Social Teaching Of The Church:A Survey On Disarmament And Nuclear Weapons (From " Pacem In Terris To" Centesimus Annus")
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Date
2006
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Tangaza University College
Abstract
By its very nature, the church is missionary. The church continues
the mission or the work of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, according to the
plan of God. Jesus sent his disciples into the world to continue his own saving
mission. The church has indeed an apostolic mission of proclaiming and witnessing
to the Kingdom of God as Jesus did. The church carries out this mission in different
places and different situations of this world. This is why in her mission the church is
always looking for a language adapted to different cultures and situations of people.
How can the church preach the same Gospel to rich and poor people, educated and
illiterate persons, sick and healthy people, oppressed people and their oppressors?
How can the church accomplish effectively her mission in this changing world?
It is indeed the mission of the church to bring the Good News of
Salvation to all people all over the world. The Church's message must reach out to
transform all aspects of human existence in this world. Thus, when the church is
speaking up for social issues is not meddling in affairs, which it should not be
dealing with. When the church is speaking up for the human dignity, human rights,
peace, unity, human work, etc, it is always fulfilling her mission. Even though the
ultimate end of the Church's mission is the eternal life, this mission has to do with
temporal life as its way to eternal life. Consequently, the church should not remain silent on social issues, which are affecting the daily life of the people of God
throughout the world. The church's mission is not limited to the spiritual dimension
of life; it should reach and transform the whole human being, made of both spirit
and matter. The Gospel itself on which the church's mission is based is about God
becoming man to embrace all human realities. Created in God's image, the human
being is called to reflect that image in his/her daily life. In fact, the church has been
given the mission of safeguarding the transcendence of the human person. Being
rooted in the very mystery of creation, the church's mission is a divine mission in its
very nature.
However, even though the church should be involved in different
social issues due to her mission, it should always transcend every political or
economic system because of the nature of her mission. Thus, to be involved in social
issues is one thing and how the church should be involved is another one. Indeed,
the church leaders have been intervening in different social issues from the early
church. However, the official Catholic Social Teaching" dates from the Pope Leo
XIII's encyclical letter "Rerum Novartun", issued in 1891. From Pope Leo XIII to
the current Pope, Benedict XVI, the Catholic Social Teaching has developed very
much. Today's world peace situation will be at the heart of this study.
Peace is indeed among the very sensitive social issues of our modern world where
the presence of different types of weapons remains the main source of violence,
wars and different armed conflicts. The attacks of terrorists and the risk of nuclear
war are increasing day after day. The proliferation of illicit small aims, light
weapons and nuclear weapons has become a big threat to peace in this 21st century.
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Keywords
Social Teaching, Church, Survey, Disarmament, Nuclear Weapons, war