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An Introduction to Catholic Social Teaching
Fr. Rodger Charles, S.J. This work distills Fr. Rodger Charles' extensive knowledge of the social teaching of the Catholic Church into an introductory outline of its principles. It has been written especially for use as preliminary reading material for those studying the Church's teaching in this area, but will also serve equally well as a general introduction to the ethics of decision making in the civic, political, and economic spheres of human society. The social teaching of the Church usually refers to modern documents, but there is social teaching in the Scriptures, and this teaching has developed within the tradition of the Church. Charles gives an overview of the evolution of social teachings. He quotes liberally from Church social documents, and adds an introduction and commentary to each section of this book. Fr. Rodger Charles has admirably succeeded in presenting the
- GenresReligion
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 31, 2000
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February 13, 2023
A HELPFUL OVERVIEW OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGS
Rodger Charles (a Jesuit, who has taught at Oxford, London, and San Francisco) wrote in the Preface to this 1999 book, “The purpose of this book is to open up the social teaching of the Church to a wider audience… ‘The social teaching of the Church’ as a phrase usually refers to the modern corpus, but there is social teaching within the Scriptures, and this teaching has developed within the Tradition of the Church… Most of the moder corpus consists of social ‘encyclicals’ (circular letters) written by the popes since Leo XII (1878-1903)… These documents are all basically moral and spiritual tracts or extended homilies… The Church[‘s] … competence is in giving guidance on the moral and spiritual consequences of the decision and policies made in these spheres [sociology, politics, economics]. She has the right to give us such guidance because these consequences affect the good of mankind, mad in God’s image and likeness… the Church is not politically partisan; her teaching is not a party program… She has always had and always will have a preferential option for the poor… the poor being those who suffer hardship and injustice from whatever cause… Such people are not to be seen as a proletariat, but as sons and daughters of God, all of whom must have access to a decent livelihood.”
He explains, “The family is the most important and basic of human societies, and it is founded on the sexual love between man and woman from which love new human life is born… Parents are to decide how many children they should have… Where children cannot be born of a marriage, however, married love remains a good… sex is for marriage only… Any other form of sexual act between persons is excluded by this law… For those who are not married, this means total abstinence from free sexual acts. For those who are married it means … both the unitive and procreative aspects of the sexual act must be preserves in each and every act… many Catholics today reject this … constant teaching… but objective evil it remains.” (Pg. 19-20)
He states, “There are some rights which must be guaranteed at laws, the right to life being the most obvious one. It is a commentary on the morality of the secular liberalism which now rules our society that this right is no longer guaranteed---because of abortion on demand and the increasing pressure to make what is euphemistically called ‘euthanasia’ legal.” (Pg. 29)
He quotes, “The option or love of preference for the poor is an option or special form of primacy in the exercise of Christian charity to which the Tradition of the Church bears witness.” [Sollicitudo Reo Socialis, 42](Pg. 35)
He says, “civil society, according to the Christian understanding of man’s development, must be based on personal moral responsibility, fostered by the right values and founded on the eternal, revealed and natural laws, and through a healthy family life which fosters those values… So political society emerges… to secure the common good, the good of each and the good of all.” (Pg. 42)
He clarifies, “Since the excessive influence of Catholic states on Papal conclaves and national Churches had eventually been eliminated from the early twentieth century, the Gelasian theory of the relationship between State and Church could also be reaffirmed authoritatively and applied effectively. So it was that the second Vatican Council could confidently reaffirm both the Church’s ancient belief in popular sovereignty and her own freedom in dealing with the political authorities, they respecting its autonomy and the Church respecting that of the secular order.” (Pg. 52)
He states, “Marx saw the excesses of liberal capitalism as justification for, and indeed making scientifically predictable and inevitable, the class war and the destruction of the state… But the Church rejected this on the grounds that it was only through private initiative that the increase in wealth, which would satisfy the needs of the poor, could be created. She also rejected that labor and capital are opposed.” (Pg. 63)
He asserts, “The question of the world’s population, resources and environment has become a central concern nationally and internationally since the 1960s… [Thomas Malthus] advanced the famous proposition that population increased in geometric proportion, and productivity in arithmetical proportion… But the picture was by no means as grim as all that. For… the period 1960-1990… although the population of the developing countries increased by two billon persons, world food production exceeded the rise in population by about 20 %... These figures do not encourage complacency… primary health care and safe drinking water, show the great extent of deprivation… But the overall picture…will keep away the temptation of thinking that mankind is incapable of doing anything to improve matters.” (Pg. 87-88)
He summarizes, “these principles are general. How do we apply them in particular? First of all, the responsibilities of the clergy and the laity in this respect are different. Members of the Church’s hierarchy do not have any direct authority over secular society… This is the task of the laity… While it is true that… the Church has become directly involved in secular affairs… this involvement did not benefit the Church, but ultimately corrupted her. It is for this very reason that she is so wary today of any direct involvement of her clerics in the power structures of the secular world… The Catholic citizen involved in his society must regard the traditions of his country and of the social group to which he belongs as part of a valuable inheritance… Christians must show loyalty to them in general, by patriotism … They should use the guidance of the social teaching of the Church to try to serve society better.” (Pg. 93-94)
He concludes, “Success in the social apostolate can only come to those who are prepared to discipline themselves so as to live their lives in accordance with eternal and unchanging moral principles; such a discipline produces a generous spirit of self-sacrifice which enables people to win the love and trust of those with whom they are working for the good of society. It is this approach … that will enable Christians to confront the many social problems of the age we live in, and of the ages yet to come; to confront them and win.” (Pg. 99)
This book (which contains numerous quotations from papal encyclicals) will be of interest to Catholics seeking a brief overview.
Rodger Charles (a Jesuit, who has taught at Oxford, London, and San Francisco) wrote in the Preface to this 1999 book, “The purpose of this book is to open up the social teaching of the Church to a wider audience… ‘The social teaching of the Church’ as a phrase usually refers to the modern corpus, but there is social teaching within the Scriptures, and this teaching has developed within the Tradition of the Church… Most of the moder corpus consists of social ‘encyclicals’ (circular letters) written by the popes since Leo XII (1878-1903)… These documents are all basically moral and spiritual tracts or extended homilies… The Church[‘s] … competence is in giving guidance on the moral and spiritual consequences of the decision and policies made in these spheres [sociology, politics, economics]. She has the right to give us such guidance because these consequences affect the good of mankind, mad in God’s image and likeness… the Church is not politically partisan; her teaching is not a party program… She has always had and always will have a preferential option for the poor… the poor being those who suffer hardship and injustice from whatever cause… Such people are not to be seen as a proletariat, but as sons and daughters of God, all of whom must have access to a decent livelihood.”
He explains, “The family is the most important and basic of human societies, and it is founded on the sexual love between man and woman from which love new human life is born… Parents are to decide how many children they should have… Where children cannot be born of a marriage, however, married love remains a good… sex is for marriage only… Any other form of sexual act between persons is excluded by this law… For those who are not married, this means total abstinence from free sexual acts. For those who are married it means … both the unitive and procreative aspects of the sexual act must be preserves in each and every act… many Catholics today reject this … constant teaching… but objective evil it remains.” (Pg. 19-20)
He states, “There are some rights which must be guaranteed at laws, the right to life being the most obvious one. It is a commentary on the morality of the secular liberalism which now rules our society that this right is no longer guaranteed---because of abortion on demand and the increasing pressure to make what is euphemistically called ‘euthanasia’ legal.” (Pg. 29)
He quotes, “The option or love of preference for the poor is an option or special form of primacy in the exercise of Christian charity to which the Tradition of the Church bears witness.” [Sollicitudo Reo Socialis, 42](Pg. 35)
He says, “civil society, according to the Christian understanding of man’s development, must be based on personal moral responsibility, fostered by the right values and founded on the eternal, revealed and natural laws, and through a healthy family life which fosters those values… So political society emerges… to secure the common good, the good of each and the good of all.” (Pg. 42)
He clarifies, “Since the excessive influence of Catholic states on Papal conclaves and national Churches had eventually been eliminated from the early twentieth century, the Gelasian theory of the relationship between State and Church could also be reaffirmed authoritatively and applied effectively. So it was that the second Vatican Council could confidently reaffirm both the Church’s ancient belief in popular sovereignty and her own freedom in dealing with the political authorities, they respecting its autonomy and the Church respecting that of the secular order.” (Pg. 52)
He states, “Marx saw the excesses of liberal capitalism as justification for, and indeed making scientifically predictable and inevitable, the class war and the destruction of the state… But the Church rejected this on the grounds that it was only through private initiative that the increase in wealth, which would satisfy the needs of the poor, could be created. She also rejected that labor and capital are opposed.” (Pg. 63)
He asserts, “The question of the world’s population, resources and environment has become a central concern nationally and internationally since the 1960s… [Thomas Malthus] advanced the famous proposition that population increased in geometric proportion, and productivity in arithmetical proportion… But the picture was by no means as grim as all that. For… the period 1960-1990… although the population of the developing countries increased by two billon persons, world food production exceeded the rise in population by about 20 %... These figures do not encourage complacency… primary health care and safe drinking water, show the great extent of deprivation… But the overall picture…will keep away the temptation of thinking that mankind is incapable of doing anything to improve matters.” (Pg. 87-88)
He summarizes, “these principles are general. How do we apply them in particular? First of all, the responsibilities of the clergy and the laity in this respect are different. Members of the Church’s hierarchy do not have any direct authority over secular society… This is the task of the laity… While it is true that… the Church has become directly involved in secular affairs… this involvement did not benefit the Church, but ultimately corrupted her. It is for this very reason that she is so wary today of any direct involvement of her clerics in the power structures of the secular world… The Catholic citizen involved in his society must regard the traditions of his country and of the social group to which he belongs as part of a valuable inheritance… Christians must show loyalty to them in general, by patriotism … They should use the guidance of the social teaching of the Church to try to serve society better.” (Pg. 93-94)
He concludes, “Success in the social apostolate can only come to those who are prepared to discipline themselves so as to live their lives in accordance with eternal and unchanging moral principles; such a discipline produces a generous spirit of self-sacrifice which enables people to win the love and trust of those with whom they are working for the good of society. It is this approach … that will enable Christians to confront the many social problems of the age we live in, and of the ages yet to come; to confront them and win.” (Pg. 99)
This book (which contains numerous quotations from papal encyclicals) will be of interest to Catholics seeking a brief overview.
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