CHRISTIAN LIFE FORMATION: SOCIAL REALITIES AND THE CHURCH SOCIAL TEACHINGS
Catholic Social Teaching: The Development of Social Encyclicals
Nature of the Social Teachings
- The social teaching of the Church is “the precise formulation of the results of a careful reflection on the
complex realities of human life, in society and in the international order, in the light of faith and of the
Church’s tradition.
Sources of Catholic Social Teachings:
1. Revelation (Scripture)
2. Social dimension of the human person. (Human Experience)
WHAT IS AN ENCYCLICAL?
An encyclical is a letter from the Holy Father(Pope),or bishop/bishops that is a “teaching document”.
An exposition of Christian belief and practice
Its audience is every Catholic and all people of good will.
Social Encyclicals deal with social issues!
-family, religious, social, political, technological, recreational and cultural aspects of life.
Background:
- The 18th and 19th centuries were a time of dramatic change in the western world. Numerous scientific
discoveries and applications led to new developments in exploration, navigation, medicine and
manufacturing.
- These development led to the rise of factories, an increase in international commerce, and the growth of
large cities with working class populations. Leading thinkers were proposing new economic and political
systems, such as: capitalism, socialism, communism, etc.
Significant changes:
- Kings and queens were replaced with popularity elected parliaments and congresses.
- Agricultural economies were replaced by manufacturing economies.
- Guilds and craftsmen were replaced with factories employing hundreds of people.
Negative effects:
- In these new workplaces, workers were being overworked, underpaid, and sometimes abused, even beaten.
Pope Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum, 1891
(Of New Things)
Context: Industrial Revolution leads to exploiting workers.
Message:
First comprehensive document of social justice.
Defends workers’ rights based on natural law.
Rights include work, private property, just wage, workers’ associations.
Pius XI, Quadragesimo Anno, 1931
(The Fortieth Year)
Context: Fortieth anniversary of Rerum Novarum; Great Depression underway; dictatorships growing in Europe.
Message:
States need to reform greedy capitalist systems to which they have become slaves.
Communism dangerous because condones violence and abolishes private property.
Workers need just wage to acquire private property.
International economic cooperation urged.
Principle of “subsidiarity” introduced.
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John XXIII, Mater et Magistra, 1961
(Mother and Teacher)
Context: Science and technology advance in developed nations, while millions live in poverty in Third World.
Message:
Disparity between rich and poor nations must be addressed.
Arms race contributes to poverty.
Economic imbalances cause threat to peace.
Rich nations must help poor ones while respecting culture.
Nations are interdependent and need to cooperate.
Catholics should know social teaching and be active.
John XXIII, Pacem in Terris, 1963
(Peace on Earth)
Context: Cold War, erection of Berlin Wall (1961), Cuban Missile Crisis (1962).
Message:
World needs to recognize rights of women.
Arms race goes against justice, reason and human dignity.
Focus on human rights as basis for peace
Calls for disarmament
Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes, 1965
(Church in the Modern World)
Context: Continuing Cold War and arms race.
Message:
Church is not separate from the world, but intimately intertwined with it.
Assesses the rapid cultural changes and technological advances in the light of the Gospel.
Paul VI, Octogesima Adveniens, 1971
(The Coming Eightieth Year)
Context: World verging on recession. In U.S., see civil rights and women’s movements, Vietnam war protests.
Message:
Urbanization has presented problems, especially the “new poor” – cities’ elderly, handicapped and
marginalized.
Discrimination continues based on race, color, sex, religion.
Paul VI, Octogesima Adveniens, 1971
(The Coming Eightieth Year)
Christians called to engage political process to address injustices, applying gospel principles.
Synod of Bishops, Justice in the World, 1971
Context: Political upheavals of 60’s. Increased focus on “liberation” especially in Latin America.
Message:
Structural injustices and oppression must be met by liberation rooted in justice. God is “liberator of the
oppressed.”
Church must speak on behalf of the oppressed, be a witness for justice.
Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi, 1975
(On Evangelization in the Modern World)
Context: Rising atheistic secularism, consumerism, growing consciousness of evil of oppression.
Message:
Evangelization crucial in a de-Christianized world.
Message:
Witness of evangelization should permeate judgment, values, interests, thought, lifestyle.
Evangelization includes challenging injustice and preaching liberation.
John Paul II, Laborem Exercens, 1981
(On Human Work)
Context: Great numbers of people are unemployed, migrant workers exploited. Both capitalist and communist
systems exploiting the worker.
Message:
Work is part of man’s vocation and dignity, participation in God’s creative work. Has spiritual
dimension.
Decent wages, rights and benefits of worker must be assured.
Work must serve the family, with special consideration for working mothers.
Steps must be taken to assure that disabled can participate in dignity of work.
John Paul II, Solicitudo Rei Socialis,1987
(On Social Concern)
Context: World economy in flux – debt, unemployment and recession hitting both rich and poor nations.
Message:
Critiques economic gap between northern and southern hemispheres and global debt. Should be one
united world.
East-West tensions and competition block world cooperation and solidarity.
Critiques consumerism and waste, as well as international trade practices that hurt developing nations.
John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, 1991
(The Hundredth Year)
Context: 100th anniversary of Rerum Novarum. Collapse of communism in Eastern Europe.
Message:
Critiques fundamental error of communism – atheistic view of humanity.
Gives qualified support to free market as most efficient system for utilizing resources and responding to
needs. Free market also recognizes freedom of human person.
Warns against consumerism, as well as making capitalist system an all-encompassing ideology.
John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae, 1995
(The Gospel of Life)
Context: Prevalence of “culture of death” – abortion, euthanasia, death penalty.
Message:
Gives overview of threats to human life both past and present, and brief history of the many Biblical
prohibitions against killing.
Speaks out against abortion, euthanasia and the death penalty.
Calls for a “culture of life” embracing truth, life and love.
Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, 2005
(God is Love)
Context: First Encyclical of Benedict XVI. Comes in the midst of a culture of relativism.
Message:
Encyclical divided into two parts:
Part One: Explains the true meaning of love and shows how human love is raised up, not
destroyed, by divine love.
Part Two: Affirms the Church’s irreplaceable vocation to carry the charity of Christ into a world
in need.
Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate, 2009
(Charity in Truth)
Context: Worldwide economic crisis centered on weakness in financial institutions and the collapse of the
housing market.
Message: True human development requires charity lived out in truth, including respect for the common good,
religious freedom, and the sanctity of human life. Only an economy of communion, a business ethic centered in
persons and not in profit, will be a sufficient response to the present economic and financial crisis.
