Catholic Social Teaching
What is Catholic Social Teaching?
Church teaching that examines human society in the light of the Gospel and Church Tradition
A call to society to be transformed so people might experience God’s goodness
A call for transformation that requires change
More about Catholic Social Teaching
CST is
A call to let God’s love shape their world (Kingdom of God)
A call rooted in the mission of Jesus Christ
A mission of compassion in the world
And Even More!
CST is a bridge applying Scripture and Tradition to the modern world
CST guides Christians as they carry on Jesus’ mission in the world
Changes in the 18th and 19th Centuries Affecting CST
New developments in science and its applications
The rise of factories, international commerce, and cities of working-class populations led to a whole new set of social problems
Consideration of new economic and political terms:
Capitalism
Socialism
Communism
Democracy
Fascism
Other World Changes Affecting CST
Fewer kings and queens to more parliaments and congresses
Less agriculture, more manufacturing
Fewer craftspeople, more factory workers
The church responded by applying God’s eternal moral truth to these new social changes
The Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching
The US Catholic bishops identified seven important themes of Catholic Social Teaching
The themes do not stand alone but are woven together to support and complement one another
1. The Life and Dignity of the Human Person
This is the first and most fundamental principle of CST
All human beings have dignity because they are loved by God and made in this image
Nothing can take away the fundamental dignity of any person, not even their own destructive actions
Christians are called to be for human life