Those who defend the morality and legitimacy of military actions today inevitably point to the example of World War II. The story line is simple. Hitler was a monstrous evil that was swallowing up Europe. The allied campaign was a noble cause that ended the scourge of Nazism. This leads to a certain discomfort, if not outright disdain, for certain Church statements on matters of war and peace. For example, in a German media interview last summer, Pope Benedict said... Read more
Part 1 6. Economic Justice This topic is of great interest for the United States, since John Paul II and the Church have been quite critical of the US economy. We will explore here the main aspects of Catholic Social Teaching in regards to economic justice. Workers’ Rights and Private Property The economy must serve people and not the other way around. Every person has a right to productive work, decent and fair wages, and to safe working conditions: “Let... Read more
Given the nature of a great number of the recent postings, it is clear that the present blog is clearly taking a direction that has as one of its central concerns the philosophico-theological notion of the “person.” In fact, it has been noted that the diverse constituents composing Vox Nova are united, despite their significant differences, in their “pro-person” attitude. Aware of the centrality of the notion of “personhood,” we are led to ask: what is entailed in our notion... Read more
Hi everybody, and a very big thanks to Michael and Katerina for getting this great new blog off the ground. I’m a boorish amateur in such company, but you are all very welcome to my own humble blog, Reasons and Opinions. Most of the arguments you will see there, or you find here too. The first topic I would like to address is one dear to my heart, the issue of torture, and, specifically, how Catholics should deal with the... Read more
Fourth Question (from La Repubblica, Italy):Thank you, your Holiness. In your speech upon arrival, you say that the church forms Christians, provides moral indications, so that people will make free decisions in conscience. Do you agree with the excommunication given to legislators in Mexico City on the question of abortion? Pope Benedict XVI:Yes, this excommunication is not something arbitrary, but it’s part of the Code [of Canon Law]. It’s based simply on the principle that the killing of an innocent... Read more
I love teaching humanities classes at a local college here in Texas. This semester, In addition to our departmentally mandated text book, I assigned Sophocles’ Theban Plays, Plato’s Euthyphro, Crito, Meno and Phaedrus, and Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy. In the past, I have assigned Plato’s Symposium, Anselm’s Proslogion and selections from Thomas Aquinas’ opera. In short, I try to complement our historical survey, which covers prehistory to the fourteenth century, with primary sources penned during the very era we are... Read more
In 1891, Pope Leo XIII wrote Rerum Novarum, considered the Magna Carta of contemporary Catholic political theology, since it was the pioneer Church document regarding social issues. Leo XIII laid the foundations of social doctrine of the Church through his controversial encyclical at a time in which the Industrial Revolution was transforming rural economy and socialist ideals were brewing across the world. One of the richest treasures of the Catholic Church lies in its social doctrine. Due to the challenges... Read more
The top row is composed of images of Catholic saints, leaders and thinkers who have shaped the Church’s attitude toward the social, political and cultural spheres: (L to R) – Pope John XXIII, St. Thomas Aquinas, Oscar Romero, Pope Pius XI, St. Thomas More, Pope Paul VI, G.K. Chesterton, Pope Innocent III, St. Augustine, Pope John Paul II, St. Basil the Great, Pope Benedict XVI, Dorothy Day, Pope Leo XIII, Michael Novak, J.R.R. Tolkien, Bl. Teresa of Calcutta, St. Maximus... Read more
Vox nova in terra viventium Christians must be conscious of their specific and proper role in the political community: they should be a shining example by their sense of responsibility and their dedication to the common good; they should show in practice how authority can be reconciled with freedom, personal initiative and with the solidarity and the needs of the whole social framework, and the advantages of unity with profitable diversity. -Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes, 75 On the national... Read more
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