Church and State

[rkwright]

[quote]The Church's social teaching argues on the basis of reason and natural law, namely, on the basis of what is in accord with the nature of every human being. It recognizes that it is not the Church's responsibility to make this teaching prevail in political life. Rather, the Church wishes to help form consciences in political life and to stimulate greater insight into the authentic requirements of justice as well as greater readiness to act accordingly, even when this might involve conflict with situations of personal interest. Building a just social and civil order, wherein each person receives what is his or her due, is an essential task which every generation must take up anew. As a political task, this cannot be the Church's immediate responsibility. Yet, since it is also a most important human responsibility, the Church is duty-bound to offer, through the purification of reason and through ethical formation, her own specific contribution towards understanding the requirements of justice and achieving them politically.

The Church cannot and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just society possible. She cannot and must not replace the State. Yet at the same time she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice. She has to play her part through rational argument and she has to reawaken the spiritual energy without which justice, which always demands sacrifice, cannot prevail and prosper. A just society must be the achievement of politics, not of the Church. Yet the promotion of justice through efforts to bring about openness of mind and will to the demands of the common good is something which concerns the Church deeply.[/quote]

I found this a bit striking when I read it... especially after reading the many desires of you guys wanting the return of a Catholic Monarcy. Thoughts on this??

Or another thought... what does this mean for the aborition movement? if anything...

Edited January 26, 2006 by rkwright

[PadreSantiago]

I have no idea where you got this from but whoever said it is right. What it means is church will be seperate from government. Whoever thinks we should return to a catholic monarchy needs to find an island, move to that island and start your own little catholic country because that will never happen in america. What does this mean for the anti-abortion movement? Nothing because we live in america where women have free rights over their bodies. For more information consult your local librarian. Cheerio.....

[Aloysius]

It's from Benedict XVI

anyway, if you properly understood what a Catholic Monarchy would be (and has historically been), nothing said in that quote goes against the concept.

this goes against the people I've seen that say the Pope should rule our country, though. I think Didacus said something along those lines, and the answer here is that the Church neither ought to nor wants to rule over countries. There ought to be a seperate entity, kept in check by the Church, preferably that promotes Catholocism and works within Catholic morality as much as possible. But the state ought to always be a distinct entity from the Church, as it generally always has been in Catholic Western Civilization.

The Eastern Orthodox and the Anglicans are other stories. But in Catholicism there is the Church on one hand and Christendom on the other, a pope and a charlemagne, a pope and an emporer, a pope and kings. The Pope should only be a temporal ruler of the Vatican and any papal states that may exist at the time (there are none nowadays).

[rkwright]

As far as the aborition question I kinda threw in there...

We had the big debate about with holding communion for those that are pro-choice. Almost seems like the Church jumping right into politics? Or is the aborition debate much more than just politics that the Church needs to jump in on? If you believe the second, then what would you say are issues the Church should not be in (either they currently are, or currently aren't)?

[Aloysius]

it isn't jumping into politics; it's jumping in where it's always jumped in: the lives and actions of the members of the Catholic Church. if we want to call ourselves Catholic we must live and act Catholic, and affect Catholic change in the world.

I think the real confusion was because the Church didn't go far enough and follow through on any threat. It would have made much more sense to the average observer if the Church had simply excommunicated pro-abortion politicians, and the pro-abortion politicians continued to be pro-abortion politicians just no longer "Cathlic" pro-abortion politicians. That would make it clear: the Church was only concerned that they considered themselves Catholic while doing non-Catholic things.

the Church gives guidelines and orders for how its members ought to act. it proclaims certain universal truths that it argues everyone should follow. it calls upon its members to propogate those truths even in the political spheres that they are parts of.

[Desert Walker]

Sir Aloysious! I rather think we are kindred spirits!

MAY THE GLORY OF CHRISTENDOM ONE DAY RETURN!!!

[Akalyte]

[quote name='Desert Walker' date='Jan 26 2006, 02:37 PM']
MAY THE GLORY OF CHRISTENDOM ONE DAY RETURN!!!
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[/quote]

Amen and may the rotten fruits of the culture of death disapear into the darkness.