Contemporary Problems Semester 1 Final

7 Themes of Catholic Social Teaching

1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person

2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation

3. Rights and Responsibilities

4. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

5. The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers

6. Solidarity

7. Care for God's Creation

Subsidiarity

The moral principle that large organizations or governments should not interfere with, or take over, responsibilities that can be administered by individuals and local organizations, but rather should support them, always with a focus on the common good.

Universal Destination of Goods

The principle that the earth and all its goods belong to God, and he intends these goods to provide the things all human beings need to live with dignity.

Marian Spirituality

Devotion to Mary which calls us to follow her example

The Magnificat

The Latin title for the Canticle of Mary in Luke 1:46-55 that begins Magnificat anima me Dominum ("My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord").

- Shows great joy and humility as she acknowledges Gods work in her life and his devout faithfulness to his people

Mary & Jesus as Agents of Liberation

Mary: a symbol of hope and protection; a beacon for the poor and vulnerable; found in many different cultures under many different titles

Jesus: freed us from sin, we venerate the cross on Good Friday in connection to his sacrifice for us; represents for many Christians that you can find comfort and solidarity even when in poverty, oppression, and suffering

Mary in Hispanic & Latinx Culture

Symbol of peace and hope (ex. Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Divine providence, Our Lady of Peace)

Liberation Theology

An activist Catholic religious movement that combines Catholic beliefs with a passion for social justice for the poor.

- Emphasizes liberation from social, economic, and political oppression as an anticipation of ultimate salvation

Commitment to Liberating Action

Seeking with others the freedom needed to live fully without oppression.

Historical & Cultural Context of Liberation Theology in Latin America

- major wealth disparity in Latin America in 1960/1970

- Dirty War: reports of various human rights violations during these wars, military takeovers, and political unrest

El Salvador's Civil War

targeted Jesuits

Controversy over Liberation Theology

-Skepticism and fear towards liberation theology due to belief of Marxist ties

-Today: Gustavo Gutierrez before his passing was one of the closest advisors of Pope Francis

Gustavo Gutierrez

founder of liberation theology

- Dominican Priest

- From Lima, Peru

Oscar Romero

Archbishop of San Salvador also known as the defender of the poor and oppressed in El Salvador. He was assassinated on March 24th as he celebrated mass. He is a canonized saint in the Catholic Church.

Ecumenism

The movement, inspired and led by the Holy Spirit, that seeks the union of all Christian religions and eventually the unity of all peoples throughout the world within the Catholic Church.

Black Liberation Theology

Reading the Bible through the lenses of the black experience of oppression

- emerged out of the history of Black religion and the Black church

- influenced by the civil rights movement and the Black power/consciousness movement (Martin Luther King Jr, and Malcom X)

James Cone

founder of black liberation theology

- Ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME)

Womanist Theology

a religious conceptual framework which reconsiders and revises the traditions, practices, scriptures, and biblical interpretation with a special lens to empower and liberate African American women in America.

Shawn Copeland

founder of womanist theology (woman)

Hagar Connection to Womanist Theology

seen as an example of the suffering that Black women have gone through

The Common Good

good that is collectively shared by a number of people and is beneficial for all members of a given community

- social conditions that allow for all citizens on earth, individuals and families, to meet basic needs

Social Doctrine of the Church

Body of teaching by the Church on economic and social matters including moral judgements and demands for action in favor of those being harmed

(Social) Encyclicals

Teaching documents from the Pope about topics of social justice, human rights, and peace

- On the Condition of Labor

- Peace on Earth

- Care for our Common Home

Pastoral Letters

documents written by the national conference of bishops teaching about social justice

Catechism of the Catholic Church

the teachings of Catholicism and an overview of the beliefs and practices

"Signs of the Times"

expression used by the Second Vatican Council to signify events which invite the contemporary witness of the Church

USCCB

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Sin

any deliberate offense against God in word, deed or desire

- viewed as humanities rejection of God's love for us

- injures human solidarity

3 elements to determine the morality of a human act

1. Object: specific thing the person is choosing to do (the action)

2. The intention of the person doing the action

3. circumstances surrounding the act play secondary role in determining the morality

Cooperating in the Sins of Others

Sin is a personal act. Moreover we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:

- By participating directly and voluntarily in them

- By ordering, advising, praising, or approving them

- By not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so

- By protecting evil-doers

Structures of Sin

Social structures that block justice and fail to protect human life and human rights. They are the result of the personal sin of individuals and in turn lead to personal sins.

Social Structures

The complex pattern of relationships that shape any society. They help to determine how justice is lived out in society.

- Examples of structures that help people or communities (CYO, Fair Trade business practices, local libraries and programming, ect. )

John Paul II on Structures of Sin

1. rooted in personal sin of individuals

2. results in interconnected choices of many people, not just one person

3. root causes are simply selfishness

4. modern society avoids calling such structures sinful, but change is more likely to occur when they are spoken of in ethical terms that challenge individual's morality

Circle of Social Action

awareness: of the social needs of others and social justices

analysis: of the issue and responses

action: to help meet the needs of others and correct injustices

Discernment

listening for God's call in our lives

Works of Charity

actions that provide an immediate response to a person or group who is suffering or in need of the basic necessities for a dignified life

Works of Justice

social action that seeks to convert structures of sin and build structures of greater justice

state

any organized political authority in a specific area; it can refer to city or county governments, or regional and national governments

Civil

related to the state and its citizens

Role of the State

the government should not interfere in private matters but only when it has to take action for the good of society

Role of Citizen

contribute to the material and spiritual good of society in a meaningful way

Role of Economic Institutions in Society

should serve the common good, businesses are about more than creating goods and services

- Human community

- Serving the needs of people

- Help the personal growth of people

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Dollar value of all the goods and services produced in a country in a given year (annually)

- indicator of a nations economic health

- the church calls us to share our wealth with others

Rights of the Church

- the freedom to preach the Gospel and to evangelize (respecting the right of other faiths and religions to do the same)

- the freedom to provide public worship and administer the Sacraments

- the freedom to determine the Church's structure and organization

- the freedom to select, educate, and appoint its ministers

- the freedom to construct religious buildings and to acquire and manage the material goods necessary for the Church's ministry

- the freedom to develop associations for educational, cultural, health care, and other works of charity and justice

3 branches of government

Legislative, Executive, Judicial

Conscientious Objection vs. Civil Disobedience

Conscientious Objection: not every law is just; intentionally breaking a law due to believing it is morally wrong (religiously, ethical, etc.)

Civil Disobedience: public, non-violent refusal to follow the law due to believing it unjust

Reparations

making amends for something they did wrong that caused harm to another person or lead to loss

Restitution

Making things right with another person or people who have been harmed by an injustice, or returning or replacing what was taken or lost

Consistent Life Ethic

protecting the life and dignity of any person or group requires that we protect the life and dignity of all people; life is sacred

Cardinal Joseph Bernardin

Archbishop of Chicago from 1982-1996; described that all threats to human life are related and should be linking to promoting life

Conscience

an inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.

Ways form Conscience

Prayer, learning, reflection, nurturing friendships

Culture of Life

A term used to describe a society that holds all life sacred, from conception to natural death. Such societies build social structures that protect and defend human life in all its stages.

Culture of Death

a term used to describe a society that does not hold human life sacred in all its stages. Such societies create structures of sin that allow human life to be attacked when it is most vulnerable.

Cause of Culture of Death

Misunderstanding of Human Freedom: human freedom is a gift, not an absolute right

Materialism: when at the center of our lives, suffering and sacrifice are things to be avoided

Direct Abortion

Abortion performed by any means to intentionally end a pregnancy and the life of an unborn child

indirect abortion

a situation where the mother needs treatment for a critical illness that indirectly results in the death of her unborn child

Principle of Double Effect

1. original act is either good or morally neutral

2. person committing the act intends that good effect of the act and not the ill effect that results from it either as a mean to the good or an end itself

3. good effect outweighs the bad effect, and the person carrying out the action exercises due diligence to minimize the harm

"it is never immoral to perform good actions for a good end, even if the action also has bad effects"

Voluntary euthanasia

euthanasia performed on a person with his or her permission

Non-voluntary euthanasia

Ending someone's life painlessly when they are unable to ask, but you have good reason for thinking they would want you to do so (usually performed with the consent of another person on behalf of the person, like a medical proxy)

Involuntary euthanasia

Euthanasia performed without a person's consent

Passive euthanasia

the withholding of available treatments, such as life-sustaining devices, allowing the person to die

Active euthanasia

death induced deliberately, as by injecting a lethal dose of a drug

Assisted Suicide

the intentional assistance of any dying or suffering person in taking his or her own life

Gun Violence

Catholic Churches Stance:

USCCB has supported a number or reasonable measures to address the problem of gun violence

- A total ban of assault weapons, which the USCCB supported when the ban passed in 1994 and when Congress failed to renew it in 2004

- Measures the Control on Sale and use of firearms, such as universal background checks for all gun purchases

- Limitation on civilian access to high-capacity weapons and ammunition magazines

- A federal las to criminalize gun trafficking

- Improved access to and increase resources for mental health care and earlier interventions

- Regulations and limitation on the purchasing of handguns

- Measure that make guns safer, such as locks that prevent children and anyone other than the owner from using the gun without person and supervision

- An honest assessment of the toll of violent images and experiences which inundate people particular our youth

The Death Penalty/Capital Punishment

A sentence of punishment by execution, generally now limited to the crime of murder.

Extraordinary means to prolong life

- heart pacemakers

- special breathing apparatuses

- medications whose only use is to prolong life

Ordinary means to prolong life

providing food and water, even through artificial assistance, is considered ordinary care by the Church

- DNR orders are acceptable as resuscitation is considered an extraordinary measure

One

The Church is one:

- professes one Lord

- one faith

- one baptism

- together the collection of communion of all believers in Christ form one body

Holy

- graces received in the Sacraments

- prayer

- holiness does not equal perfection

Challenges and Failings:

- Flawed and sinful members straying from the holy spirit

- The Crusades/violence in the name of God and the Church

- Clergy sex abuse crisis globally

catholic (little c) vs. Catholic (big C)

Big C refers to the Catholic Church as a religion/institution

Little C catholic means universal or general

- the Church is rooted and adaptable, embracing diversity while remaining united in core beliefs

- seeks to value the lives of all humans

Ex. Cultural integration in Liturgy, Common worship and prayer

Apostolic

all Christians are called as missionaries

- spread the message in word and deed

- share the Gospel through our words and actions

- Church continues to be guided by scripture and tradition

Apostle

"one who is sent"

Creed

demonstrates our unity in belief, spoken together at mass

Heresy

denial of Christ's teachings

Schism

rift in unity; often referring to new branches of Christianity forming

Grace

A free and unearned favor from God, infused into our souls at Baptism, that adopts us into God's family and helps us to live as his children.

Communion of Saints

"The communion of saints encompasses not only all believers in Christ, but, according to many scholars, all those of truth and love, in whom the Spirit is at work"

- examples of holiness and the way in which we should live out our life

Universal Call to Holiness

all people are called to be holy

Evangelization

The proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ through words and deed, we are called to lead our culture into the world Christ envisioned

Laity

those who are not ordained

- they are called to live out the Gospel in word and deed (lay people)

Apostolic Succession

leadership traced to St. Peter and the Apostles (followers of Jesus)