ENCYCLICAL NAME/S POPE CONTEXT MAJOR TEACHINGS

Rerum Novarum Of New Things Pope Leo XIII • Destitution of the masses
• Poor must be cared for

• Exploitation of workers
• Role of church to speak in matters concerning
*On Capital and • Failure of public authority to protect faith and morality

Labour
the poor • Private property is not absolute

Quadragesimo On the 40th Year Pope Pius XI • Worker condition improved in the • Workers right to just wage or living wage

Anno West but deteriorated in the rest of • Principle of Subsidiarity

the world
• Social reconstruction needs a return to
• Abuses of socialism and capitalism Christian spirit and Gospel principles

Mater et Magistra Mother and Pope John XXIII • Severe imbalance between • Social doctrine as integral part of Christian Life

Teacher depressed agricultural sector and • Calls for services for rural areas and orderly
industry
economic development

*Christianity and • Imbalance between rich and poor • Industrial countries should respect the culture
Social Progress nations of developing countries

Pacem in Terris Peace on Earth Pope John XXIII • Danger of nuclear war
• True peace is possible only when relationships
• Government inadequacy to are found in truth, justice, charity, and freedom

*On Establishing promote common good

• Every human person has universal, inviolable
Universal Peace • Exploitation of small nations by big and inalienable rights
in Truth, Justice, countries

Charity and • Cuban missile crisis

Liberty

*the rights and

obligations of
individuals and of
the state
Gaudium Et Spes Joy and Hope Pope Paul VI The Church in the Modern World Church’s duty is
discernment of the signs of the times in the light
The Pastoral of the Gospel. Principles of cultural development
Constitution of and justice, enhancing human dignity and the
the Church in the common good. Work for peace.

Modern World

Justitia/Justicia in Justice in the Synod of Bishops • Oppression of Third World countries

• Justice is an essential expression of Christian
Mundo World • Forces for achieving human dignity love

and force of division are strong • Church has a role to proclaim justice and
denounce injustices

• Education to Justice
Evangelii Nuntiandi In Proclaiming the Pope Paul VI • Third World countries struggle • Evangelization has a personal and social
Gospel against injustices and poverty
dimension

• great divergence (the west • personal - we must possess the values that
became the most powerful, but the Gospel teaches

there are still a lot of poor • social - service to the whole of humanity

countries)

• The salvation that Jesus proclaimed

• Growth of secularism
(evangelized) is a liberation from all forms of
• separation of the church and oppression

state (people grew apart) • liberation - freedom from oppression

• salvation - spiritual liberation from sin

(oppression)

• liberation alone is not enough since salvation

is also important

• witness (reflection of authentic Christian life in

the way we live) is the most important means
of evangelization which is why there is a need
to emphasize this
 Laborem Through Work Pope John Paul II • Growth of Multinational corporations
• Dignity of Work (subjective and objective value)

Exercens* • the working class were treated • objective: the work itself

as mere instruments of • subjective: the worker

production (Rerum Novarum)

• work is important because workers are also
important

• Inadequate protection of agricultural

workers (more focused on the • Spirituality of Work

industrial sector)
• by one’s work, one shares the creative
power of God (which is why we need to
• Liberal capitalism and Marxist appreciate the workers behind beautiful
collectivism rivalry
man-made creations)

• LC - decisions are made by

individuals
• Work is the key to the social question

• MC - common good > individual • work is the answer to the huge gap between
the rich and the poor

• Priority of labor over capital

• Right to private property is subordinate to the

right to common use (common use > private
property)

Solicitudo Rei On Social Concern Pope John Paul II • 20th anniversary of Populorum • Moral and Spiritual aspect of development

Socialis Progressio
• development is the new name for peace (if
*talks about the • Increasing poverty of many people
everyone is given the chance to progress,
concern of the • Widening gap between the there will be peace)
Church towards developed and developing countries • there is a need for conversion to overcome
social order (more)
the moral obst. of dvpt.

• Respect for human dignity and people’s right to

• Threats to humanity:
development

• lack of adequate housing

• include the poor in the decision-making
• under/unemployment
process for development (political
• international debt participation)

 • Structures of sin as root of today’s evil (caused

by individual greed and apathy)

• Need for solidarity and option for the poor

• commit to the common good since everyone

is responsible for everyone

• Sustainable Development (development includes

ecological concern)

Centesimus Annus The Hundredth Pope John Paul II • Fall of Communism (because of • Private property is not absolute

Year revolutions — the people served the • Failures of both Socialist and Capitalist
govt but the govt didn’t)
Economies

• also because of the violation of • socialism only: no right to private property

the rights of workers,

• capitalism only: rich > poor

• inefficiency of the economic • ideal: socialism and capitalism (have free

system (no economic freedom)
will but with restrictions)

• spiritual void of atheism

• Justice as part of evangelization

• Marxist solution failed but realities of • evangelization: social doctrines, not only
exploitation in the world remain scriptures or spiritual faith dimension

• evangelization that promotes the whole

human being (protection of dignity and
freedom)

• Church as the Church of the Poor

• poor != burden (abolish this mentality)

• poverty should not dehumanize people

(human dignity is inherent and
immeasurable)

• “poor” != material poverty only (also cultural

and spiritual)
 • Lighten or cancel debt of poor countries (since
this hinders progress)

• Calls for disarmament

• military victory != peace

• Calls rich nations to sacrifice income and power

• no peace if others develop as the expense of

others (also in Sollicitudo Rei Socialis)

• no true peace and prosperity unless it

includes everyone

Evangelium Vitae* The Gospel of Life Pope John Paul II • Individualism

• Underscores the value and dignity of life

• Assertion of Rights • Condemns culture of death e.g., death penalty,

abortion, euthanasia

• Calls for the promotion of a culture of life

• Family as sanctuary of life

Deus Caritas Est God is Love Pope Benedict • Age of hostility and greed
• Self sacrificing nature of love

XVI • The word love is so tarnished,

spoiled and abused
• Eros and agape are essentially connected

• no eros: cold and formal

• Two dimensions of love: (to be truly • no agape: not fulfilling love’s true end;
human loving)
personal union with the other

• eros (desiring love) - body

• it’s both the body and soul that loves

• agape (self-sacrifing/giving love) • agape allows eros to achieve its true dignity
- soul • eros in God’s being: passionate lover of
creation

• Love is essentially being responsible for each

other (which is why agape is needed)

Caritas in Veritate Charity/Love in Pope Benedict • Global economic and banking crisis • Authentic human development as motivation for
Truth XVI of 2008
charity

• Environmental degradation • charity/truth is necessary for development (if

*highlights the becomes more evident
you truly want human dvpt, truth/charity
moral aspect of • the environment became a must be practiced)

development global and mainstream topic • development includes human development

• Respect for life and openness to life as the

center of true development

• Exploring the scope of human anatomy

needs spiritual guidance, digging too 

much will lead to materialistic attachment

• common good should be the ultimate goal

 • respect to life and dvpt are inseparable

• authentic human development needs the

principle of gratuitousness (doing
something out of love, not bc of the reward)

• Economy needs ethics to function correctly

• consumerist and utilitarian view of life

abuses the economy in a destructive way

• system should have 3 subjs: market, state,

civil society

• Ethics should be people oriented

Laudato Si Praise be to You, Pope Francis • Incredible progress in science and • Ecological Conversion

my Lord technology
• change is impossible without motivation and
• tech & dev became profit- a process of education (about the covenant
centric, but it must be used to between the environment and humanity)

solve problems, not create (but • change should start with ourselves (lifestyle)

we cannot trust tech alone)

• Need to care for our common home

• Ecological crisis (throwaway culture)

• nature should be taken care of because it is
• technocratic paradigm (belief not absolute

that tech is the sol. for all probs)

• modern anthropocentrism • The earth was here before us and it has been
(doesnt recognize nature as a given to us to care for it

valid norm & living refuge — we • the earth is a gift, not a possession (we must
lose our sense of stewardship)
administer it, not destroy)
• practical relativism (more
superior than the rest; acting for
one’s own benefit while treating
others as mere objects)