CONCORDANCE AND AMBIVALENCE
Lawrence T. Nichols
West Virginia University
This paper relates the Integral sociology perspective of Pitirim A. Sorokin to the teaching of the Catholic church regarding faith and science. I begin with a summary of the theoretical structure of Integralism and proceed to a discussion of its historical roots in Russian Christian philosophy, especially the tradition of Intuitivism. I conclude that although Integralism is generally consistent with Catholic doctrine, it does not deal with certain fundamentals of the Catholic perspective. Moreover, Sorokin’s formulation seems to imply the possibility of both Christian and non-Christian, theistic and non-theistic variants of Integralism. Nevertheless, Catholic social scientists may find the integralist perspective appealing and useful, especially as compared with other contemporary paradigms. (full text)
FOUNDATIONAL
IDEAS FOR AN INTEGRAL SOCIAL SCIENCE
IN THE THOUGHT OF ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
Vincent Jeffries
Pitirim A. Sorokin advocated an "integral" system of truth which would incorporate religious ideas in the epistemology and ontology of the social sciences. Several foundational ideas for this integral perspective are in the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas: (1) the view that truth is derived from the three sources of faith, reason, and the senses; (2) the last end of human beings, which is happiness; (3) virtue and vice; (4) free will, through which individuals exercise the capacity to choose. These ideas can be incorporated within the existing frame of reference of the social sciences. When appropriate, they can be formulated as value premises, concepts, propositions, and operational definitions. The writings of Sorokin and Aquinas are considered as foundational sources for the development of a comprehensive integral tradition in the social sciences. (full text)
INTEGRALISM, ALTRUISM, AND SOCIAL EMANCIPATION:
A SOROKINIAN MODEL OF PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
Barry V. Johnston
Indiana University Northwest
Integralism is simultaneously an epistemology, psychology, sociology of change and theory of history. As used here it provides the theoretical underpinnings of Sorokin's general sociology and later works on altruism and social reconstruction. This paper explores the evolution of the concept from Social and Cultural Dynamics through his later works on the crisis of modernity, and the studies of social reconstruction at the Harvard Research Center in Creative Altruism. The results of this evolving chain of analysis was an integrated conceptual statement on the nature of humaness, knowledge, conflict resolution, altruism, and prosocial forms of human organization. Sorokin’s model along with selected themes from the writings of John Paul II sharpens their shared insights into the resolution of social problems.
INTRODUCTION TO THE
SYMPOSIUM
Gary Glenn
This symposium examines the issue of how well Catholic social thought fits with the underlying principles and philosophy of the American regime. The contributors to the symposium take different views of this issue. On one hand, Carson Holloway argues that Catholic social thought is at odds with certain aspects of the regime. On the other hand, Kimberly Shankman aruges that a properly understood natural law teaching is essential to a sound American constitutionalism. These positions are subjected to careful scrutiny by contributors Leon Holmes and John Stack. (full text)
RERUM NOVARUM
AND THE TENTH FEDERALIST
Carson Holloway
Is man fundamentally a moral and religious being, as Pope Leo XIII insists in Rerum Novarum? Or, is man a being fundamentally driven by a desire for material gain, as is asserted by Thomas Hobbes and James Madison? This article argues that Leo’s view of humanity is the more accurate one, and that implies problems for the underlying ideas of the American regime. Rather than seeing religion as too weak to restrain man’s desire for gain, as does Madison (and the American Republic), Leo understood that religion can be a powerful force for drawing society to a high level of moral rectitude. (full text)
THE WAGES (AND
HOURS) OF SIN
Kimberly Shankman
Beginning with an examination of the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Lochner v. New York, this article examines the necessity of natural law jurisprudence for a proper sort of constitutional interpretation. Natural law jurisprudence, properly understood and applied, would not be a cover for judges to read their own preferences into the Constitution. (full text)
COMMENTARY ON
“CATHOLIC SOCIAL THOUGHT AND THE AMERICAN REGIME”
John Stack
Holloway and Shankman ask the right questions in trying to figure out whether and to the extent to which Catholic social thought is compatible with the American regime. By directing our attention to fundamental disagreements between the Church and modern political philosophers such as Hobbes and Locke, Holloway and Shankman render a great service. In portraying Madison as overly Hobbesian, though, Holloway implies that the tension between Catholic social thought and the Federalist is more pronounced than it actually is. And in endorsing a common law approach to judging, Shankman ignores the serious reservations against such an approach voiced by Madison, other Founders and case law. (full text)
TOTALITY AND IDOLATRY: REREADING PIUS XI
Rev. John J. Conley, SJ
In three encyclicals, Pius XI denounces the abuses of totalitarian regimes: fascism, national socialism, and communism. The pope argues that the motor of the human rights abuses operative in each regime is idolatry. Totalitarian movements have placed respectively the state, race, and class in the place of God. The prophetic defense of the rights of the persecuted entails a theological critique of the idolatrous substitutes for God and of the counterfeit Christianity fabricated by totalitarian movements. (full text)
Developmental psychology and personality theory offer explanations of the development of autonomy that focus primarily on how the person becomes capable of acting on his or her own. Unlike developmental theory, however, the Church finds the key to development not in self-centeredness, but in submission and docility.
In traditional Catholic thought, man finds freedom in the ultimate intimacy, that of union with the Trinity. Our reason serves our freedom, supporting our growing capacity to discern God’s will and surrender to it, as well as the growing capacity to discern God’s will in submissive service to loved ones. Cooperation with God’s free gift of grace enables this development. The Holy Father distinguishes this autonomy from heteronomy, which is obedience to laws that are unrelated to human good. Moral autonomy, on the other hand, represents a “participated theonomy” or our willful participation in divine providence, through the right use of natural reason and submission to divine revelation. Moral autonomy defines human freedom. (full text)
HUMAN RIGHTS, NATURAL LAW, AND THOMAS AQUINAS
Fr. Joseph M. de Torre
At the end
of February 2000 the Pope fulfilled a longed-for dream in his visit to
Egypt, culminating in his
ascent to Mount Sinai. Here the Pope displays once again a perfect
intertwining of reason and faith, philosophy and theology. In this paper I
delve into the metaphysical ground of social ethics, as I did in the 1977
book, The Roots of Society. (full
text)
PRIVACY AND TECHNOLOGY:
INSIGHTS FROM CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING
Eileen Kelly
Ithaca College
Electronic monitoring is an extremely controversial area and one of growing public debate. Clearly monitoring can serve legitimate business purposes. However, it also has the potential to seriously erode the human dignity and privacy of those being monitored. The issue of electronic monitoring is examined by analyzing the extent and nature of monitoring of employees and customers, along with the legal and moral issues raised in monitoring. (full text)
THE UNITED STATES
SUPREME COURT AND THE PRIVATIZATION OF RELIGION
Richard S. Myers
The case law of the United States Supreme Court has moved beyond a hostility to a public role for religion. Yet, the Court seems also committed to requiring a secular public life—to require the government to act as if there is no God. This article examines in detail how the Court has advanced this secular agenda in two areas of law: adjudication of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, and the area of public morality. (full text)
"FAITH AND EDUCATION IN
THE COURTS"
James A. Sonne and Lloyd Macauley Richardson
American education is in crisis, and there is a strong case to be made for expanding the role of religious schools and other faith-based organizations as part of the solution to our problems. Those who would press for a larger role for faith-based schools and other organizations in our society must be alert to the limitations imposed on them by modern judicial doctrine. The Supreme Court has set up a number of roadblocks to expanding the role of faith-based institutions in education, so it is critical to understand the history and current status of these constitutional roadblocks to appreciate how difficult it will be to apply the appropriate remedies to the crisis in education. (full text)
EMPTY PEWS AND EMPTY ALTARS: A RECONSIDERATION OF THE
CATHOLIC PRIEST SHORTAGE
by Paul Sullins
OCKHAM AND NOMINALISM:
TOWARD A NEW PARADIGM
John R. White
Franciscan University of Steubenville
This article discusses what might be called the standard picture of Ockham in 20th century Catholic thought, especially as regards his theory of knowledge. First, it explains why it is that Ockham’s theory of knowledge has generally gotten bad press from Catholic philosophers. Second, it seeks to demonstrate why Ockham deserves a better reputation among Catholic thinkers. (full text)