Jules Constant van Gestel a Commentator on the Church’s Social Teaching

The ‘Radiophonic Preacher’ Turnhout Lier Studied at École Supérieure pour Travailleurs, Belgium Doctorate on religious socialism, then professorship at Louvain Chaplain to Belgian Red Cross Helped develop institutions of higher education for women before WWII

Sacred Eloquence Early articles on art & theory of preaching Interest in new media: –radio, film then television –young OP group to introduce film to Flemish Catholic circles –member of Belgian radio board, Pontifical Academy for Social Communications

Rutten’s Student Rutten ‘discovered’ him & convinced him to research on religious socialism (PhD 1932) Quadragesimo Anno (1931) opposed any reconciliation between Christians & socialists Explains careful wording of van Gestel’s thesis: –argued Marx’s atheistic materialism meant he did not emphasise ethics enough –analysed Christian Socialist movements in Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, France & Belgium

Christian Socialism Protestant churches less central authority, more liberty to engage with socialism –Swiss theologian Ragaz: “From Jesus Christ to Marx, from Marx to Jesus Christ” Christian faith & ethical requirements of the Gospel inform each other –socialism lives from a moral idea, thirst for justice –religious socialism a minority - almost no political influence, but intellectual weight –Christianity needs awareness of social injustice, but socialism is limited to earthly realities Stimulated debate in Belgium

Dialectic of Church & CST Sub-editor of OP journal Kultuurleven –column on ‘sociology & law’ Commentary on Church magisterium –translated basic texts from Latin –CST as teaching principles, not scientific doctrine Introduction to the Social Teaching of the Church (1950) –noted importance of Protestant social ethics –only explicitly mentions Bible & encyclials Dialectic process: –academic work prepares official teaching –doctrine a starting point for Catholic scholars

Encycliology A loyal commentator, using his dialectic method Defended Quadragesimo Anno –not accepting corporatism in the exisiting (fascist) state –countered by principle of subsidiarity Mater et Magistra shows church principles: –“Individual human beings are the foundation, the cause & the end of every social institution” Disappointed by change of direction to “signs of the times” in Gaudium et Spes

Distributism & Property Felt close to Vincent McNabb’s ideas –linked Distributism to shift in Church teaching on property rights Pius XII radio message on 50 years since Rerum Novarum: –private property a natural, fundamental human right –only this, not collectivism, will aid the masses –some redistribution necessary to promote right use Injustice of land distribution in Latin America a theme in van Gestel’s courses on international justice

Limits Distributist ideas were in the socio- economic chapter of Gaudium et Spes: “it is the right of public authority to prevent anyone from abusing his private property to the detriment of the common good” Yet van Gestel failed to comment on them