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Introductory Concept on Man and Society
Society
The term originates from the Latin word "socius," meaning companion or ally, and "societas," which signifies fellowship, association, alliance, union, or community. It describes the relationships among individuals who are connected through companionship, fellowship, or shared experiences. Moreover, it refers to an organized group of individuals united to pursue a common goal or purpose, whether that be in religious, benevolent, literary, scientific, political, or social contexts.
The Human Person is by Nature a Social Being
Human beings are inherently relational, possessing freedom and responsibility, and they understand the importance of cooperating with others to achieve communion. They are part of diverse societies, including family, civil, and religious communities, and are united by shared principles of unity and the common good.
Gerhand Emmanuel “Gerry” Lenski, Jr
Technology is defined as the information that enables a society or culture to utilize its material resources to fulfill human needs and desires. According to him, technology plays a crucial role in societies' evolution, change, and survival. He emphasized that the advancement of a society is largely determined by the quantity of information it possesses, how it utilizes that information, and the effectiveness of its application, suggesting that greater knowledge leads to increased societal advancement.
TYPES OF SOCIETIES
Hunters and Gatherers
They are nomadic and rely on readily available food and fiber from nature.
TYPES OF SOCIETIES
Horticultural
They are semi-sedentary (Or semi-settled. They engage in small-scale farming and the use of simple hand tools.)
TYPES OF SOCIETIES
Pastoral
They are semi-sedentary, and their livelihood is dependent upon the domestication of animals.
TYPES OF SOCIETIES
Agricultural
They use improved technology like fertilizer and irrigation systems for large-scale farming.
TYPES OF SOCIETIES
Industrial
People are focused on mechanized production of goods and services.
TYPES OF SOCIETIES
Post-industrial
Focused on a system primarily on the processing and controlling information.
TYPES OF SOCIETIES
Postmodern
A society preoccupied with consumer goods and media images.
Understanding Church as a Society
The human person reflects the image of God and embodies the communion found within the Trinity, necessitating the formation of communities with others to thrive in society. The term "ecclesia," derived from the Greek word ἐκκλησία and entering Latin as ecclesia, originally referred to a gathering or assembly, combining the Greek preposition ἐκ, meaning "out of," and καλῶ from καλέω, meaning "to call," thus indicating a calling together for a meeting. Furthermore, the Septuagint used "ekklesia" to translate the Hebrew term qâhâl, which signifies a congregation, assembly, or organized body.
Old Testament
➢ The community of Israel foreshadows the Church. Just as God chooses us to be saved as part of the Church, so too did God call Israel as a nation to be his chosen people as part of his larger plan of salvation.
➢ God’s special relationship with Israel was not just about Israel: it had a deeper meaning for the rest of the world as well. The prophets proclaimed a future when all nations would gather together with Israel in true worship. (See Isaiah 2:25, Micah 4:1-4). The gathering of all nations into one People of God.
New Testament
➢ In the NT, the Church designates the community of Christian disciples who gathered at least weekly for common liturgy and prayer. The word "church" is used 114 times in the NT but only three times in the Gospels (once in Matt 16:18 and twice in Matt 18:17).
➢ In the letters attributed to Paul, the word "church" is used 62 times, most often to denote the local Christian community or clusters of communities (Rom 16:4; 1 Cor 1:2, 14:33; 2 Cor 8:18; Gal 1:2; 1 Thess 1:1), or occasionally to refer to the whole church (Gal 1:13; 1 Cor 12:28) in a universal, cosmic sense (Col 1:24; Eph 5:29).
Synagogue
➢ Gk. συναγωγη (synagoge = "assembly, congregation"; derived from the preposition sun = "with, together" and the verb αγω = "to lead, gather").
➢ In the Septuagint (the Old Testament in Greek), it usually refers to a local assembly of Jews. The word is used 56 times in the NT, mostly in the Gospels and Acts, but also in James 2:24 and Rev 2:9; 3:9.
Temple/Sanctuary
➢ Gk ιερον (hieron = "temple area, holy grounds"; 74x in NT) and ναος (naos = "temple building, sanctuary"; 45x in NT).
➢ Whereas hieron designates the totality of the holy space or "temple precincts", naos refers more specifically to the "sanctuary building" within the temple area in which the deity resides. In the NT, "temple" normally refers to the sacred precincts of Jerusalem.
➢ Paul uses the "Temple of God" as a metaphor for the Christian community, in that the community is the "sanctuary" where the Spirit dwells (1 Cor 3:16-17; 2 Cor 6:16).
People of God
➢ Gk. λαος του θεου (laos tou theou) - God's Chosen or Elect - In the OT, the Hebrews are "chosen" by God to belong to him (Deut 7:6;14:2); thus the descendants of Israel are called the "people of God" (Exod 19:5; Isa 43:20-21; Hos 2:23)
➢ In the NT, Luke uses the term to identify Israel (Luke 2:10, 32; Acts 4:10). Later, it includes both Israel and the Gentiles (Acts 15:14; Rom 9:24). God reconciles Israel to the nations in a common faith in Jesus. Twice, the "People of God" are designated as an εθνος (ethnos), both times implying the Christian community (Matt 21:43; 1 Pet 2:9-10).
Community/Communion
➢ Gk. Κοινωνια (koinonia = "placed in common"), related to Κοινωνευ ("to share") and κοινωνς or "partner"
➢ Koinonia refers to a relationship of fellowship among believers based on participation in Christ (Phil 3:10; 1 Pet 4:13) and sharing common life in the Spirit (2 Cor 13:13; Phil 2:1) by way of baptism (1 Cor 12:13) and the Eucharist (1 Cor 10:16-17). In addition, this communion is demonstrated by sharing goods in common use (Acts 2:44; 4:32; Gal 6:6).
➢ Paul's ministry to support the poor financially in the Jerusalem church is a sign of this communion (Rom 12:13; 15:25).
Saints
➢ Gk agioi (hagioi = "holy ones, those set apart"). In the NT, all Christians are called "saints" (Acts 9:13, 32).
➢ Paul commonly addresses the Christian community as "saints" (Rom 1:7; 12:13; Phil 4:22; 1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1), especially the community in Jerusalem (15:25; 1 Cor 16:1).
➢ The Book of Revelation uses the term for Christian martyrs (17:6), while later, Christian tradition restricts the term to denote outstanding Christians publicly recognized for their exemplary lives.
Body of Christ
➢ Gk swma tou Cristou (soma tou Christou). The "Body of Christ" is a prominent Pauline metaphor for the church (1 Cor 12:12-31), as a community of different members with different gifts and ministries (Rom 12:4-8; 1 Cor 12:4-7) united in the same Spirit by baptism (1 Cor 12:13) and the Eucharist (10:17). Colossians (1:18--2:19) and Ephesians (1:22-23) employ the same metaphor, but add that Christ is the head of the body (Col 2:19; Eph 4:15-16).
The Way
➢ Literally "road, path, journey," it sometimes specifically refers to individuals following Jesus (Mark 10:52; John 14:4-6; Heb 10:20); it is also used as a group designation for early Christians (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 24:22).
Bride of Christ
➢ Eph 5:22-33 (cf. Hos 1-3; Ezek 16, 23) The Church is the bride of Christ, and just as a husband and wife are one flesh, so is the Church holy because of the bridegroom. This is seen in paragraph 824 of the Catechism, which states, “United with Christ, the Church is sanctified by him; through him and with him she becomes sanctifying (Catechism 237).”
Children of Abraham / New Israel / New Jerusalem
➢ Gal 3:29; Rev 3:12; 21:2. Traditional Jewish interpretation, and that of most Christian commentators, define Abraham's descendants as Abraham's seed only through his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob, to the exclusion of Ishmael and Esau. This may, however, reflect an eisegesis or reconstruction of primary verses based on the later biblical emphasis of Jacob's descendants. The promises given to Abraham happened prior to the birth of Isaac and were given to all his offspring, signified through the rite of circumcision.
➢ In the New Testament, the descent and promise are reinterpreted along religious lines. In the Epistle to the Galatians, Paul the Apostle draws attention to the formulation of the promise, avoiding the term "seeds" in the plural (meaning many people), choosing instead "seed," meaning one person, whom he understands to be Jesus (and those united with him).
Mysterium Lunae
Saint Ambrose expresses this nicely by presenting the moon as a metaphor for the Church: “The moon is, in fact, the Church... [she] shines not with her own light, but with the light of Christ. She draws her brightness from the Sun of Justice, and so she can say: ‘It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me’”. (Hexaemeron, IV, 8, 32)
St. Augustine of Hippo
➢ What is this one bread? Is it not the "one body," formed from many? Remember: bread doesn't come from a single grain, but from many. When you received an exorcism, you were "ground." When you were baptized, you were "leavened." When you received the fire of the Holy Spirit, you were "baked." Be what you see; receive what you are. This is what Paul is saying about the bread. So too, what we are to understand about the cup is similar and requires little explanation. In the visible object of bread, many grains are gathered into one just as the faithful (so Scripture says) form "a single heart and mind in God" [Acts 4.32]. And thus it is with the wine. Remember, friends, how wine is made. Individual grapes hang together in a bunch, but the juice from them all is mingled to become a single brew. This is the image chosen by Christ our Lord to show how, at his own table, the mystery of our unity and peace is solemnly consecrated. All who fail to keep the bond of peace after entering this mystery receive not a sacrament that benefits them but an indictment that condemns them.
➢ “There must exist in the world space for God, where he can dwell freely so that the world becomes His ‘Kingdom’. Holiness is something greater than a moral quality. It is the presence of God with men, of men with God; it is God's ‘tent’ pitched amongst men in our midst (cf. Jn 1,14). The church exists to become God's dwelling place in the world to become ‘holiness’”.
Understading of the Church to the Society
➢ A society is a group of persons bound together organically by a principle of unity that goes beyond each one of them. As an assembly that is at once visible and spiritual, a society endures through time. He rightly owes loyalty to the communities of which he is part and respect to those in authority who are in charge of the common good.
➢ Society is a requirement of man‘s nature through exchange, mutual service, and dialogue with others. Through this he develops and responds to his vocation – his love for neighbor and love for God.
PRINCIPLES TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE SOCIETY OR IN FORMING A GROUP OR COMMUNITY
Socialization
It expresses the natural tendency for human beings to associate with one another for the sake of attaining objectives that exceed individual capacities. It develops the qualities of the person, especially the sense of initiative and responsibility, and helps guarantee his rights.
PRINCIPLES TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE SOCIETY OR IN FORMING A GROUP OR COMMUNITY
Principle of Subsidiarity
“A community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case of need and help to coordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society, always with a view to the common good."
Common Good
➢ 1st - Respect for the person as such.
- Fundamental and inalienable rights of the human person.
➢ 2nd - Social well-being and development of the group itself.
- Development is the epitome of all social duties.
➢ 3rd-Peace
- The stability and security of a just order.
THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE COMMON GOOD
1st - Respect for the person as such.
Fundamental and inalienable rights of the human person.
THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE COMMON GOOD
2nd - Social well-being and development of the group itself.
Development is the epitome of all social duties.
THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE COMMON GOOD
3rd - Peace
The stability and security of a just order.
1987 Philippine Constitution Article XIII. Section 23.
The State shall encourage non-governmental, community-based, or sectoral organizations that promote the welfare of the nation.
Civil Code of the Philippines Article 32
The right to become a member of associations or societies for purposes not contrary to law;
ARTICLE XV. THE FAMILY OF THE 1987 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION
Section 1
The State recognizes the Filipino family as the foundation of the nation. Accordingly, it shall strengthen its solidarity and actively promote its total development. The family must be helped and defended by appropriate social measures
ARTICLE XV. THE FAMILY OF THE 1987 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION
Section 2
As an inviolable social institution, marriage is the family's foundation and shall be protected by the State. Where families cannot fulfill their responsibilities, other social bodies have the duty of helping them and supporting the institution of the family. Following the principle of subsidiarity, larger communities should not usurp the family's prerogatives or interfere in its life.
DSWD mandating to take custody of abandoned children
➢ “In response to inquiries on cases of child abandonment, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) stressed that its primary mandate is to intervene on behalf of abandoned children to ensure their welfare and protection. This came at the heels of cases of children being abandoned in public places...
➢ "DSWD can take custody of abandoned children, foundlings." Department of Social Welfare and Development website. March 28, 2018
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