midterm Flashcards
First cell of society
- family
- where young people first encounter god and learn moral virtues
- families face chalangesmand are dysfunctional
Solidarity
-Human beings are social creatures and interdependent with one another.
IThis interdependence is “a system determining relationships in the contemporary world, in its economic, cultural, political and religious elements, and accepted as a moral category.”
-The correlative response is solidarity: “a moral and social attitude” and a “virtue.”
-This does not imply “a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people, both near and far” but rather…
“-a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good” [of all of creation
The common good
“The sum total of those conditions of social living whereby [people] are enabled more fully and more readily to achieve their own perfection
This good is common because only together as a community, and not simply as isolated individuals, is it possible to enjoy, achieve, and spread this good. All people are obligated to work towards making the common good a greater and greater reality.
The common good, in other words, is not simply what people happen to want, but what would be authentically good for people, the social conditions that enable human flourishing.
4 sources of CST
- Scripture
- Tradition (Magisterium is the official teaching office of of the Churchs tradition)
- Reason (the way we interpret and understand the other 3, its the natural human capacity to know truth)
- Experience (our encounter with the world both past and present)
Tertulliams question
“what has jerouselum to say to Athens”
-How to be a citizen and a disciple?
-How to participate in the Church and the world and wrestle with the apparent conflicts between them?
-Where does our ultimate loyalty lie?
-To the State, the Church, the Bible, God, oneself?
-Obedience to authority vs. freedom of conscience
-nothing to say = total separation of church and state
-Two goals of the Church in its relationship to the state:
Freedom to pursue its own mission
As much harmony as possible between its values and civil laws
Participation Signs of the times
- As members of society, we share both blessings and burdens.
- Participation is the right and duty of each person and of the government as agents of the common good.
- Every member of society ought to think about future generations and make significant contributions that will broadly benefit all.
- Anything that prevents political, cultural or economic participation counts as a serious offence against human rights and personal freedom.
- Democratic activity is vital in order to develop a healthy society, which is why the government is the privileged agent of the common good.
Signs of the times
- Our challenge is “to interpret contemporary events in light of the Gospel
- “The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Jesus they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, ‘When it is evening, you say, “It will be fair weather, for the sky is red. And in the morning, “It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.” You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.”
- To help us: Popes, bishops and other church leaders have written numerous major documents that address social, political, economic and cultural issues.
The Magisterium
- Made up of Papal encyclicals, Statements of, Vatican offices and Episcopal conferences
- have formal teaching authority
- the authentic teaching of the church
Social encyclicals
- Each new social encyclical attempts to address the challenges of new events on the world stage, and build on already existing challenges and teachings.
- Pope Leo XIII’s letter Rerum Novarum (1891) was the first modern social encyclical. It is both revolutionary & reactionary.It defends workers’ rights and a family wage.It does not have a modern understanding of human rights or equality between people.
- It is helpful to know when the encyclicals were written, in what context, and the major concerns they are addressing (cf. pp47-48), as the encyclicals themselves are very general. This is because their message is intended to be timeless and universally, though carefully, sensitively and locally applied.
Charity vs SJ QUESTION A
-new model of the church advocates systematical change aka socal justice. Charity is more random acts of kindness, less structure.
-justice- to give to each what is due
-bible-Massaro 63-65:
Justice is the standard by which the benefits and penalties of living in society are distributed.
Its foundation is in the being of God, who is not simply one who rewards the good and punishes the bad (legal justice) but is concerned with social justice.
Rather than being neutral and impartial, “the God who sees” defends those who need to be defended:
-historically the church favored charity haves and haves not, present day its more dual affect of both
Natural Law Philosophy
-The essential characteristics of human beings are the ability and freedom to reason and choose to do good and shun evil.
-Because of our fallen nature, doing good is not always easy nor effortless.
-Sin can both confuse us and undermine our resolve.
-Yet, by acting according to our true nature and assisted by God’s grace:
Individuals can live morally good lives.
Societies can establish and maintain just social structures.
-This is neither pessimism (stressing the evil) nor optimism (anticipating utopias), but realism:
-When open to God’s grace and standards, with proper motivation and wisely selected policies, communities can play a part in building God’s Reign on earth.
-ex. The natural desire to live in peace supports the general rules of social order.
Pastoral, Hermeneutical circle QUESTION E
Action - Experience - Judgment
See: Experience: take a careful look at the situation (hermeneutics of suspicion).
Judge: Social analysis and theological reflection: make an accurate judgment about what is going on and how best to respond.
Act: Pastoral planning: chart a course of action based upon what one has learned
Celebrate victories and analyze defeats in order to begin again.
Churches role in participation in society, goal and limits of participation, delicate balance between church and state. QUESTION B
- Why- Each seen as a force for good, Moral and spiritual consultation, Overlapping areas of concern
- Goals and limits- goals to provide ideals, methods such as institutions on how to live out suggested values, limits-Direct attempts to control social order by wielding political power or making laws in name of one’s religion Jerusalem can advise Athens but not rob Athens of its legitimate political authority.
- delicate balance - The RCC supports involvement in secular affairs, not apathy.Social Justice is just one aspect of the Church’s mission. It is not to be reduced to it, the last two popes insisted, in the wake of liberation theology.
- why should individuals participate in society -The state is God’s gift to ensure order, well-being and peace.
Biblical foundations for CST in terms of human rights and dignity, how church applies it to moral issues today. How church has upheld and violated it. How was church able to evolve. QUESTION D
Biblical foundations- Jesus of Nazareth:The dignity of the human being above the law.Paul of Tarsus:
The gospel of freedom.
Human rights and dignity- We are created in the Imago Dei (created by god in gods name and image) Therefore Dignity and sanctity of every human life. Our inherent worth and unalienable dignity are not diminished with age or with sin.
Issues today- Catholics oppose slavery, exploitation, birth control, abortion, euthanasia because of the value of human life.
Violated- slavery, it was in the bible, and simply tradition during the times.
Evolve- The Scriptures are not a detailed rule book.
Look to Bible for values, goals, understanding of reality…Even firm moral laws must be interpreted on multiple levels in order to apply them to our contemporary situation.
Social sin , structural injustice
Sinfulness of the society in which the person is born and how a persons sinfulness is influenced by her society. Result of humaties sinful choices, which don’t reflect the kingdom of god. Structural evil.
