The first book to use the Catholic theological tradition to explore the importance of free time, The Fullness of Free Time provides a useful framework for scholars and students of moral theology as well as anyone hoping to make their free time more meaningful.
Ethics / Theology
"Conor M. Kelly provides a way to think about something most consider outsidethe zone of ethics. With a combination of classic sources on leisure and contemporary takes on television, digital media, sports, and travel, Kelly offers both depth and practical wisdom. This accessible book will help readers assess how their own choices about time contribute to their most important relationships and spur them to consider how to challenge structural inequalities that limit others' ability to do the same." --Julie Hanlon Rubio, professor of social ethics, Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University
"The Fullness of Free Time makes an outstanding contribution to Christian ethics. Kelly overturns our understanding of leisure and recreation. Instead of being private goods, Kelly argues that they are for the common good. Instead of for the privileged few, leisure and recreation should include everyone, especially the poor. Most importantly, instead of mindless fun, leisure and recreation offer us a proleptic taste of heaven."--Jason King, professor of theology, Saint Vincent College, and editor of the Journal of Moral Theology
In the work-centric culture of today's world, it is easy to view free time as indulging laziness or extravagance. Conor M. Kelly, however, argues that free time possesses enormous potential for good if exercised in accordance with theological ethics. By examining television, digital media, sports, and travel from the perspective of Catholic solidarity, Kelly demonstrates how individuals can choose new activities or restructure current pursuits to be more relational and socially conscious. The first book to use the Catholic theological tradition to explore the importance of free time, The Fullness of Free Time addresses a crucial topic in the ethics of everyday life, providing a useful framework for scholars and students of moral theology, philosophy, and political theory, as well as anyone hoping to make their recreation and leisure more meaningful.
Conor M. Kelly is an assistant professor of theology at Marquette University. He is a Catholic theological ethicist who works at the intersection of fundamental moral theology and applied ethics. He is the coeditor of Poverty: Responding Like Jesus with Kenneth R. Himes and has published articles in a number of journals, including Theological Studies, the Journal of Moral Theology, Horizons, and the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics.
