘I know the beauty of our Lord by it,’” Review Essay on Gerard Manley Hopkins, The Catholic Worker December 1992: 4.

“A Shameful Denial of Free Speech,” The Philadelphia Inquirer October 7, 1992: Opinion Page. Reprinted as "Pro-life Liberal Silenced Again," The Cleveland Plain Dealer October 13, 1992: Opinion Page.

“Let Us Now Praise a Famous Book,” Review Essay on Let Us Now Praise Famous Men by James Agee and Walker Evans, America December 28, 1991: 490-491.

Activities

Professional Memberships

  * Society of Christian Ethics

  * Catholic Theological Society of America