{"id":5451,"date":"2009-07-28T06:27:11","date_gmt":"2009-07-28T06:27:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/jesuscreed\/2009\/07\/the-popes-most-recent-encyclic.html"},"modified":"2009-07-28T06:27:11","modified_gmt":"2009-07-28T06:27:11","slug":"the-popes-most-recent-encyclic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/jesuscreed\/2009\/07\/the-popes-most-recent-encyclic.html","title":{"rendered":"The Pope’s Most Recent Encyclical 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Pope.jpg\"<\/span>Once again, Mary Veeneman, professor in theology at North Park University, steps up to guide us into understanding Pope Benedict XVI’s most recent statement. This is a two-part post and tomorrow Mary will explore the significance of this new statement. Today Mary sets the stage by sketching Catholic social vision — and I wish I could point to more of this by evangelical thinkers.<\/p>\n

<\/i>Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclial Caritas in Veritate<\/i> is the latest encyclical that falls under the
\nrubric of Catholic Social Teaching and has been fairly well received in the
\nmainstream media, due to its teaching on economic issues (more on that
\nlater).  <\/span><\/p>\n

Modern Catholic Social
\nTeaching (CST) is made up of a number of encyclicals and other church documents that
\nelucidate the Catholic Church’s teachings on social ethics.  <\/span>Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum<\/i> (1891) is understood as the origin of modern
\nCST.  <\/span>Rerum Novarum <\/i>was written in the midst of labor disputes in various
\nindustrial countries and talks about the importance of a living wage and the
\nright of workers to organize. <\/span><\/p>\n

Question: <\/span>If CST is characterized
\nas a care for life from “womb to tomb” as Firer Hinze argues, what might its
\nimplications be as we think through various issues related to the sanctity of
\nlife and the care for the poor? <\/b><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/span>In the encyclicals that follow, Rerum Novarum<\/i> is reaffirmed and expanded upon with several key
\nthemes emerging (and here I have to give credit and appreciation to one of my
\nprofessors, Dr. Christine Firer Hinze for laying out these themes in such a
\nclear way for me when I was her student). 
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The first and probably most central theme is the dignity of the human
\nperson<\/i>.  <\/span>The entire tradition of
\nCatholic Social Teaching rests on the affirmation that the life and dignity of
\neach and every human being must be upheld and protected.  <\/span>Further, the goal of every social
\nsphere must be human flourishing<\/i>. 
\n<\/span>CST also upholds the common good <\/i>as the aim of the state and of other
\norganizations.  <\/span>This tradition also
\nupholds the dignity of work and the rights of workers<\/i>.  <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

CST understands the right purpose of the
\neconomy as that which provides access, on fair conditions, to reasonable
\ndegrees of material flourishing for all people<\/i>.  <\/span>Further, work is not simply a means to the end of material
\nflourishing.  <\/span>It is also understood
\nas an important way in which one can express his or her creative capacities as
\nwell as a way in which individuals can collaborate to further the common
\ngood.  <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The positions mentioned before then indicate a particular
\nunderstanding of economics.  <\/span>Leo
\nXIII (as well as John Paul II) offered critiques of both Marxism and
\nlaissez-faire capitalism.  <\/span>CST has
\ntended to advocate some kind of capitalism and affirm private ownership, but to
\nunderstand both things in a limited way. 
\n<\/span>CST affirms that the resources of the earth are intended to be enjoyed
\nby all.  <\/span>Private property is
\npermissible in so far as it is able to advance the needs of the community but
\nthe common good limits it. 
\n<\/span>Throughout CST are warnings against greed and directives that the
\npossession of private property must be accompanied by a special concern for the
\npoor and vulnerable.  <\/span>Further,
\nlarge disparities of wealth are considered morally suspect.  <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In addition to these concerns, two key themes that run
\nthroughout CST are solidarity as a central Christian virtue and a preferential
\noption for the poor<\/i>.  <\/span>The argument
\nhere is that the Bible depicts God as taking the side of the most
\nvulnerable.  <\/span>This can be seen
\nespecially in the prophets of the Hebrew Bible and the ministry of Jesus.  <\/span>As a result, groups, institutions,
\nprograms and practices must be evaluated in light of how they affect the
\nvulnerable.  <\/span>Christine Firer Hinze describes
\nthis stance as a consistent ethic that promotes life and the just conditions
\nfor flourishing “from womb to tomb.”<\/i> 
\n<\/span>Solidarity reinforces this as the virtue of seeing our interdependence
\nand living our lives accordingly. 
\n<\/span>Solidarity is a commitment to promote the common good because each
\nindividual is responsible for every other person.  <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This introduction to CST will set the stage for our
\ndiscussion of Caritas in Veritate<\/i>.  <\/span>To initiate that discussion, I want to
\nask one question.  <\/span>If CST is characterized
\nas a care for life from “womb to tomb” as Firer Hinze argues, what might its
\nimplications be as we think through various issues related to the sanctity of
\nlife and the care for the poor?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Once again, Mary Veeneman, professor in theology at North Park University, steps up to guide us into understanding Pope Benedict XVI’s most recent statement. This is a two-part post and tomorrow Mary will explore the significance of this new statement. Today Mary sets the stage by sketching Catholic social vision — and I wish I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-theology"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Pope's Most Recent Encyclical 1 - Jesus Creed<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/jesuscreed\/2009\/07\/the-popes-most-recent-encyclic.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Pope's Most Recent Encyclical 1 - Jesus Creed\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Once again, Mary Veeneman, professor in theology at North Park University, steps up to guide us into understanding Pope Benedict XVI’s most recent statement. 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