Social Morals / Social Doctrine of Church Flashcards
SOCIAL MORAL THEOLOGY
= The part of Moral Theology that Studies, with the Help of FAITH, the Relationship of the SOCIAL ACTION with the ULTIMATE END of Man.
SOCIETY
= a GROUP OF PERSONS bound together Organically by a PRINCIPLE OF UNITY that goes Beyond each one of them. As an assembly that is at once VISIBLE & SPIRITUAL, a society Endures through time: it Gathers up the Past & Prepares for the Future. Each member must Respect those in Authority who have charge of the Common Good.
CCC 1880
FAMILY
= is the first & vital cell of society; it is the PRINCIPLE OF UNITY that binds a group of persons together in a society; domestic church; school of love
CULTURE
= all the Elements (knowledge, habits, customs & structures) that Configure Social Life that change with geographic distance & the passage of time
Elements of Culture
- Knowledge
- Habits
- Customs
- Structures
MATERIAL Object of Social Doctrine
SOCIAL LIFE
FINALITY of Social Doctrine
SOCIAL ETHICS according to DIVINE DESIGN
AIM and QUALITIES of Principles and Values of Social Life
Aim = Principles and Values Ensure its CONTINUITY as a Science
QUALITIES of Principles and Values of Social Life
= UNIVERSAL and PERMANENT, even if Concrete Application varies with circumstances.
[Therefore] – TRUTHS and PROPOSITIONS that serve as Foundation of System of Belief or Behavior or Chain of Reasoning
PRINCIPLES
(1) Human DIGNITY & root EQUALITY of All Men
(2) Common Good
(3) Universal Destination of Goods & Private Property,
(4) Preferential Option for the Poor
(5) Solidarity
(6) Subsidiarity
(1) HUMAN DIGNITY
1st principle at the heart & soul of the SDC. It constitutes the font of all other principles. Exists from conception to natural death & founded on creation in the image of God. Human dignity roots the fundamental equality of all men.
(2) Common Good (Bene comune):
= the sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups and their individual members relatively thorough and ready access to their own fulfillment.
[GS #29]
(1) It presupposes respect for the person to fullfil his vocation.
(2) It requires the social well-being & development of the group itself. (3) It requires peace & security of a just order.
(3) Universal Destination of Goods (material & immaterial)
The Church says is the 1st principle of all ethical-social ordering; it is not communist, but does insist that good are not pre-selected for a select group.
(3b) Private Property
is NOT an End but a MEANS to live.
This sub-principle Respects the Universal Destination of Goods. The Church has always taught the right to it, Not as an Absolute Right, but Subordinated to the Social Function of Property.
(4) Preferential Option for the Poor
[Pg. ##]
(5) Solidarity
= is UNITY (as of a group or class) which Produces or is Based on Unities of Interests, Objectives, Standards, and Sympathies.
It refers to the ties in a society that bind people together as one. (Wikipedia)
(6) Subsidiarity
POSITIVE Sense:
favors Initiatives of Smaller social groups & persons by means of helping them & creating opportunities for them
NEGATIVE Sense:
does not restrict the autonomous space of the action of smaller social groups & persons whose freedom & Responsibility must not be Supplanted
VALUES in SDC
(1) Truth
(2) Justice
(3) Liberty
(4) Peace
(5) Charity
1) TRUTH
=
No liberty exists without TRUTH: Economic, Social, Juridical, Religious, Cultural, Political
2) JUSTICE
= TO GIVE EACH HIS OWN.
The habit by which one gives to everyone “his own” with Constant & Perennial desire.
It is the Basis for social ordering & its exercise is Necessary to SAFEGUARD HUMAN DIGNITY.
3) LIBERTY / FREEDOM
= dignity of being Master:
a) of One’s own JUDGEMENT
b) having Mastery Over one’s ACTIONS
No liberty exists without TRUTH: Economic, Social, Juridical, Religious, Cultural, Political
Liberty is certain, but not unlimited.
4) PEACE
=
5) CHARITY
=
FORMAL Object of SDC
= Point of View of MISSION of the Church
SUBJECT of SDC
=
[“Autorevolezza”]
[“Ricezzione”]
PERSONAL Ethic
= study of the ACTIONS performed by INDIVIDUAL PERSON by which they are Personally Responsible EVALUATING THEIR CONFORMITY with Good of Human Life taken as a Whole.
Ends = HOLINESS
MATERIAL Object of PERSONAL Ethic
=
FORMAL Object of PERSONAL Ethic
=
POLITICAL Ethic
= study of ACTIONS performed by a SOCIETY as such, that shape the concrete societal organization, Evaluating their CONFORMITY with the COMMON GOOD.
Ends COMMON GOOD
MATERIAL Object of POLITICAL Ethic
=
FORMAL Object of POLITICAL Ethic
=
(3) Areas/Environments/Spheres
1) PERSONAL = Actions of Individuals
2) INSTITUTIONAL = Actions of Institutions that Regulate Society
3) CULTURAL =
FONTS of Social Morals
1) REVELATION
a. Scripture
b. Tradition
c. Magisterium
2) HUMAN REASON
a. Interdisciplinary
b. Philosophy
c. Social Science
Social Morals Font of Human Reason: INTERDISCIPLINARY
1) FAITH more PROFOUND when Embrace all Realities of Human Life, and Bind ULTIMATE MEANING of Social Action and Orient Research to Seek Appropriate Avenues of study.
2) Social Morality CLOSED to Truth of Human Sciences Ultimates becomes FIDEIST System.
Social Morals Font of Human Reason: PHILOSOPHY
1) ANTHROPOLOGY is Necessary to Formulate, Clarify, and Deepen Understanding of diverse concepts developed in Religious and Moral teaching Relative to Social life.
2) Philo. ETHICS to Discover the TRUTH of the GOOD.
3) ANTHRO. and Proper Understanding of METAPHYSICS are Presupposed for Ethical Questions.
4) PHILO. has Critical Function to Face Ideologies and Social Practice CONTRARY TO DIGNITY OF HUMAN PERSON.
5) Vehicle of UNIVERSAL COMMUNICABILITY
Social Morals Font of Human Reason: SOCIAL SCIENCE
1) Important to Elaborate Theological thinking in way ACCESSIBLE to CONCRETE WORLD.
2) Social Morality CLOSED to Truth of Human Sciences Ultimates becomes FIDEIST System.
2b) Leads to PESSIMISTIC ANTHROPOLOGY.
METHODOLOGY of Social Morals
= THEOLOGICAL and Specifically MORAL (SRS 41)
- INDUCTIVE
- DEDUCTIVE
- PRACTICAL
INDUCTIVE Method of Social Morals
=
DEDUCTIVE Method of Social Morals
=
PRACTICAL Method of Social Morals
= Ethics should not only Understand WHY Humans Act, but PURPOSE should Direct Human Action TOWARD THE GOOD.
2) Must AVOID the Separation of MORAL LIFE from REALITY of FAITH
3 Levels of Teaching Social Morals
- FOUNDATIONAL Level =
- DIRECTIVE (guiding) Level =
- DELIBERATIVE Level =
FOUNDATIONAL Level of Teaching Social Morals
=
DIRECTIVE (Guiding) Level of Teaching Social Morals
=
DELIBERATIVE Level of Teaching Social Morals
=
CONTINUITY and RENEWAL in Social Doctrine of Church
CONTINUITY = Universal Truth that derives from Revelation and Human Nature
RENEWAL = Knowing more Deeply the Truth about Man. Historic Being.
3 Basic Consequences/Needs of RELATIONSHIP between Personal and Political Ethic
1) for State to Establish that BEHAVIOR Must be FORBIDDEN/PUNISHED, NOT enough to prove Ethically Neg. on Personal Level. State MUST Demonstrate Action ACTUALLY CONTRARY to the COMMON GOOD.
2) Political Society is Ordered to the Good the Person, THEREFORE Political Ethics have Relative DEPENDENCE on Personal Ethics.
3) Political Ethics should address in CONCRETE TERMS the Problems of the Common Political Good
