Social Doctrine: Not Just for Catholics

Interview With Secretary of Council for Justice and Peace

ROME, FEB. 15, 2006 (Zenit) - The interdisciplinary dimension of the Church's social doctrine needs more attention, says a Vatican official.

Bishop Giampaolo Crepaldi, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and Stefano Fontana, director of the Cardinal Van Thuân International Observatory, have written a book with the telltale title, "The Interdisciplinary Dimension of the Social Doctrine of the Church." It has just arrived in Italian bookstores.

It is the first volume of the collection "Notebooks of the Observatory," promoted in collaboration with Cantagalli Publishers of Siena.

We interviewed Bishop Crepaldi to learn more about the book.

Q: Why do you say that the social doctrine of the Church is interdisciplinary?

Bishop Crepaldi: John Paul II's encyclical "Centesimus Annus" says it, when explaining that the social doctrine of the Church has an important interdisciplinary dimension.

It is a suggestion of great importance given that, by not entering into dialogue with the different disciplines concerned with man and society, the Gospel runs the risk of fundamentalism or ineffectiveness.

Paradoxically, this important suggestion of the magisterium has not been studied in depth, so that scholars of the different subjects and experts of social doctrine have not always been able to work together.

On the contrary, they have often acted as strangers to one another. This book seeks to eliminate the theoretical obstacles to this dialogue. The practical difficulties depend, on the other hand, on the good will of the interlocutors.

Q: In this connection, what are the main obstacles?

Bishop Crepaldi: There are many, and the book addresses them calmly one by one.

There is the obstacle of thinking that the social doctrine is not true learning; there are those who think that the unity of learning is impossible; there are those who neglect one or another aspect of the social doctrine; those who put aside the role of the magisterium with respect to the task of theologians; those who give greater importance to the praxis than the doctrine; those who support too much the historicity of the social doctrine; those who insist excessively on change; those who would like to replace theology or philosophy with the human sciences, etc.

The book assumes a task: to give each one what is his own. In both the unitary and articulated framework of the social doctrine, what is important is that every aspect be given its proper place.

Q: Among the obstacles that often impede a dialogue between the social doctrine of the Church and other areas of learning, which is the most important and difficult to overcome?

Bishop Crepaldi: Not to attribute cognitive value to faith. If faith is considered a simple unmotivated choice, an irrational option, then neither will the social doctrine of the Church, which stems from it, be attributed a scientific value. It is not considered true "learning" with which one can dialogue.

The main obstacle, therefore, stems from a certain conception of the scientific spirit, of an exclusively experimental type. But, when one abandons this old prejudice, the possibilities of dialogue are multiplied.

Q: What is expected from this book?

Bishop Crepaldi: That it open doors, that it contribute to create bridges and dialogue and contact between those concerned with one or another discipline and the social doctrine of the Church. We consider biopolitical, financial and juridical topics or international politics, for example.

The social doctrine of the Church is not only for Catholics and even less so just for priests. It is for life.

Its place is where the small and great choices of humanity are made. And there it must interact with the competencies and learning of man. As you can see, much is at stake.

Contact

Catholic Online
https://www.catholic.org CA, US
Catholic Online - Publisher, 661 869-1000

Email

info@yourcatholicvoice.org

Keywords

Social, Doctrin, Life, Family, Freedom, Solidiarity

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,718

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »