Catholic Social Thought: Leininger
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I. What is Moral Theology?
Moral theology asks how our understanding of God can help us reflect on how to use our
freedom well. What is the highest purpose for which God created us and how can we realize this
end? Jesus reveals most fully what a good life looks like. Catholic social thought can be
understood as moral theology concerned with social issues.
II. Four Sources of Catholic Social Thought
1. Scripture. The authoritative books which record the Jewish and Christian
experiences of God’s self-disclosure.
Scripture reveals who God is and who we are called to be in response to God.
Interpretation of Scripture requires attention to historical context and is best done
in community.
2. Tradition: the ways of thinking and living that are “handed over” (traditio) from
one generation to the next; an ongoing conversation across the ages about our
most important questions. Also the body of theological reflection and the ways of
putting this reflection into practice that are “handed over” (traditio) from one
generation to the next.
Magisterium: official teaching office of church and authoritative voice of
tradition.
While theologians, activists, and ordinary Catholics make contribute to
this body of theological reflection in important ways, a privileged source of
Catholic tradition is the magisterium or the official, authoritative teaching office
of the church. This official teaching office is exercised by Catholic Bishops, and
in particular the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), as well as groups appointed by the
Pope. This teaching is expressed in the form of
a) papal encyclicals;
b) encyclicals of Church Councils (such as Vatican II) or Synods of
Bishops,
c) statements by Vatican offices, congregations, and commissions; &
d) Episcopal conferences (regional meetings of Bishops, such as the
National Conference of Catholic Bishops in the United States).
3. Reason. The natural human capacity to know truth. The way we interpret and
understand Scripture, Tradition, and experience.
Reason as Natural Law
The preeminent form of reasoning for much of Catholic tradition has been
natural law reasoning. To understand Catholic natural law reasoning, one must
get inside a whole worldview, culture, and language within Catholic tradition.
Natural law holds that God’s intentions are expressed in the order that God “built
into creation.” This order takes the form of “natures” or intelligible patterns of
being. Humans are capable of knowing this order by reflecting upon creation. As
humans we must first recognize our nature and act according to it so as to fulfill
our created nature. For example, humans by nature (or by creation) have a “built
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in” instinct for self-preservation. Aquinas argues that to use appropriately limited
violence in self-defense is good because it is to act according to our God-given
nature. (God’s creation is good).
Four Levels of Law
St. Thomas Aquinas defines law is “an ordering of reason” (ordinatio rationis) or
the most important way that reason rules or measures actions. He describes four levels of
law:
a. Eternal Law: the mind (ratio) of God which orders and governs creation
b. Divine Law: the explicit revelation of the mind of God in Scripture
c. Natural Law: the expression of the mind of God in the order that God has built
into creation. This order takes the form of natures or patterns of being that
humans can know by using their reason to reflect on creation. For example,
because humans by nature (or creation) have a built in instinct for selfpreservation, limited self-defense is in accord with our God-given nature. See
Romans 2:14-15
d. Human Law: human attempts to formulate laws that reflect the natural law.
Two Interpretations of Human Nature
There have been two major strains of interpretation of human nature:
a) “nature as physical”—humans must respect their biological “givenness” or
the physical order (ex. artificial contraception interferes with the natural order of
sexual intercourse whereas the rhythm method respects this order.)
b) “nature as rational”—humans must act in accord with reason; they must
seek to discover and fulfill their fullest purpose. Biology does not trump other
cues in discovering “nature.” Instead, we must look to all sources of human
wisdom in order to discover how things are meant to be. (ex. “the goods of this
world are equally meant for all. The [limited] right to private property is valid
and necessary but it does not nullify the value of this principle.” John Paul II, On
Social Concern, paragraph 42. The pope reasons that the purpose of property is
for the good of all creation but a limited right to private property is consistent
with human dignity and human wisdom about how well people take care of
common property. See also Massaro, p. 94)
4. Experience. Our encounter with the world both past and present. Christian
tradition privileges the experience of those at the margins of society—the poor
and the oppressed.
In Catholic social thought experience is enriched and expanded by a four step
process of interpretation and reflection which I will call “the interpretive circle”.
a. experience: insert yourself into a situation, see what is going on, and
gather necessary information
b. social analysis: “What are the structural or “root” causes of injustices?”
“What are the patterns of action that reinforce these injustices?”
c. theological reflection: “What light does faith, especially as expressed in
Scripture and Catholic social teaching, shed upon our experience and
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social analysis?” “Where is God in this situation and how might we
respond to God’s call to us?”
d. practical planning: “What are the most faithful, creative, and effective
ways of acting upon the first three steps?”
III. How does Catholic tradition use these four sources?
1. They serve as checks and balances to each other. Each should inform and
complement the other in critical dialogue.
2. “Reason informed by faith.” Reason and faith penetrate each other and form a
unified way of approaching problems. Scripture and Christian Tradition provide the
overall story, worldview, and values that serve as the framework for moral reasoning.
IV. Illustration: Capital Punishment.
Scripture: “Thou shall not kill” Exodus 20:13; cf. Deuteronomy 5:17 (the fifth
commandment). “God created man in his own image” Genesis 1:27. Life is sacred.
Tradition: Early Christians grouped murder with apostasy and adultery as the most serious
of sins. After the third century (Constantine), Christians used Scripture and reason to argue
that love of neighbor could justify killing an aggressor when that is the only way to protect
the innocent life of the neighbor. Later, Aquinas used natural law to extend this to a right to
kill in self-defense and for protection of society. Thus, the church endorsed capital
punishment. In 1995, John Paul II argued that given the improvements in modern prisons,
the cases in which capital punishment is morally justified are “very rare if not practically
non-existent” (Evangelium Vitae, paragraph 56).
Experience: Our historical circumstances have changed. We don’t live in a nomadic society
without secure penal institutions. John Paul II argues that we live in a “culture of death.”
Reason: Natural law: our natural inclination to self-preservation justifies killing in selfdefense and this can be extended to defense of the community in war. We don’t need to kill
to protect society when we can maintain adequate prisons.