Virtual Plater
Catholic Social Teaching gateway
Menu
Skip to content
Entrance Hall
Chapel
People
Staff
Module A
Outline of Module A
Acknowledgements
Citation Information
Bibliography
A Unit 1: Contents
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.1.1 CST by Sat Nav
1.1.2 Doing Module A: practicalities
Readings not accessible on-line in Module A
1.1.3 Learning outcomes for Module A
1.1.4 How much time will it take?
1.1.5 How to make the most of this study
1.1.6 Principles of Catholic Social Teaching
1.2 WHERE CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING COMES FROM
1.2.1 Christian faith: God is love
1.2.2 The Christian Gospel: God saves
1.2.3 The Church’s Social Teaching: old and new
1.2.4 The Bible as a source of CST
1.2.5 Questions for discussion half way through unit
1.3 THE ‘PROPHETIC STRAND’ IN SCRIPTURE
1.3.1 Introducing readings from Scripture
1.3.2 Exodus: liberation from slavery
1.3.3 Prophetic critique of political and economic power in Israel
1.3.4 The prophetic strand in the New Testament: Jesus, Paul, James, Revelation
1.3.4 Response to Exercise
1.4 CONCLUSION
1.4.1 The Compendium on CST’s sources in Scripture
1.4.2 The rest of this module
1.4.3 Review and discussion of Unit 1
COMMENTS ON UNIT 1
A Unit 2: Contents
2.1 THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CST: A VERY BRIEF OUTLINE
2.1.1 Introduction to Unit 2
2.1.2 From Christian division to a new search for knowledge
2.1.3 The emergence of industrial capitalism
2.1.4 Arguments for and against liberal capitalism
2.1.4 Response to Exercise
2.1.5 The publication of Rerum Novarum
2.1.5 Response to Exercise
2.2 PRINCIPLES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING
2.2.1 Introduction
2.2.2 ‘The priority of labour over capital’
2.2.3 Men and women as created ‘in the image of God’
2.2.4 Human dignity
2.2.5 Duties and rights
2.2.6 Questions for discussion half way through unit
2.2.7 The Common Good
2.2.8 Jacques Maritain
2.2.8 Response to Exercise
2.2.9 ‘Integral human development’ and ‘natural law’
2.2.10 Four other principles of CST
2.3 CONCLUSION: HOW TO ENGAGE WITH CST
2.3.1 ‘See, judge, act’
2.3.2 Using the ‘pastoral spiral’ in study of this module
2.3.3 Concluding exercise: CST in national life
2.3.4 Review and discussion of Unit 2
COMMENTS ON UNIT 2
A Unit 3: Contents
3.1 THE BACKGROUND TO ‘ECOLOGICAL CRISIS’
3.1.1 Introduction to Unit 3
3.1.2 Looking again at Unit 2’s historical outline
3.1.3 Non-human nature as a scarce resource
3.1.4 ‘Ecological crisis’
3.2 EVIDENCE FOR ECOLOGICAL CRISIS?
3.2.1 Introduction
3.2.2 The 1950s and 1960s
3.2.3 The 1970s: deforestation and desertification
Basic facts on desertification
3.2.4 The Philippine Catholic Bishops, ‘Our Beautiful Land’
3.2.5 The 1980s: ecological problems on a global scale
3.2.6 1990 to the present: a growing consensus
3.2.7 Ecological destruction and human poverty
3.3 ECOLOGICAL CRISIS: HAS CHRISTIANITY CAUSED IT?
3.3.1 Lynn White Jr’s argument
A 3.3.1 Response to Exercise
3.3.2 A patron saint for ecology
Reading for 3.3.2: ‘Francis and Nature’
3.3.3 Scriptural texts relating to ecological responsibility
3.3.4 ‘In the image of God’: introduction
3.3.5 ‘In the image of God’: (a) dominion in the good creation
3.3.6 ‘In the image of God’: (b) humans as ‘persons in relation’
3.3.7 ‘In the image of God’: summary
3.3.8 Questions for discussion half way through unit
3.4 STATEMENTS IN CST ON ECOLOGICAL RESPONSIBILITY
3.4.1 Beginnings
3.4.2 Pope John Paul II
A 3.4.2 Response to Exercise
3.4.3 The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales
3.4.4 Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis
3.5 ASSESSMENT AND ACTION
3.5.1 Critical overview of CST on ecology: Dorr
3.5.2 Critical overview of CST on ecology: Deane-Drummond
3.5.2 Response to Exercise
3.5.3 ‘Living life to the full’ with all creation
3.5.4 Review and discussion of Unit 3
Response to 3.5.4, discussion question 1
COMMENTS ON UNIT 3
A Unit 4: Contents
4.1 EXPERIENCE OF WORK
4.1.1 Introduction: following the ‘pastoral spiral’ in this unit
4.1.2 Your work – past, present, future
4.1.3 Different ‘sectors’ of work
4.1.4 Issues in working life
4.1.5 What this unit is about and not about
4.2 RERUM NOVARUM
4.2.1 Revisiting the historical context of Rerum Novarum
4.2.2 Rerum Novarum: introduction
4.2.3 RN, part 1: A natural right to private property (##4-15)
4.2.4 RN, part 2: The role of the Church in teaching and charity (##16-31)
4.2.5 RN, part 2: The role of the Church, continued (##16-31)
4.2.6 RN part 3: The role of government in ensuring just working conditions (##32-47)
4.2.7 RN, part 4: Workers have a right to form associations/unions (##48-61)
4.2.8 Rerum Novarum: summing up
A 4.2.8 Response to Exercise
4.3 LABOREM EXERCENS
4.3.1 From Rerum Novarum to Laborem Exercens
4.3.2 Laborem Exercens: preface and introduction (##1-3)
Laborem Exercens, Preface
Laborem Exercens, Chapter I
4.3.3 Work as for the human person (LE ##4-7)
Laborem Exercens, Chapter II
4.3.4 ‘Solidarity’ (LE #8)
4.3.5 Work, dignity and society (LE ##9-10)
4.3.6 The priority of labour over capital (LE ##11-12)
Laborem Exercens, chapter III
4.3.7 Questions for discussion half way through unit
4.3.8 The critique of ‘economism’ and ‘materialism’ (LE ##13-15)
4.3.9 ‘Rights of Workers’ (LE ##16-23)
Laborem Exercens, chapter IV
4.3.10 ‘Elements for a Spirituality of Work’ (LE ##24-27)
Laborem Exercens, Chapter V
4.4 CST ON WORK: ASSESSMENT AND ACTION
4.4.1 Summary and review of Laborem Exercens
4.4.1 Response to Exercise
4.4.2 General assessment of CST on working life
4.4.3 Christian action for workers’ rights
4.4.4 Review and discussion of Unit 4
COMMENTS ON UNIT 4
A Unit 5: Contents
5.1 ECONOMIC LIFE: EXPERIENCE AND CONTEXT
5.1.1 Introduction: what Unit 5 is about
A 5.1.1 Response to Exercise
5.1.2 Your experience of private business
5.1.3 Historical context: revision of Unit 2 historical outline
5.1.4 Historical context: from Cold War to 2008 financial crisis
5.1.5 Historical context: an argument about knowledge in markets
5.1.6 McCarthy on ‘Modern Economy’, and a lacuna: ‘social capitalism’
5.2 ELEMENTS OF CST ON BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMY
5.2.1 The ‘universal destination of material goods’
5.2.2 Scripture
5.2.3 Applying moral principles in economic life
5.2.4 ‘Private Initiative and Business Initiative’
A 5.2.4 Response to Exercise
5.2.5 How does CST assess ‘capitalism’?
5.2.5 Response to Exercise
5.2.6 The ‘free economy’ and its ‘juridical framework’
5.2.7 Questions for discussion half way through unit
5.3 CST’S CONSTRUCTIVE VISION OF BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMY
5.3.1 CST’s fourth way
5.3.2 But is CST’s vision realistic?
5.3.3 ‘Structures of sin’ in business life
5.3.4 Before and after the financial crisis
A 5.3.4 Response to Exercise
5.4 CST ON ECONOMIC LIFE: ASSESSMENT AND ACTION
5.4.2 Action: making the ‘universal destination’ particular
5.4.3 Review and discussion of Unit
COMMENTS ON UNIT 5
A Unit 6: Contents
6.1 FAMILY LIFE: EXPERIENCE AND CONTEXT
6.1.1 How has ‘family’ come up in previous units?
6.1.1 Response to Exercise
6.1.2 Family life: experience
6.1.3 Family life in historical context
6.2 CST ON ‘NATURAL LAW’, SUBSIDIARITY AND FAMILY
6.2.1 Human wellbeing – what natural law leads us towards
6.2.2 Natural law
6.2.3 ‘Human flourishing’?
6.2.4 Subsidiarity, work and family life
6.3 CST ON FAMILY LIFE IN SOCIETY
6.3.1 CST on family: ideals and realities
6.3.2 Questions for discussion half way through unit
6.3.3 Familiaris Consortio: ‘The Plan of God for Marriage and the Family’
6.3.4 “Two specific ways” of living the human vocation to love
6.3.5 CST’s high view of the marriage relationship
6.3.6 Family as “domestic church”: source for a radical vision
6.3.7 Cahill’s assessment of CST on family life
6.3.7 Response to Exercise
6.4 HOW CAN FAMILIES ACT FOR THE COMMON GOOD?
6.4.1 The example of the Catholic Worker Movement
6.4.2 Practices for Christian families
6.4.3 Review and discussion of Unit 6
COMMENTS ON UNIT 6
A Unit 7: Contents
7.1 INTRODUCTION: LANGUAGE AND EXPERIENCE
7.1.1 Human dignity
7.1.2 Duties and rights: some basics
7.1.3 ‘Positive/benefit rights’ and ‘negative/freedom rights’
7.1.3 Response to Exercise
7.1.4 Your study so far and your experience
7.1.4 Response to Exercise
7.1.5 How the language works
7.2 CST ON HUMAN DIGNITY, RIGHTS AND DUTIES
7.2.1 CST on human dignity
7.2.2 Historical context: the emergence of ‘human rights’
7.2.3 The ‘Catholic human rights revolution’
7.2.4 CST on rights and duties: the documents
Pacem in Terris, ##1-45
7.2.5 Questions for discussion half way through unit
7.2.6 The human right to religious freedom
7.3 REVIEW, ASSESSMENT AND ACTION
7.3.1 Summary of CST on rights and duties
7.3.1 Response to Exercise
7.3.2 Objections to human rights discourse, 1: It’s selfish
7.3.3 Objection 2: Human rights language is individualistic
7.3.4 Objection 3: ‘Rights inflation’
7.3.5 Objection 4: Don’t ‘human rights’ conflict?
7.3.6 Taking action against human rights abuses
7.3.7 Review and discussion of Unit 7
COMMENTS ON UNIT 7
A Unit 8: Contents
8.1 CST’S EMERGENCE IN MODERN WESTERN HISTORY
8.1.1 Reviewing the module’s Learning Outcomes
8.1.2 Revising your historical learning
8.1.2 Response to Exercise
8.1.3 The Compendium’s summary of CST’s history
8.1.4 Different kinds of historical explanation
8.2 CENTESIMUS ANNUS
8.2.1 ‘Introduction’ and Chap. 1: ‘Characteristics of Rerum Novarum’
A 8.2.1 Response to Exercise
8.2.2 Chap. 2: ‘Towards the “New Things” of Today’
8.2.3 Chap. 3: ‘The Year 1989’
8.2.4 Chap. 4: ‘Private Property and the Universal Destination of Material Goods’
8.2.5 Chap. 5: ‘State and Culture’
8.2.6 Chap. 6: ‘Man Is the Way of the Church’
8.2.7 Questions for discussion half way through unit
8.3 CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE MODERN CST TRADITION
8.3.1 Aims of the module: from knowledge to critical thinking
8.3.2 Dorr’s critical assessment after 100 years
8.3.3 Justice for women: the “biggest lacuna” in CST?
8.3.4 CST on women: a “new feminism”?
8.4 CONCLUSION: ‘LIVING LIFE TO THE FULL’
8.4.1 Living life to the full
8.4.2 Solidarity and Eucharist
8.4.3 Review and discussion of Unit 8
COMMENTS ON UNIT 8
Module B
Outline of Module B
B Unit 1: Contents
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.1.1 A just and free society?
1.1.2 Doing Module B: practicalities
1.1.3 Learning outcomes for Module B
1.1.4 How much time will it take?
1.1.5 How to make the most of this study
1.1.6 Principles of Catholic Social Teaching
1.2 WHERE CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING COMES FROM
1.2.1 Christian faith: God is love
1.2.2 The Christian gospel: God saves
1.2.3 The Church’s Social Teaching: old and new
1.2.4 Sources of CST: the Bible, reason, tradition and experience
1.2.5 ‘A just and free society’: the parts of CST covered in this module
#3800 (no title)
1.2.6 Questions for discussion half way through the unit
1.3 MAIN PRINCIPLES OF CST
1.3.1 Justice
1.3.2 The common good
1.3.3 The common good: two complications
1.3.4 Respect for human dignity
1.3.5 Protection of human freedom
1.3.6 The preferential option for the poor
1.3.7 The principle of subsidiarity
1.3.8 The priority of labour over capital
1.3.9 ‘Integral human development’
1.3.10 CST’s vision: neither ‘collectivist’ nor ‘individualist’
1.3.11 Conclusion: solidarity and its absence
1.4 CONCLUSION
1.4.1 The rest of Module B
1.4.2 Three normative questions about government
1.4.3 Review and discussion of Unit 1
COMMENTS ON UNIT 1
B Unit 2: Contents
2.1 INTRODUCTION TO UNIT 2
2.2 THE ‘JUST GOVERNMENT STRAND’ IN THE BIBLE
2.2.1 Introducing readings from Scripture
2.2.2 An outline of biblical history
2.2.3 Just government: (1) The Torah
2.2.4 Just government: (2) The role of Israel’s king
B 2.2.4 Response to Exercise
2.2.5 Just government: (3) Jesus
2.2.6 Just government: (4) God above Caesar
Mark 11:27 – 12:17
B 2.2.6 Response to Exercise
2.2.7 Why should people accept government’s claim to authority?
2.2.8 How should government be constituted? Clarifying the question
2.2.9 How should government be constituted? Forms of government in Scripture
2.2.10 Conclusion: the ‘just government strand’ in the Bible
2.3 THE CHURCH’S SOCIAL TEACHING 100-1740 CE
2.3.1 Questions for discussion half way through the unit
2.3.2 The patristic period
2.3.3 The medieval period
2.3.4 The early modern period
2.4 THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF MODERN CST
2.4.1 From Christian division to a new search for knowledge
2.4.2 The French Revolution and its long tail
2.4.3 What has actually happened in modern history?
B 2.4.3 Response to Exercise
2.4.4 ‘Liberalism’
2.4.5 ‘Conservatism’ and ‘socialism’
2.4.6 How is CST related to liberalism, conservatism and socialism?
2.4.7 Conclusion of historical outline
2.5 REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF UNIT 2
COMMENTS ON UNIT 2
B Unit 3: Contents
3.1 INTRODUCTION: JUSTICE
3.1.1 What should government do?
3.1.2 Answer: justice
3.1.3 Government depends on possible resort to coercion
3.1.4 Distributive justice
3.1.5 Retributive justice and the rule of law
3.1.6 Two temptations for Christians to avoid
3.2 THE PRINCIPLE OF SUBSIDIARITY
3.2.1 Finding CST’s view of the role of government
3.2.2 Quadragesimo Anno on subsidiarity
3.2.3 The ‘pluralist’ dimension of subsidiarity
3.2.4 Reasons for the principle of subsidiarity
3.2.5 Suspensions of subsidiarity
3.2.6 Questions for discussion half way through the unit
3.3 THE POSITIVE, ‘SUBSIDIARY’ ROLE OF GOVERNMENT
3.3.1 Recognizing civil society bodies
3.3.2 Upholding human rights
Pacem in Terris, ##60-66
3.3.3 Directing society to the common good
3.3.3 Response to Exercise
3.3.4 Government’s responsibility for distributive justice: interim summary
3.3.5 Further issues
3.3.6 John Courtney Murray: government’s role as ‘public order’
3.4 DEVELOPING OUR STUDY OF LIBERALISM, CONSERVATISM AND SOCIALISM
3.4.1 Civil society and state
3.4.2 Liberalism, conservatism and socialism: take two
3.5 REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF UNIT 3
COMMENTS ON UNIT 3
B Unit 4: Contents
4.1 INTRODUCTION: PARTICIPATION AND DEMOCRACY
4.1.1 CST’s emphasis on participation
4.1.2 Political participation – made possible by democracy
4.1.3 This unit’s question: how should government be constituted?
4.2 DEMOCRACY IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT
4.2.1 How recent is democracy?
4.2.2 Forms of government, good and bad
4.2.3 Where does ‘democracy’ fit in?
4.2.4 Monarchy, democracy and the Catholic Church
4.2.5 Three kinds of argument for democracy
4.3 DEMOCRACY IN MODERN CST
4.3.1 Maritain on Christianity and democracy
B 4.3.1 Response to Exercise
4.3.2 Democracy in CST texts (i): Pius XII
4.3.3 Democracy in CST texts (ii): John XXIII, Pacem in Terris
Pacem in Terris, ## 26-27
4.3.4 Democracy in CST texts (iii): Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes
4.3.5 Democracy in CST texts (iv): John Paul II, Centesimus Annus
4.3.5 Response to exercise
4.3.6 Democracy in CST texts (v): John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae
4.3.7 Freedom and truth
4.3.8 Democracy in CST texts (vi): Benedict XVI
Caritas in Veritate, #5
4.3.9 Review of CST on participation and democracy
B 4.3.9 Response to Exercise
4.4 ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
4.4.1 How CST does and does not argue for democracy
4.4.2 Political consent in Catholic thought: the ‘transmission theory’
4.4.2 Yves Simon on Bellarmine
4.4.2 Yves Simon on ‘Authority in Democracy’
4.4.3 Democracy in the Catholic Church’s structures?
4.4.4 Religious freedom and democracy
4.4.5 Democratic participation in practice: Unit 5
4.6 COMMENTS ON UNIT 4
B Unit 5: Contents
5.1 INTRODUCTION: ACTING FOR JUSTICE
5.1.1 Outline of units 5, 6 and 7
5.1.2 Desperate people
5.1.3 ‘See, judge, act’
5.1.4 From ‘see, judge, act’ to the ‘pastoral spiral’
5.2 MATER ET MAGISTRA
5.2.1 MM chapter I: principles of CST
5.2.1 Response to Exercise
5.2.2 The principle of solidarity
5.2.3 The concept of social justice
5.2.4 Hayek’s critique of social justice
5.2.5 Responding to Hayek’s argument
5.2.6 MM chapter II: The revival of civil society
5.2.7 MM chapter II: The controversy about ‘socialization’
5.2.8 MM chapter II: State provision as a means to the common good
5.2.9 MM chap. III: CST addresses international development
5.2.9 RESPONSE TO EXERCISE
5.2.10 Questions for discussion half way through the unit
5.3 POPULORUM PROGRESSIO
5.3.1 PP Part I, ‘Towards an Integral Human Development’
Text of Populorum Progressio
5.3.2 PP I.1 Historical context (##6-11)
5.3.3 PP I.2 Integral development (##12-21 and #42)
5.3.4 Henri de Lubac and Louis-Joseph Lebret
5.3.5 PP I.3 a. Integral development vs ‘unchecked liberalism’ (##22-28)
5.3.5 Response to Exercise
5.3.6 PP I.3 b. Urgent challenges in realizing development (##29-41)
5.3.7 PP Part II, ‘Towards the Solidary Development of Humanity’
5.3.8 PP II.1. Solidarity: aid to poor nations (##45-55)
5.3.9 PP I.2. Social justice: equity in trade (##56-65)
5.3.10 PP II.3 Universal charity: toward a more human world (##66-75)
5.3.11 PP Conclusion: development and peace (##76-87)
5.4 ASSESSMENT AND ACTION
5.4.1 Critical assessments of Populorum Progressio
B Unit 6: Contents
6.1 INTRODUCTION
6.1.1 A new trajectory in CST: Populorum Progressio to Caritas in Veritate
6.1.2 What is poverty?
6.1.3 Poverty in the Catholic Church’s teaching
6.2 A RADICAL CHALLENGE: LIBERATION THEOLOGY
6.2.1 Liberation theology: an outline
6.2.2 Base ecclesial communities and Freire on ‘conscientization’
6.2.3 Gustavo Gutiérrez
6.2.4 Liberation theology’s global vision
6.2.5 Liberation theology and Marxism: revolution and socialism
6.2.6 Liberation theology and Marxism: class analysis
6.2.7 The Vatican’s response to liberation theology
6.2.8 Two ‘Instructions’ on liberation theology
6.3 SOLLICITUDO REI SOCIALIS (1987)
6.3.1 SRS, chapter I: ‘Introduction’
6.3.2 SRS chapters II and III
6.3.3 SRS, chapter IV: ‘Authentic human development’
6.3.4 ‘Structures of sin’: background
6.3.5 SRS, chapter V on ‘structures of sin’
6.3.5 Response to Exercise
6.3.6 SRS, chapter V on solidarity
6.3.7 Three ways in which John Paul II develops CST on solidarity
6.3.8 SRS chapter VI on the preferential option for the poor
6.3.9 CST on international development after liberation theology
6.4 A NEOCONSERVATIVE CHALLENGE: ‘DEMOCRATIC CAPITALISM’
6.4.1 Introduction: Catholic defenders of capitalism
6.4.2 Neoliberalism and neoconservatism
6.4.3 Novak on liberation theology and international development
6.4.4 Novak’s engagement with CST
6.4.5 Centesimus Annus: affirming enterprise
6.4.6 Centesimus Annus: envisioning a non-capitalist market economy?
6.4.7 Novak on CST up to Sollicitudo Rei Socialis
6.4.8 Novak on Centesimus Annus
6.4.9 Conclusion: neoconservatism, CST and international development
B Unit 7: Contents
B Unit 8: Contents
Universities
Library
Enquiries
Plater College
Bar
Search for:
4.6 COMMENTS ON UNIT 4
Unit 4 Contents
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Leave a Reply
Cancel reply