Does God Want People To Be Unequal?

One of the phrases that I’ve seen tossed around a lot this election cycle is “personal responsibility.” It’s usually used to mean that people need to be encouraged to take more responsibility for their own situations, to work harder and to rely less on the government.

Obviously, personal responsibility is good. The Catechism teaches that taking responsibility for the things that are in our immediate sphere of concern (family, work) is the first step toward conscientious participation in public life. However, Christianity does not pit the obligation to care for ourselves against our obligation to care for others. Our notion of responsibility is not “each man for himself,” but rather “all are responsible for all.”

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