U2 Lesson 2 - Nature of the Social Teaching of the Church

Nature of Social Teaching of the Church

Nature of Social Teaching of the Church

The Social Teaching of the Church is fundamental to Christianity, highlighting Jesus as a vital force in societal renewal. His message about the Kingdom of God necessitates the renewal of certain community practices to demonstrate that God's reign is imminent, even though its complete realization cannot be achieved in the present.

The Truth of Faith

The First Christians exemplified true discipleship by continuing Christ's ministry with love, equality, and respect. During the Middle Ages, despite some misconduct within the Church, thinkers like Thomas Aquinas promoted justice and charity. As modern ideologies arose from the Industrial Revolution, the challenge of helping the needy grew, with Capitalism and Socialism often overlooking God's role, worsening poverty and injustice. In response, modern social encyclicals offer Catholic perspectives on human flourishing, addressing insights from these ideologies.

Nature of the Social Teaching

➢ Emphasis on the Human Person as Imago Dei
➢ Celebrates Humanity and our Interconnectedness
➢ Promotion of Justic according to God’s Plan

The Human Person as the Image of God

The Church teaches that every person has inherent dignity, is made in God's image, and can have a relationship with Him. This dignity is central to the Church's social teaching and is inviolable, meaning it can't be compromised. Christ's coming underscores this significance, and the Paschal Mystery emphasizes that the cross symbolizes not just suffering but God's deep love for humanity.

Celebrating our Shared Humanity, Our Human Interconnectedness

Yahweh's covenant with Abraham and Israel is a gift that shows His desire to connect with humanity beyond what they deserve. It represents His promise never to abandon His people. The Decalogue emphasizes loyalty to God and the importance of social relationships within the community. The gifts of freedom, the Promised Land, the covenant at Sinai, and the Ten Commandments are essential for creating a just and fair society in Israel.

Toward a Just and Humane Society according to God’s Plan

God intended the earth and its resources for everyone's benefit, promoting fair sharing guided by justice. The Universal Destination of Goods principle encourages an economic approach based on moral values, reminding us of the true purpose of these goods to foster fairness and solidarity. Everyone has the right to social conditions that support the common good, highlighting the need for equitable access to resources.

Pope Pius XI

‘The distribution of created goods, which, as every discerning person knows, is laboring today under the gravest evils due to the huge disparity between the few exceedingly rich and the unnumbered property less, must be effectively called back to and brought into conformity with the norms of the common good, that is, social justice. This then prompts the Church to call for a more just distribution of the world’s wealth (CSDC 171).

The Paradigm of Love and Justice versus the Way of Violence

Love is the most identifying value of the Church's social teaching. It is what makes us uniquely Christians. It is, in fact, unachievable without grace, but the grace is freely supplied to the willing, which is grace itself.

The Way of Love and Justice

From the Church's viewpoint, love is the highest standard of social ethics and the foundation for values like truth, freedom, and justice. It allows us to see others as friends and empathize with their needs. Love goes beyond justice, building upon it, much like grace builds upon nature. The relationship between love and justice is exemplified in the cross of Christ, which teaches that justice is necessary for love to thrive, and true justice is fulfilled through love.

Summum ius, summa iniuria

A Roman maxim mentioned by Cicero. It is a brilliant, ambiguous saying that can be translated as “extreme justice is the greatest injustice” or "extreme justice is an extreme wrong.

Versus the Way of Violence

The Church calls for a new world order rooted in Christian love and charity, promoting solidarity and brotherhood. This vision seeks the common good for all and extends beyond personal relationships to the wider community. The Church rejects violence, seeing it as a source of more violence and oppression, and believes it undermines human dignity, life, and freedom. True solutions must uphold these values, not destroy them.

Understanding ‘critical collaboration’ with the State

The Church recognizes its autonomy from the State. However, many understand this to mean that the Church should not be involved in political issues or with politicians and public policies. This is not the meaning of the separation of Church and State.

Separation of Church from the State

The principle of separation of Church and State means that the government has no official religion and must treat all religions equally, while the Church should not control the government. This separation arose from historical issues with state-sponsored religions and persecution. The government should protect religious freedom and only intervene when practices threaten public order. The Church also prohibits its ministers from holding public office to maintain unity in a diverse political community. However, the Church can still address social and political issues, encouraging members to make decisions based on their own moral values and conscience.

Cooperation of the Church with the State

The relationship between the Church and State is compared to a bicycle, where both should work together toward the common good and the Kingdom of God. While they are distinct, the Church is encouraged to actively engage in social justice and provide moral guidance on public issues affecting human rights and salvation. Both the Church and government aim to serve humanity, and their cooperation can enhance their effectiveness in achieving the common good.

Paradigms

➢ Way of Love and Justice
➢ Way of Violence
➢ Critical Collaboration with the State
➢ Separation
➢ Cooperation