In Defense of Catholicism’s Political Authority

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No Catholic who understands the authoritative role of his Faith in the political sphere can entirely separate it from the state. In the Catechism, it is said that, “every institution is inspired, at least implicitly, by a vision of man and his destiny, from which it derives the point of reference for its judgment, its hierarchy of values, its line of conduct,” (CCC 2244). Hence political theory and concepts of social justice cannot be removed from morality and an understanding of human beings. It is necessary then that there be an authority higher than that of the state to act as instructor, and to intervene, “whenever the fundamental rights of man or the salvation of souls requires it,” (2246).

While it is not the Church’s role to act as a governing body, it is called to interact with secular rulers as an educator and moral guide. Moreover, when the Church’s teaching power is considered when backed by its millennia of tradition, understanding of human nature, moral philosophy, and its close cohesion to the natural law, it becomes apparent that the Catholic Church stands before all other religious affiliations as instructor.
 
Yes! Finally someone else is saying it! Thank you.

States are creatures of men, not God, and must submit to higher authority. If only more people knew this, and were willing to invoke higher authority in their dealings with States.
 
What this post says is entirely true. However, most of our secular political authorities have fallen away from the morality of their Christian roots. America is a case in point where aggressive atheism is attacking every sign of its society’s Christian traditions in public life; from banning prayers at schools to religious signatures within Christian institutions.
Most of the western governments across the world have lost their soul to the Zeitgeist of such secularisation. The Catholic Church is the only institution with continuing moral authority, damaged so seriously by the paedophilia scandal, sufficient to retain a teaching guidance for world governments. We must be vitally concerned at the demands for overreaching religious control of government that lies at the base of Muslim aggression across the world. We are heading for another Lepanto if we do not recognise the need to be a guide only to government and give to Caesar the due rights of legitimate governance. America’s seeming need to bomb anyone it determines has broken the moral rules leads naturally to war as an answer to immoral government. Far better for good men to give guidance and allow for the peaceful resolution of government immorality. Pray for the people who will give their blood in Syria to wash the conscience of America.
 
Petaro said:
What this post says is entirely true. However, most of our secular political authorities have fallen away from the morality of their Christian roots. America is a case in point where aggressive atheism is attacking every sign of its society’s Christian traditions in public life; from banning prayers at schools to religious signatures within Christian institutions.
Most of the western governments across the world have lost their soul to the Zeitgeist of such secularisation. The Catholic Church is the only institution with continuing moral authority, damaged so seriously by the paedophilia scandal, sufficient to retain a teaching guidance for world governments. We must be vitally concerned at the demands for overreaching religious control of government that lies at the base of Muslim aggression across the world. We are heading for another Lepanto if we do not recognise the need to be a guide only to government and give to Caesar the due rights of legitimate governance. America’s seeming need to bomb anyone it determines has broken the moral rules leads naturally to war as an answer to immoral government. Far better for good men to give guidance and allow for the peaceful resolution of government immorality. Pray for the people who will give their blood in Syria to wash the conscience of America.
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Very good thoughts. Legitimate government is what counts. States are not legitimate when they rely on force or coercion to stay in power, when opposed to what is good and right and true.
 
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