SOCIAL
JUSTICE
Catechism #1928-1948
Outline
1. Social justice
2. Common good
3. Community
4. Economic life
5. Preferential option for the poor
6. Political authority
7. War and peace
8. Scripture support
1. Social justice
Obligations
of individuals and groups to apply the
gospel to
systems and institutions of society.
The
earth is for our use - every person
deserves a just
share
The
intrinsic dignity of each person is
the basis
for the social
teaching of the church
Solidarity - give to all a just share of the world’s
spiritual and
material goods
2. Common Good
The common good is all spiritual, social and
material
conditions for an individual
to achieve full
human dignity.
Rights: we have economic, political,
religious,
social, cultural, rights
Everyone
has a right to food, clothing
housing, work, reputation, worship
Duties: each right has a corresponding
duty for others to respect.
3. Community
Community is necessary for personal fulfillment
and to achieve
the common good
Family is the basic community for the care and
education of
children and relatives
Local communities are neighborhood,
workplace,
church, school
Wider communities are a nation and the world
Now
- we owe a debt to other communities
Future
- we owe a debt to future members
of our own
community (ecology)
4. Economic Life
Stewardship
- respecting and sharing
Earth's resources - the principles are:
1.
Freedom (job, private property)
2.
Personal development (school)
3.
Equality (just treatment)
4.
Participation (choice of leaders)
Commutative justice - give each his due
including amends
for past injustices
Principle of subsidiarity
make decisions at the
lowest
reasonable level
to broaden participation
Reject
as dominant motive both profit and the
use of people
for profit
5. Preferential Option for the Poor
We
must care for the weak and the helpless
for widows,
orphans and strangers
in biblical
terminology
Poverty
is a lack of sufficient material
resources for a
decent life
Distribution
of wealth and consumption
of resources should be more even
Wealthy
nations and individuals have an obligation
to the poor
especially in sharing their excess
6. Political Authority
Direct
energies toward common good
Unjust
laws and authority do not oblige
except for
common good
Christians
should seek to apply divine law of justice
and preserve
human dignity in society
Social encyclicals of popes show how to work toward
achieving a just
distribution of the world’s goods
7. War and Peace
Catholic
teaching begins with a
presupposition
against war
The
following are conditions for a just war
1.
Reasons for conflict justify killing
2.
Aggressor threatens terrible atrocities
and injustices
3.
Odds of success must be weighed against
human cost
4.
Expected cost and damage are proportionate
to the good
expected
5.
Intention for a postwar reconciliation
The
first use of nuclear weapons is unjustified
8. Scripture Support
I
was thirsty and you gave me to drink
(from last
judgment) Mt 25:31-46
Turning
away the needy at the city gate Amos 6:12
Faith,
if not accompanied by good deeds, is dead Jas 2:17
Search
for justice, help the oppressed, be just to the
orphan, the
widow, and the stranger in the land
Isaiah 1:17, Jer
22:3
CPPoole,