Catholic Social Teaching Essay Example for Free

Catholic accessible command Essay* is a body of doctrine developed by the Catholic Church on matters of poverty and wealth, economics, social organization and the role of the state. Its foundations are widely considered to have been laid by Pope Leo XIIIs 1891 encyclical letter Rerum Novarum, which advocated economic Distributism and condemned both(prenominal) Capitalism and Socialism, although its decides can be traced to the writings of Catholic thinkers such as St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine of Hippo, and is also derived from concepts present in the Bible. * The Catholic Social Teaching has two basic characteristics, namely, being permanent and developing.* Permanent-Since the teachings are based on the Gospel, they offer a permanent complex idea to be pursued in the al paths changing historical conditions and authoritys. These teachings can never go out of date in their fundamentals. Examples of these permanent teachings are exemplified in the followers principles 1. Human dignity and Solidarity2. Social justice and Christian love3. Active non-violence and peace4. Preferential option for the poor5. Value of human work6. commonplace destinations of only sounds of the earth7. Stewardship and the integrity of creation8. People empowerment9. Authentic and holistic (integral) human development* Developing-The fundamentals of Church Social Teaching make up the steadily growing collection of the Churchs social principles that must be creatively applied to and renewed in ever changing concrete situations of various events, cultures, and human needs in the historical process. Deeper insights into permanent values develop as the Church reads the signs of the times.* Methods and Sources1. Scripture. The authoritative books which record the Jewish and Christian commences of matinee idols self-disclosure.Scripture reveals who God is and who we are called to be in response to God. Interpretation of Scripture requires attention to historical context an d is outflank d superstar in community.2. Tradition the ways of thinking and living that are handed over (traditio) from one generation to the next an ongoing conversation crossways the ages about our or so important questions. Also the body of theological reflection and the ways of putting this reflection into practice that are handed over (traditio) from one generation to the next. Magisterium official teaching office of church and authoritative voice of tradition. While theologians, activists, and ordinary Catholics make contribute to this body of theological reflection in important ways, a privileged source of Catholic tradition is the magisterium or the official, authoritative teaching office of the church. This official teaching office is exercised by Catholic Bishops, and in particular the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), as well as groups appointed by the Pope. This teaching is expressed in the form of a) papal encyclicalsb) encyclicals of Church Councils (such as Vatican II) o r Synods of Bishops, c) statements by Vatican offices, congregations, and commissions d) Episcopal conferences (regional meetings of Bishops, such as the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in the United States).3. Reason. The natural human capacity to know truth. The way we interpret and comprehend Scripture, Tradition, and experience.* Reason as Natural LawThe preeminent form of reasoning for much of Catholic tradition has been natural law reasoning. To understand Catholic natural law reasoning, one must get inside a whole worldview, culture, and language within Catholic tradition. Natural law holds that Gods intentions are expressed in the order that God built into creation. This order takes the form of natures or intelligible patterns of being. Humans are capable of perspicacious this order by reflecting upon creation. As humans we must first recognize our nature and act according to it so as to fulfill our created nature. For example, humans by nature (or by creation) h ave a built in instinct for self-preservation. Aquinas argues that to use appropriately limited violence in self-defense is good because it is to act according to our God-given nature. (Gods creation is good).* Four Levels of LawSt. Thomas Aquinas defines law is an ordering of reason (ordinatio rationis) or the most important way that reason rules or measures actions. He describes four levels of law a. Eternal Law the brainiac (ratio) of God which orders and governs creation b. Divine Law the explicit revelation of the mind of God in Scripture c. Natural Law the expression of the mind of God in the order that God has built into creation. This order takes the form of natures or patterns of being that humans can know by using their reason to reflect on creation. For example, because humans by nature (or creation) have a built in instinct for self-preservation, limited self-defense is in accord with our God-given nature. See Romans 214-15 d. Human Law human attempts to formulate laws that reflect the natural law.* twain Interpretations of Human NatureThere have been two major strains of interpretation of human nature a) nature as physicalhumans must regard as their biological givenness or the physical order (ex. artificial contraception interferes with the natural order of sexual intercourse whereas the rhythm method respects this order.) b) nature as rationalhumans must act in accord with reason they must seek to discover and fulfill their fullest purpose. Biology does not trump former(a) cues in discovering nature. Instead, we must look to all sources of human wisdom in order to discover how things are meant to be. The pope reasons that the purpose of property is for the good of all creation but a limited right to private property is consistent with human dignity and human wisdom about how well stack take care of common property.4. Experience. Our encounter with the world both past and present. Christian tradition privileges the experience of those at the m argins of societythe poor and the oppressed. In Catholic social thought experience is enriched and expanded by a four step process of interpretation and reflection which I will call the deposeative circle. a. experience insert yourself into a situation, see what is going on, and gather necessary informationb. social analysis What are the structural or root causes of injustices? What are the patterns of action that reinforce these injustices? c. theological reflection What light does faith, especially as expressed in Scripture and Catholic social teaching, shed upon our experience and social analysis? Where is God in this situation and how might we respond to Gods call to us? d. practical planning What are the most faithful, creative, and effective ways of acting upon the first three steps?* How does Catholic tradition use these four sources?1. They serve as checks and balances to each other. Each should inform and complement the other in critical dialogue. 2. Reason informed by fa ith. Reason and faith penetrate each other and form a co-ordinated way of approaching problems. Scripture and Christian Tradition provide the overall story, worldview, and values that serve as the framework for moral reasoning.