CLASS NOTES ON CHURCH SOCIAL TEACHING

OVERVIEW OF IMPORTANT CHURCH DOCUMENTS

DA- CHURCH HISTORICAL IMPORTANT MESSAGES/ THEMES

1891 RERUM > industrial revolution; > condemns inhuman conditions of workers/ abuses of liberal
NOVARUM urbanization, capitalism
(The “proletariatization;” > rejects communism
Condition of exploitation of > articulates guiding principles, particularly rights and duties
Labor) European/ North of three main actors of modern economic life (workers,
American industrial employers/ property owners, state)
workers
> Communist Manifesto
(1848)

1931 QUADRAGE- > severe worldwide > affirms and elaborates on teachings of Rerum Novarum
SIMO ANNO economic depression (e.g. role of Church, rights of workers, social responsibility
(The Recon- > spread of communism; of ownership, positive role of government in economy,
struction of the rise of fascism, nazism etc.)
Social Order)

1961 MATER ET > post World War II gap > confirms previous teaching while noting new political,
MAGISTRA between rich and poor social and economic conditions
(Christianity nations > “internationalizes” Catholic social teachings (e.g. addresses
and Social > East-West cold war still predominantly agricultural nature of developing nation
Progress) (Berlin wall, Cuban economies)
crisis) > proposes reconstruction of social order according to
principles of Catholic social teaching
> role of laity: observe, judge, act

1963 PACEM IN > first year of Vatican II > first addressed not only to Christians but to “all people of
TERRIS > 1948 UN Universal goodwill”
(Peace on Declaration of Human > articulates Christian interpretation of human rights
Earth) Rights > proposes creation of local, national and global institutions to
promote justice and peace

1965 GAUDIUM > Vatican II (“opening of > articulates duty of Church as “people of God” to scrutinize
ET SPES windows of the Church the “signs of the times” in the light of the Gospel
(Church in the to the fresh air of > presents nine-chapter synthesis of Catholic social teaching
Modern modern world;” (on human dignity, marriage and family life, culture, socio-
World) rejection of marginal economic life, peace, etc.)
role of Church in
contemporary society)

1967 POPULO- > poverty and under- > addresses structural dimensions of global injustice; calls
RUM development of 3rd “development” the “new name for peace”
PROGRES- World countries > sketches Christian vision of development (“integral human
SIO (The East-West development”); criticizes narrow profit motive and
Development ideological struggle unrestricted right of private property; calls for world
of Peoples) being waged in 3rd solidarity and equity in trade relations
World countries
(Vietnam, Lat. Am.)
1971 OCTOGE- > breaks new ground by > articulates duty of local churches to act on local situation:
SIMA stressing role of local “be hearers and doers of the Word”
ADVENIENS churches in responding > discusses new social problems created by urbanization
(A Call to to situations of
Action) injustice

1971 JUSTICE IN > leadership of churches > describes modern world as marked by grave problems of
THE in Africa, Asia and injustice
WORLD Latin America > declares “action on behalf of justice” to be a “constitutive
dimension of the preaching of the Gospel”
> Church must witness to justice through international action,
education and lifestyle

1975 EVANGELII > “spiral of violence” in > articulates responsibility of Church to proclaim Gospel in
NUNTIANDI developing countries ways people of the 20th century can understand
(Evanglization > calls for “integral evangelization” (evangelization that
in the Modern promotes justice/ liberation)
World)

1981 LABOREM > continued polarization > emphasizes that human work is at the center of the social
EXERCENS and civil strife in question (the key to making life more human)
(On Human developing countries > emphasizes the dignity of human work (priority of
Work) “subjective” vs. “objective” dimensions of work, priority of
labor over capital, primacy of people over things); criticizes
“materialism” and “economism” (humans reduced to mere
instruments of production)
> rejects liberal capitalism and Marxist socialism
> supports rights of workers; calls for solidarity with and
among workers; presents elements of spirituality of work

1987 SOLLICI- > transition to democracy > affirms teaching of Populorum; insists that authentic
TUDO REI in many developing development must be guided by moral principles (points
SOCIALIS countries out that environmental problems further emphasize moral
(Concern for > growing awareness of character of development)
Social problems of environ- > presents survey of contemporary world (millions still
Matters) mental degradation and suffering from “intolerable burden of poverty;” widening
destruction gap between North and South, a major cause of failure
being division of world into hostile blocs of East and West;
but positive sign--people more aware of dignity and rights)
> recognizes reality of “structures of sin” emphasizing,
however, latter are rooted in personal sin
> issues call for conversion on the basis of the virtue of
solidarity

1991 CENTESI- > fall of communist > marks collapse of communism: emphasizes failure of latter
MUS regimes in the Soviet due to its refusal to recognize individual dignity and rights
ANNUS Union and Eastern of the human person
Europe > presents a nuanced appraisal of capitalism/ the market
economy; reiterates social responsibility of private property
ownership (“social mortgage” on private property);
emphasizes need for structures and policies that permit
wider participation in production of wealth; defines role of
state in context of principles of “solidarity” and
“subsidiarity;” cites congruence of democratic system with
Church social teaching
> stresses need for “witness of actions, “ conversion of hearts/
values and spirituality of social justice