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THE PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL ETHICS

THE PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL ETHICS. The 9 Principles of Social Ethical Teaching (SET). Where does the Following Statement Come From?.

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THE PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL ETHICS

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  1. THE PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL ETHICS The 9 Principles of Social Ethical Teaching (SET)

  2. Where does the Following Statement Come From? We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

  3. Declaration Of Independence

  4. What enables us to recognize and understand God’s command to do good and avoid evil? Human intellect • What enables us to choose good with the guidance of our conscience and obey God’s law of love? FREE WILL

  5. The teachings of Social Ethics (SE) will attempt to teach us to understand how societies work and what moral principles and values ought to guide them

  6. The roots of SE teaching goes back to the Hebrew prophets who claim God’s special love for the poor and called His chosen people to be just, loving, and peace-filled. • These principles flow primarily from the life of Christ, who proclaimed the good news to the poor and taught His followers how to recognize and respond to the least in our midst

  7. The Nine Principles of SET • Human Dignity • Respect for Life • Family / Community Participation • Rights and Duties • Common Good • Option for the Poor • Work and Workers • Solidarity • Stewardship

  8. 1. Human Dignity • We are made in the image and likeness of God. Human dignity means we have worth and value. This is why all the principles that follow are true • Everyone, regardless of race, creed, color, nationality, religion, economic statue, gender, deserve respect. ALL are members of God’s family

  9. Our dignity does not come from what we have or what we do; it comes from being God’s special creation • Every human being is created in the image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ, and therefore, is invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family

  10. 2. Respect for Life • All life is precious and deserving of our respect and protection. From conception to the end of life through natural death, a person has inherent dignity and a right to life consistent with that dignity. • Unless human life is treated as sacred and respected as such, we cannot have a just society

  11. 3. Family, Community Participation • A person is not only sacred but social • The family is the central social institution • People also have the right and duty to participate in society seeking the common good and welfare of all • God has a communal and social nature (God is a Triune God)

  12. 4. Rights and Responsibilities • The most fundamental right is that of life and what is necessary for human decency. • Rights also have corresponding responsibilities to each other, to our families, and to the larger society • Human dignity and healthy community can only be achieved if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met

  13. 5. Common Good • Social conditions that permit individuals to reach their full human potential. • The 3 elements of common good: A) Respect for and promotion of the fundamental rights of the person B) Prosperity; social well being and development of the group C) Peace and security of the group and its members

  14. 6. Option of the Poor • How are our most vulnerable members doing? • Jesus taught we must put the needs of the poor first. The powerless and poor need our protection. • The poor deserve respect and the ability to participate and to share in God’s creation

  15. 7. Work and Workers Rights • The economy must serve the people, not the other way around. • Workers rights: Productive work, fair wage, decent conditions, economic incentive, private property, etc… Respecting these rights promotes an economy that protects human life, defends human rights, and advances the well being of all.

  16. 8. Solidarity • We are our brother’s keeper • We are responsible for each other’s well being. • Pope John Paul II wrote “Because we are all really responsible for all.”

  17. 9. Stewardship • We are called to protect people, planet, and living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. • We respect God by being good stewards of the earth

  18. Definitions of What it is to be Human • Man, when perfected, is the best of animals, but, when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all -Aristotle- • Man is heaven’s masterpiece -Francis Quarles- • You have created us for yourself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in You. -St Augustine-

  19. We Are In Charge Of God’s Creation Respect for nature and respect for human life are inextricably related Respect for life extends also to the rest of creation. Other species, ecosystems, and even distinctive landscapes give glory to God. The covenant given to Noah was a promise to all the earth

  20. The diversity of life manifests God’s glory. Every creature shares a bit of the divine beauty God’s divine goodness could not be represented by one creature alone, so he produced many diverse creatures, so that what was wanting to one in representation of the divine goodness might be supplied by another

  21. Hence, the whole universe together participates in the Divine goodness more perfectly, and it represents it better than any single creature The wonderful variety of the natural world is, therefore, part of the Divine plan and , as such, invites our respect

  22. Accordingly, it is appropriate that we treat other creatures and the natural world not just as a means to human fulfillment, but also as God’s creatures, possessing an independent value, worthy of our respect and care

  23. How Do We Show Respect For God’s Creation? By preserving natural environments By protecting endangered species By making human environments compatible with local ecology, by employing appropriate technology By carefully evaluating technological innovations

  24. Care for the earth is a duty of our faith and a sign of our concern for all people. We should strive to live simply to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

  25. As stewards we should strive for a world in which people respect and protect all of creation and seek to live simply in harmony with it for the sake of future generations

  26. What Does it Mean to be Human? • If God is our Father then we are all brothers and sisters • Our view of how humans should act depends on how we see ourselves * If we see ourselves as bad we won’t be too concerned about acting responsibly * If we see ourselves in God’s image then we will reflect on His creation and respect all around us

  27. What is a Right? • A claim we can make on each other and society for basic minimum conditions. • A right is not something that is earned; they are due because we are made in God’s image and likeness

  28. Some Rights Are: * Universal * For every human being * Inviolable * Untouchable, b/c it comes from God * Inalienable Inherent and beyond challenge. No one has a right to take them away b/c they are due us as children of God

  29. We are Unique • We all possess a spiritual and immortal soul that has two powers: A. Intellect – it allows us to think B. Free Will – it allows us to choose and to love This spiritual nature makes humans unique among creation

  30. What Rights do Humans Have? • Private property • Set up a family • Worship • Proper development of life • Food / shelter / clothing • Education • Medical care • Rest • Freedom of movement (Where to live)

  31. We are social as the Trinity is a community so all choices must be acted on in relationship with others • With every free choice is a corresponding responsibility • We have a responsibility to respect other people’s rights. We cannot claim rights while ignoring our responsibilities

  32. What is Our Personal Responsibility? • To develop our potential • Glorify God by cooperating with his plan for creation • To be compassionate as our God is compassionate • To love unconditionally as God loves • In short, our vocation is to be like Jesus

  33. Justice • Are charity and justice synonymous? Yes? Yes? Yes? Yes? NO? No? No? No?

  34. Charity cannot substitute for justice. Charity is geared toward immediate needs, private, individual acts. Social justice it targeted toward change, long term needs; to change unjust institutions. • What would be charity and what would be justice in the parable of the “Good Samaritan?

  35. When Are We Just? When we are faithful, i.e. when we love God above all, love our neighbor as ourselves and respect and use God’s earth wisely • We get this from Biblical justice. Biblical justice is fidelity to God, neighbor, and to God’s created goods • Fidelity: strict observance of promises, duties, etc.

  36. God forms a covenant with Abraham binding himself to an open-ended contract of love • God promises to be faithful to Abraham (giving him land, children, descendents). The Hebrews were to remain faithful to the covenant, to obey God by living upright, just lives • Jesus is God’s new covenant with us, He reveals justice in the flesh and His fundamental teaching is--LOVE

  37. Love and Service • Jesus is God’s new covenant with us, He reveals justice in the flesh and His fundamental teaching is– LOVE • “Love one another as I have loved you.” • Before Jesus ascends to heaven He forms a just community to carry on His work. What are his criteria for membership? – SERVICE • “Anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant. Anyone who wants to first among you must be a slave to all,”

  38. Justice and Society • The three divine persons are bound in a community of love. God is one divine being but a community of relationships. • Society is a group of persons bound together by a principle of unity that goes beyond them – we are responsible for each other

  39. What Groups are We Part of? • Family- the first and most basic is family, immediate and extended. The foundation of all society is the family • The breakdown of the family structure destroys the structure of society as a whole.

  40. The breakdown continues to neighborhood, school, clubs and community, city, state, region, nation, and world • We belong to a city of world citizens as well as these other communities • We all have one thing on common—the HUMAN PERSON • Societies exist for the benefit of the human person (not the other way around). The rules, laws, and procedures of society must serve the people (not vice versa)

  41. Think of our participation in both community and family • We cannot survive infancy without the family structure. We are dependent on our family for survival • We cannot survive living together as a collection of people without government authority • Both institutions exist to promote the individual, to help the individual develop their talents. Participation helps develop these

  42. Subsidiarity • What associations/organizations do we participate in? • sports teams, • religious groups, • political parties, • neighborhood associations, • clubs, etc. • These all have some sort of authoritative structure

  43. The principle of subsidiarity is that larger social organization (like the Federal Govt.) should not take over what individuals or lower associations can accomplish on their own. What are some examples? • This helps promote “common good”

  44. Common Good • Common good is the sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups and their individual member’s access to their fulfillment • There are 3 essential elements to common good:

  45. Respect for the Human Person Public authorities must respect the fundamental inalienable rights of each human being

  46. Social well being / Development Public authorities must enable groups to develop socially, economically, politically, culturally, and religiously

  47. Foster Peace Without peace it is impossible to establish a just society

  48. Social Charity / Solidarity • Being committed to practicing justice (fostering common good) • We are our brothers keeper. We are responsible for each other. • The poor and powerless are unable to secure their own rights. It is our responsibility to help so they can take an active role in society and contribute to the common good. • By helping others so they can contribute helps promote our own common good • What are some things we can do for the poor?

  49. COMMON PROBLEMS=COMMON GROUND What common experience is available to ALL humanity (and animals)?

  50. What one universal reality impinges on all humanity and can be pointed to with one word? ___________!! SUFFERING

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