UNIT SIX The Church is Servant

6.1 The Social Doctrine of the Church

The Church Acts “God’s place on earth is everywhere on earth”

Called To Be A Servant Last Supper Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. When he had finished he instructed them to go and do the same for others. All Christians must do the same. Christians cannot be the body of Christ on earth, if power is chosen over service

Gaudium et Spes Second Vatican Council document One of the most serious mistakes made by Catholics today is found in the difference between what they say and how they live from day to day. Service is an intrinsic part of faith

Veritatis Splendor Pope John Paul II’s letter Following Christ must shape us at the very core of our being “Being a follower of Christ means becoming conformed to him who became a servant” A servant must surrender power so as to empower others

The Church’s Mission to Serve The Church is the primary instrument of God’s grace on earth Grace to: Serve others out of genuine love Surrender one’s own power for the benefit of another The Church is called to serve

The Church has a mission to… Care for the downtrodden Make Christ known by reaching out in his name to those in need Judge political, economic and social matters When the fundamental rights of the person or the salvation of souls requires it

The Permanent Moral Code Of The Church Begins with the Decalogue (10 commandments) The social doctrine of the Church grows out of the Church’s understanding of the seventh and tenth commandments We cannot be in union with God if we fail to recognize and respect the rights and property of others

All people deserve to be treated with respect The Church can only be true to its covenant with God if it embraces the commandments and works to see that none are deprived against their will of the things which God has given to them The Church as a whole will never abandon the poor

Social Doctrine Body of Church teachings which relate to our economic and political interactions within the world Identifies the demands of peace and justice Grows out of the Church’s understanding of the seventh and tenth commandments

Subsidiarity Principle of Catholic social doctrine which says that no community of higher order (such as a national or state government) should do what can be done equally well or better by a community of lower order (such as a family or local community)

Common good Sum of social conditions which allow people either as groups or as individuals, to teach their fulfillment more fully and more easily

Key Church Documents on social issues from the 19th and 20th centuries Rerum Novarum (The Condition of Labor) Quadragesimo Anno (Reconstruction of the Social Order) Mater et Magistra (Christianity and Social Progress) Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth)

Key Church Documents on social issues from the 19th and 20th centuries Gaudium et Spes (The Church in the Modern World) Populorum Progression (The Development of Peoples) Octogesima Adveniens (A Call to Action) Justice in the World Laborem Exercens (On Human Work)

Key Church Documents on social issues from the 19th and 20th centuries Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (On Social Concern) Centesimus Annus (On the Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum) Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions

Basic Principles Of Service Veritatis Spledor, Pope John Paul II Simplicity of acting morally Called to abandon ourselves to Jesus Allow ourselves to be “transformed by his grace” Must begin with prayer, trust and a willingness to abandon our quest for power and control

Basic Principles Of Service HUMAN DIGNITY SOLIDARITY THE UNIVERSAL DESTINATION OF GOODS SUBSIDIARITY THE COMMON GOOD

Human Dignity Respect for the dignity of every human being is foremost among Church’s social doctrine Human beings have been created in the image and likeness of God They hold a unique place in all of creation Only creatures on earth God has willed for own sake

Human Dignity Human beings are the only earthly creatures who are able to know and love God their Creator; Humans alone have been invited to enter into a covenant relationship with their Creator No matter what a person does or what is done to a person, his or her dignity can never be lost, taken away or destroyed

Human Dignity The human person is sinful, but also righteous Pope John Paul II criticized both socialism and capitalism

SOCIALISM CAPITALISM Flawed political system because it does not show proper respect for human dignity Flawed and undermines human dignity in another way People are seen only as elements in the social organism and are no longer autonomous subjects with free choice and a unique responsibility for choosing between good and evil Human beings often become alienated from one another. Competition to succeed becomes so important that people are unable or unwilling to give of themselves in order to establish true communities

Solidarity A genuine concern for the well-being of other people

Capitalist Societies Individuals become means to some other end rather than ends in themselves Seen as valuable and important because of what they can produce rather than because of who they are

Human work holds high value Work is an expression of human dignity Through work, human beings are able to join with God in the shaping of the world Through work we develop our gifts and talents and become the people that God created us to be We join in the redemptive work of Christ turning the world from death to life

Right to work Basic human right People must work in a way that will give them an opportunity to develop their talents and their personalities even as they do the work

The Universal Destination of Goods All people have a right to use the riches of the earth to provide for themselves and their families. Private property is acceptable. Nonetheless, the right to private property is secondary to the universal destination of goods.

The Universal Destination of Goods Giving from one’s surplus to help others survive is not a demonstration of Christ-like service It is the fulfillment of a basic obligation Christ-like service demands far more, including a sharing from our sustenance as we work for a world in which the wealth of the earth is distributed evenly

The Universal Destination of Goods Reminder that human beings were not created to live in isolation or to be saved in isolation Both our physical and our spiritual well-being are linked to he well-being of others We believe that if one member of the body suffers, all are suffering

The Common Good Everyone should promote the common good Interdependence is a fundamental part of human nature Depends on three things Requires respect for individuals and individual well-being Requires social well-being and the development of communities Depends on peace, stability, and good order

The Common Good Each person has a responsibility to promote the common good to the extent that he or she is able

Solidarity Genuine friendship and care between individuals both within and across particular economic and social groups Means accepting the needs and hopes of another as one’s own needs and hopes Opposite is destructive competition

Solidarity Demonstrated by a willingness to share both material and spiritual goods across all boundaries

Subsidiarity As human interdependence increases, the role of states in ensuring equality and justice must also increase Danger that the state will intervene to such an extent that individual freedom and initiative will be lost

Obedience To The Truth Principles underlying catholic social teaching represent the truth about humankind Truth is unchanging First condition of freedom is obedience to the truth Each decision must be rooted in natural moral law to be acceptable To be truly Christ-like it must reflect a desire to give ourselves for the sake of others

In Conclusion The social message of the Gospel must not be considered a theory but a basis and a motivation for action. It is not enough to know what the Church teaches, we must bring that teaching to life in our actions. Every person, regardless of his or her faith, has an obligation rooted in natural law to respect others and to avoid doing anything which would harm the common good.

In Conclusion We must not only avoid doing what is wrong, we must actively pursue what is good: Give our energy and our talents for the sake of others Obligation to stand with and to care for those who are in need or on the margins of society

In Conclusion Some forms of service are more Catholic than others Action must respect the principles of human dignity, the universal destination of the earth’s goods, and the promotion of the common good. True Christ-like service must come from our own want. Must be offered from a position of solidarity with those whom we serve.