Historical Development of Catholic Social Teachings

1. How did the Social Teachings of the Church develop?

● The social teachings of the church develop from the Old Testament to the
New Testament. In terms of justice, the old testament talks about sedakah
and mishpat as an expression of justice. Where sedekah means the right
relationship while mishpat is about justice in the context of the failure of the
right relationship which resulted in injustice. In the old testament it is
manifested by Yahweh’s relationship to the Israelites.
● The teachings during this time also focused on the dignity of the human
person and how he is endowed with intellect and free will. Where the will to
act according to our conscience and to God’s will and by doing good and
abstaining from doing evil is highlighted.
● The social teachings of the church further developed by providing and
explaining teachings in accordance to the current situation of the world. It can
be seen in Micah 6:8, where it is emphasized that to live a good life, we must
promote social justice and choose to do good things by showing love and
mercy and to walk humbly with God.
● The early Christian community teaches people about being directly involved
in different social movements to help one another. This was discussed by
emphasizing our duty to give what we have especially to those who are in
need, feed the hungry, support the youth who are deprived by their parents,
etc.
● The church remained to be an active agent for social justice even with the
institutionalization of the Church within the Roman Empire. St. Thomas
Aquinas said that the distribution of wealth requires justice which is a “habit
whereby man renders to each one his due by a constant and perpetual will.”
● The Church during the Middle Ages according to enlightenment thinkers
values faith and obedience which are instruments of ignorance and
oppression.
● The Enlightenment period brought about changes in society including the
Industrial Revolution and the two ideologies of Capitalism and Socialism.
Capitalism promoted two values: social mobility and self-direction which
highlights the principle of private property. Socialism promotes two alternative
principles: common ownership and common good.
● The modern social teaching of the church: The first ever social encyclical was
written because of the new social conditions brought about by the industrial
revolution and the two competing ideologies of Capitalism and Socialism.
● The term “social doctrine” goes back to Pope Pius XI and designates the
doctrinal “corpus” concerning issues relevant to society. The doctrine did not
 just begin with Rerum Novarum but also never forgot to show interest to the
society.
● Lastly, the CSDC, 87 further explained how Rerum Novarum marks the new
path and the development of the Church teachings in the context of the
matters in today’s society.
2. What do you think is the impact of the development of the Social Teachings on
Church Social Involvement today particularly in the Philippines?

Considering that the majority of the Philippine population comprises mostly of

Christian Catholics, we believe that the development of the Social Teachings regarding
Social involvement have greatly shaped both the direction, and the current premise of
Philippine socio-political state building. In terms of politics, a lot of sections from the 1987
Philippine constitution and current policy making have come hand in hand with Church
social teachings such as the principle of Human Dignity, thus Justice, and Peace have been
two features of Philippine politics that the Church have undoubtedly contributed to, pushing
for the absolute and innate human rights for all Filipinos and the liberation of the abused. In
terms of Social interaction, with the help of the teachings of Jesus Christ and his mission of
love and servitude to the well-being of everyone, we believe that despite the country’s
imperfection, more and more Filipinos are becoming more aware, patriotic and overall
empathetic towards our fellow countrymen, this statement is proven by the overall level of
concern raised in social media, and the “bayanihan” quality innate in Filipino culture.