Source: http://www.stephendekuyper.com/category/culture-society/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 00:52:06+00:00

Document:
In my search to understand the Bible’s perspective on work and business integrated with faith, I had the opportunity to delve into some of the Papal Encyclicals. They are documents or opinions issued by the Pope that addressed a variety of theological, social, cultural, and economic issues. A number of them were issued starting in 1891 pertaining to the general realms of social justice and economic issues. My experience with Papal Encyclicals had prepared me for their limited interaction with the Bible, but I was still impressed by how topics were approached and the focus on man over money. Over the next month or so, I am going to present some of my thoughts on some of the major social encyclicals themselves and themes that run through them. This list covers most of the social encyclicals, but by no means addresses all of the encyclicals issued during the time frame.
Mater et magistra (On Christianity and Social Progress) was issued by Pope John XXIII on May 15, 1961. Its stated purpose was not “merely to commemorate in a fitting manner the Leonine encyclical, but also to confirm and make more specific the teaching of Our predecessors, and to determine clearly the mind of the Church on the new and important problems of the day.”(3) He revisited the issues of personal initiative, the ramifications of social progress, the freedom and development of man, just wage, the participation of workers in ownership and the economy, the common good, and of the right and extension of private ownership of goods to all classes of citizens. He also spent much of the encyclical addressing the issues related to justice in agriculture and globalization.
Pacem in terris (Establishing Universal Peace in Truth, Justice, Charity, and Liberty) was issued two years after Mater et magistra, by Pope John XXIII. It addressed the issues of the common good, subsidiarity, justice, solidarity, the dignity of man, globalization, just wages, natural law, private property, unions, and work. He set out rights and duties based on reason and the Natural Law tradition, with a focus on the relationship of individuals and the public authorities and of the relationship between states.
Justicia in mundo (Justice in the World) was promugated by the Synod of Bishops in 1971, which taught that “Gospel principles mandate justice for the liberation of all humanity as an essential expression of Christian love.” (8) This document was narrower than the encyclicals, with a limited emphasis on human dignity, worker participation, just wage, and globalization.
It may be tempting for Evangelical Protestants to ignore the Papal Encyclicals, but this would be a mistake. There is much to learn through them, even if they are not explicitly biblically based. The themes come out of a ’socially friendly’ understanding of the Bible and while it would be easy for conservative Evangelicals to dismiss them, it would be akin to throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
(1) Michael Novak, “Human Dignity, Personal Liberty: Themes from Abraham Kuyper and Leo XII.” Journal of Markets & Morality 5, no. 1 (Spring 2002), 61.
(2) Education for Justice, “CST Document: Quadragesimo Anno.” Education for Justice. Accessed December 1, 2013. https://educationforjustice.org/catholic-social-teaching/encyclicals-and-documents.
(3) Pope John XXIII, “Mater et Magistra: Christianity and Social Progress.” Libreria Editrice Vaticana, May 15, 1961. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_xxiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_j-xxiii_enc_15051961_mater_en.html, §50.
(4) Pope Paul VI, “Populorum Progressio: The Development of Peoples.” Libreria Editrice Vaticana, March 26, 1967. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_26031967_populorum_en.html, §3.
(8) Education for Justice, “CST Document: Justitia in Mundo.” Education for Justice. Accessed December 1, 2013. https://educationforjustice.org/catholic-social-teaching/encyclicals-and-documents.
(9) Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. Cittá del Vaticano; Washington, D.C.: Libreria Editrice Vaticana ; [Distributed by] United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2004, §46.
(10) United States Catholic Bishops, “Economic Justice for All: Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy.” United States Catholic Bishops, 1986. http://www.usccb.org/upload/economic_justice_for_all.pdf, §1-2.
(11) Pope John Paul II, “Sollicitudo Rei Socialis: On Social Concern.” Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1987. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_30121987_sollicitudo-rei-socialis_en.html, §3.
(15) Pope John Paul II, “Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, §35.
(16) S.J. Avery Dulles, “Centesimus Annus and the Renewal of Culture.” Journal of Markets and Morality 2, no. 1 (Spring 1999), 4.
(17) Pope Benedict XVI, “Caritas in Veritate: Encyclical Letter of His Holiness Benedict XVI.” Libreria Editrice Vaticana, June 29, 2009. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate_en.html, §6.

References: §50
 §3
 §46
 §1
 §3
 §35
 §6