Christian Understanding of Justice

References

-Parramatta Diocese Module – A Christian Vision of the World, Stage 6 Catholic Studies

- Herrick, Anne, T. McCullough, Mary K. 2012,"Catholic social teaching; Christian life in society", Saint Mary’s Press.

- Pennock, Michael. 2007, "Catholic social teaching; learning and living justice", Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame Indiana.

- Ryan,Maurice. 2011, "Learning links to justice; teacher resources for the religion classroom" , Lumino press, Brisbane.

- http://www.caritas.org.au/ , Caritas Australia, 2012.

- http://catholicsocialservices.org.au/links/catholic, Catholic Social Services Australia, 2010.

- http://sao.clriq.org.au/cst/cst_intro.html, Social Action Office, Brisbane Australia.

Learning Activity 3

Guest Speaker

Learning Activity 2

Guest speakers from organisations that are dedicated to working towards social justice, such as Caritas, Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, St Vincent de Paul, Catholic Mission and the Columban Institute provide a great way for students to connect with issues of Social Justice and to learn about contemporary issues and current projects.

Teachers could ask students to research one organisation dedicated to social justice of their choosing, researching the organisations' aims, target groups and projects. Students could create a poster for the organisation, to be shared with the class.

http://catholicsocialservices.org.au/links/catholic

Group Research Project

Students are divided into groups of 4-5, and the teacher assigns a disadvantaged social group to the students. e.g. homeless, unemployed, Aborigines, disabled, refugees. They are to each research a different aspect about their social group, such as organisations dedicated to the group, health needs, statistics, housing etc and create a mind map to present to the class. Students should draw from a range of resources such as news articles, statistics, church documents, government sites and organisation websites.

Learning Activity 1

Using Scripture

Using scripture, students are to analyze the meaning of the passage and assess how it relates to the Christian understanding of social justice. This activity could be adapted for a whole class discussion activity, used in groups with a jigsaw activity or individual work.

Scripture passages could include:

- Exodus 20 - The Ten Commandments

- Exodus 21-23 - themes of respect for human life and property

- Luke 16:19-31- The Rich Man and Lazarus, Jesus teaches the wealthy have a responsibility to share material goods

- Luke 14-7:24 – The Parable of the Great Dinner, Jesus invites the poor to a banquet

- Matthew 25:31-46 – The Judgement of the Nations, God calls us to care for all creation.

Particular Concerns of the Parramatta Module...

Modern concerns

The current Parramatta Diocese module is particularly concerned with economic distribution, and the growing gap between the rich and poor.

The 'reign of God' is central to Jesus' teachings, and is seen as a structural model for social justice.

The module is also heavily influenced by the 'signs of the times'.

The goal of social justice is to work towards structural change for a just society focused on human rights, needs and the dignity of the human being.

Solidarity

"Because we are all really responsible for all" Pope John Paul II

Christian Understanding of Justice

The Principle of Solidarity teaches that we are all responsible for one another, and that "Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in an interdependent world".

Solidarity involves a commitment to work for change for equality for all and arises from the belief that "all have the same Creator and all are ordered to his glory" CCC 344.

The virtue of solidarity asks us to work for peace and justice, committing ourselves to the common good of each and every person.

Christian Understanding of Justice

Catholic Studies

Stage 6

Broken Bay - CST Christian Understanding of Justice

Parramatta - 6C5 A Christian Vision of the World

Sydney - E6-1 Justice and Compassion

The Preferential Option for the Poor

Parramatta - 6C5 A Christian Vision of the World

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Mt 25

Some Facts...

The Gospel is full with stories about Jesus helping the poor, and Christians alike are called to reach out to the poor, marginalized and disadvantaged groups.

The Catholic Church is concerned with helping the poor and vulnerable around the world.

The poor deserve respect, protection of their rights, the ability to share in God's creation, and deserve justice.

Help should be provided on individual, community, governmental and global levels.

- Adopts a Catechetical Approach

- One of 7 Core Studies in the Parramatta Module. One elective must also be completed.

- Catholic Studies is a non-Atar subject, and has no external examination.

-Catholic Studies runs similar themed Life Skills alternatives, such as LS6C5 A Guide to Social Action.

- There is a social justice themed elective, 6E5 A Guide to Social Action

The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers

"respecting working rights promotes an economy that protects human life, defends human rights, and advances the well-being of all"

Stage 6 Catholic Studies, Broken Bay Module

Work helps us make a living and to participate in God's creation, and is thus an expression of dignity.

Workers rights include: productive work, decent and fair wages, union participation, private property and economic initiative.

The Catholic Church supports worker's collectives such as unions, as well as individual workers and their right to just wages and equitable working conditions.

A Christian Vision of the World

Unit Focus

In this unit students explore the Kingdom of God proclaimed by Jesus as they learn to describe a Christian vision for Australia and the world. As part of this process, students will identify ‘signs of the times’ and practice the application of social justice principles to a range of contemporary issues

UNIT OUTCOMES

By the end of this unit students should be able to:

1 - name and explain personal concerns and hopes for the world at the beginning of the Third Millennium in response to the analysis of respected individuals and organisations

2 - explain how Jesus’ proclamation of the kingdom of God was and continues to be a radical vision that is ‘good news’ for the poor

3 - give examples of what the Church identifies as ‘signs of the times’

4 - apply principles of Catholic social justice teaching to contemporary issues crucial to the development of the world’s people and protection of its environments

5 - identify the implications of a personal vision that integrates deeply held values and commitments.

A Christian Vision of the World

Teacher's Background Knowledge

Social Justice Teaching

A Brief History

Principles of Christian understanding of Justice:

- dignity of the human being

- rights and responsibilities of the person

- the call to family, community and participation

- the universal destination of goods

- the dignity of work and rights of workers

- the preferential option for the poor

- the principal of solidarity

-social justice teaching is a call for all people to work to achieve the common good, to live in solidarity with others, and to be good models of God's creation.

The Universal Destination of Goods

Goods of creation are for everyone

In 1891 Pope Leo XIII released his encyclical "Rerum Novarum - On the Condition of Labour". This was the first social teaching encyclical released by the Catholic Church and reflected two of Pope Leo XIII's concerns for the changing society:

- the appeal of communism for workers who were attempting to bridge the gap between the aristocratic and working classes,

- excesses of liberal- capitalist development in Europe, which saw the exploitation and poverty of industrial workers and the concentration of wealth in the hands of few.

Pope Leo XIII asked for:

the recognition of human dignity;

the protection of basic economic and political rights, including the right to a just wage and to organise associations or unions to defend just claims;

the right to private property;

the rights of labour over capital;

the just organisations of society for the common good.

God intended for all goods of creation to be used by everyone, not an elite minority.

individuals, corporations and nations have no right to squander the goods of creation when others in the world remain in need. Rich nations have a responsibility to use their resources to care for poor nations. Organisations such as the UN are dedicated to these issues of social justice and the economy, and the Catholic Church supports efforts to care for the natural world.

The Call to Family, Community and Participation

Rights and Responsibilities of the Person

The Dignity of the Human Being - Genesis 1:27

"People have a right and duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all"

Human dignity includes human rights and responsibilities

-the family is the central social institution that must be supported and strengthened.

- people have a right to participate actively in decisions that affect their lives- the principle of Subsidiarity.

- governments must guarantee and protect human life and dignity, especially for the poor and weak.

So God created mankind in his own image,

in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

Some basic rights include:

- the right to life

- the right to a worthy standard of living

- the right to freedom, to work, to raise a family, to worship according to one's conscience.

-equality between men and women

Assaults on human dignity, such as violence, war, inhumane conditions, slavery, prostitution and deportation are condemned in the catholic view of justice.

The human dignity is the starting point and central concern of catholic principles of social justice. The human person is made in the image and likeness of God, as stated in Genesis 1:27, and forms the foundations of the principles of Catholic teachings of justice. Because we are made in likeness of the divine image, we are beings of incomparable worth, endowed with two human powers- intellect and free will.

Humans should enjoy rights and responsibilities which are universal, all human life is precious and should be cared for.