Michael Brooks
Catholic social teaching (CST) is an area of Catholic doctrine concerned with human dignity and the common good in society. Its foundations are considered to have been laid by Pope Leo XIII in 1891, with his encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed a society torn by disputes arising from the Industrial Revolution. Since then, CST has been integral to the Catholic Church's teachings, with Pope John Paul II stating that the foundation of social justice rests on human dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity. The Church's social doctrine is rooted in the Bible, Hebrew scriptures, and ancient Near Eastern cultures, with the Catechism of the Catholic Church dedicating a section specifically to social justice.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | The modern form of Catholic social teaching began in 1891 with Pope Leo XIII's encyclical, Rerum Novarum |
| Roots | The Hebrew prophets, the life and words of Jesus Christ, Catholic theologians such as Thomas Aquinas and Augustine of Hippo, the Bible, and cultures of the ancient Near East |
| Key Principles | Human dignity, solidarity, subsidiarity |
| Key Themes | The sacredness of human life, the right to life, socioeconomic and legal equality, political rights, freedom of expression, civil disobedience, justice and peace, the right to private property, access to employment, basic needs (e.g. food, water, clothing, housing), marriage and family, immigration, and more |
| Purpose | To build a just society, uphold human dignity, and promote the common good |
| Official Recognition | Became part of the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church in 1931 |
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What You'll Learn
Pope Leo XIII's 1891 Rerum Novarum encyclical
The foundations of Catholic Social Teaching (CST) are considered to have been laid by Pope Leo XIII's 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum (Latin: "Of New Things"). Issued on 15 May 1891, the document addressed the social and economic problems caused by the Industrial Revolution, emphasising the church's right to make pronouncements on social issues as they relate to moral questions.
Rerum Novarum laid out the Catholic position on social justice in the late 19th century, particularly in relation to the issues brought about by the Industrial Revolution. It addressed persons, systems, and structures, the three coordinates of the modern promotion of justice and peace, which are now integral to the church's mission. The encyclical also listed the positive and negative aspects of socialism, building on the earlier condemnation of socialism in the Syllabus of Errors (1864) by Pope Pius IX.
Rerum Novarum inspired a significant body of Catholic social literature, and it is acclaimed by many, including non-Catholics, as one of the most definitive writings on the subject. Its influence was such that successive popes wrote encyclicals celebrating its anniversaries, including Pius XI's Quadragesimo anno in 1931, and John Paul II's Centesimus annus.
Rerum Novarum gave rise to several interpretations, including distributism (formulated by G. K. Chesterton), Catholic socialism (proposed by Andrew Collier), and Catholic communism. It also led to the development of the preferential option for the poor principle, which, despite being regularly used into the 21st century, only came into common use in the 1970s among Latin American liberation theologians.
In summary, Pope Leo XIII's 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum, was a groundbreaking document that laid the foundation for modern Roman Catholic social teaching. It addressed the social and economic issues of the time, emphasised the church's role in social issues, and inspired a wealth of literature and new interpretations of Catholic social doctrine.
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Catholic social doctrine roots
The roots of Catholic social doctrine lie in the social teachings of the New Testament, the Church Fathers, the Old Testament, and Hebrew scriptures. The doctrine is concerned with human dignity and the common good in society, addressing oppression, the role of the state, subsidiarity, social organisation, social justice, and wealth distribution.
The foundations of Catholic Social Teaching (CST) are considered to have been laid by Pope Leo XIII's 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum, which addressed a society torn by disputes and conflicts. It gave the Church "citizenship status" and established and defended the Church's moral authority to promote justice in public life. Rerum Novarum was followed by several other papal encyclicals and messages on social issues, and forms of Catholic social action developed worldwide.
The roots of Catholic social doctrine can also be traced to Catholic theologians such as Thomas Aquinas and Augustine of Hippo. CST is also derived from the Bible and cultures of the ancient Near East. The Church's social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness in the face of modern societal challenges.
The concept of "social justice" was first developed in the 1840s, arising from the immediate context of the Italian states obtaining constitutions from their sovereigns during the events of 1848-49. These constitutions were modelled on the French Constitution of 1789 but proved unstable. The idea of "social justice" was initially a formal concept rather than a material one, signifying a branch of the ordinary concept of justice rather than implying any particular content, philosophy, or worldview. It has been part of the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church since 1931.
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Human dignity and rights
The Catholic Church's social teaching is a set of moral guidelines for building a just society and living a holy life in the modern world. According to Pope John Paul II, social justice is founded on three principles: human dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity.
The Church also believes that human dignity is threatened by social and economic inequality, as well as by war and terrorism. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "excessive economic and social disparity between individuals and peoples of the one human race is a source of scandal and militates against social justice, equity, human dignity, as well as social and international peace." The Church calls for nations to protect the right to life by preventing conflicts and resolving them peacefully.
In addition to these political and social concerns, the Church also addresses economic issues. The Church teaches that work is a form of participation in God's creation and that the dignity of work must be protected by respecting workers' rights, including the right to productive work, decent and fair wages, the organization of unions, private property, and economic initiative. The Church supports the right to private property but believes it is limited by the concepts of the "universal destiny of the goods of the earth" and social mortgage.
Catholic social teaching also emphasizes the importance of community and participation in society. Families form communities, which in turn form states, and each person is part of the human family. The organization of these communities—politically, economically, and socially—directly impacts human dignity and the ability of individuals to thrive within their communities. Marriage and family are central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened. All people have a right to participate in economic, political, and cultural life, and under the principle of subsidiarity, state functions should be carried out at the lowest practical level.
Overall, Catholic social teaching on human dignity and rights aims to protect the sacredness of human life and promote the common good in society.
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Social justice as a religious concept
Social justice has been a concept that has been developed and promoted by the Catholic Church for over a century. The foundations of Catholic social teaching (CST) are considered to have been laid by Pope Leo XIII's 1891 encyclical, Rerum novarum, which addressed the problems of the Industrial Revolution and the resultant social dislocation, economic suffering, and political turbulence. The encyclical has been described as giving the Church "citizenship status" and firmly defending its moral authority to promote justice in public life.
The roots of Catholic social teaching can be traced to Catholic theologians such as Thomas Aquinas and Augustine of Hippo, as well as the Bible and cultures of the ancient Near East. The teachings are based on the belief that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is reflected in the Church's stance on issues such as abortion, euthanasia, cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and the death penalty, which they view as direct attacks on human life.
Catholic social teaching is concerned with human dignity, solidarity, subsidiarity, and the common good in society. It addresses oppression, the role of the state, social organization, social justice, and wealth distribution. The Catechism of the Catholic Church devotes an entire section specifically to the topic of social justice, and the Church has published several documents elaborating on its social doctrine, such as the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
The concept of social justice within Catholicism is based on the rights that flow from and safeguard human dignity, inclining Catholics to work with others to improve social institutions and better serve the common good. This includes addressing current social questions such as healthcare reform and immigration. It also involves a commitment to the poor, which arises from the Catholic experience of Christ in the Eucharist and the belief that God has a special love for the poor.
Since 1931, social justice has been part of the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. The idea was originally developed in the 1840s as a formal concept, and it has since undergone a large part of its conceptual development in official statements by religious authorities. The term "social justice" was first used by Luigi Taparelli d'Azeglio, an ardent conservative, in the context of the Italian states obtaining constitutions modeled on the French constitution of 1789, which proved to be unstable.
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Social justice in the modern world
Catholic social justice, as an official teaching of the Church, has its roots in the social teachings of the New Testament, the Church Fathers, the Old Testament, and Hebrew scriptures. The foundations of Catholic social teaching (CST) are considered to be laid by Pope Leo XIII in 1891, with his encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed the problems of the Industrial Revolution. This was the first papal statement on "the social question", which referred to the social dislocation, economic suffering, and political turbulence that arose from modernization.
The Church's social teaching is a treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living a holy life amid modern challenges. It is concerned with human dignity and the common good in society, addressing oppression, the role of the state, subsidiarity, social organization, social justice, and wealth distribution. The Catechism of the Catholic Church devotes an entire section to social justice, and the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church provides an overview of the wider topic.
In the modern world, social justice remains a lightning-rod issue that divides Catholics. It touches on universal matters such as politics, economic concerns, and world peace, which naturally lead to some disagreements. However, the commitment to social justice is integral to Catholic teaching, inseparable from the understanding of human life and human dignity. Every human being, from conception to natural death, has inherent dignity and a right to life consistent with that dignity. Human dignity comes from God, not from any human quality or accomplishment.
The Church's teachings on social justice call on Catholics to work to avoid war and protect the right to life. It emphasizes that people are more important than things and that institutions should enhance human life and dignity. Marriage and the family are central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened. Catholics are called to participate in society, seeking the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.
Social justice is a broad discipline that can be approached from various academic perspectives, including moral theology, Christian ethics, legal studies, sociology, and political science. It investigates intersecting forms of injustice built into social life and public policies, such as injustices based on race, class, and gender. Catholic social justice is committed to the poor, arising from the experiences of Christ in the Eucharist and God's special love for the marginalized.
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Frequently asked questions
Catholic social justice emerged from the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who came to “bring glad tidings to the poor". Its roots are in the Hebrew prophets, who announced God's special love for the poor.
Catholic social teaching, in its modern form, began with Pope Leo XIII, who addressed the problems of the Industrial Revolution in his 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum.
Rerum Novarum (On the Condition of the Working Classes) was the first papal statement on "the social question", dealing with persons, systems, and structures. It gave the Church citizenship status, recognising its right and duty to address the changing realities of public life.
Catholic social teaching is built on three foundational principles: Human Dignity, Solidarity, and Subsidiarity. Human Dignity is the greatest of these, with all people created in the image of God and thus possessing inherent dignity and a right to life.
The term "social justice" was first developed in the 1840s, gaining traction in the context of the American Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation. It became part of the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church in 1931.
