THEOLOGY 3:

CHRISTIAN VISION OF THE CHURCH IN SOCIETY:

The Social Mission of the Church & The
Commitment of the Lay Faithful
Should the Church play an active role on the
issues of injustice?
The origin and foundation of the Social Mission of the Church are
rooted in the Judeo-Christian Tradition
 SHALOM

Yahweh is a righteous God

in the Old Testament so He
encourages His people as
well to become just and
righteous in order to realize
peace or shalom (over-all
harmony) in His Kingdom.
The Judeo-Christian Tradition Expressions of Justice are:

Sedakah
Mishpat
Hesed
Dikaiosune
 Sedakah
It is manifested by Yahweh
The right relationship that
in His relationship with
God has established
Israel and with all things
It means right demonstrates the way of
He has made, and by
relationship. justice for human beings
Israel, in her response of
in dealing with one
obedience, reverence and
another.
faithfulness to God.
 Sedakah
The word sedakah also
corresponds to Yahweh‘s
It is identical with deliverance
righteousness. Yahweh shows Some terms related to
and salvation, describing it as
his righteousness by keeping Yahweh‘s sedakah are mercy,
associated to a norm
the covenant and being the compassion and salvation.
established by God.
very source of righteousness.
(Ps. 111: 3, 5, 9).
 Mishpath
This is
where It is also a
It is justice
Yahweh court of law
based on
It depicts refuses wherein the
the context
the forensic injustice accused is
of the
nature of because the punished
failure of
justice. right and the
the right
relationship victim is
relationship.
is being vindicated.
violated.
 Mishpath
The arbiter, the King-God, secures order in
Yahweh is a judge who punishes the
the community by applying the mishpath.
wicked one and rewards the righteous one.
It implies deliverance for those who are
Thus, He corrects wrongdoings in order to
just and innocent, but harsh for the wicked
restore right relationship.
and sinful.
 Hesed
Yahweh‘s hesed
is manifested in
His everlasting
It is often love for Israel.
translated as (Ps. 25: 6, Jer. 31:
Hesed is the
loving kindness. 3), remaining Yahweh is the
expression of
Other faithful in spite epitome and
loving kindness
translations are of Israel‘s example of doing
in the Kingdom
steadfast love, unfaithfulness hesed to others.
of Yahweh.
mercy and (Hos. 2), and
compassion. showing
compassion and
mercy for her
sins (Isa. 54: 8).
 Dikaiosune
The metaphor of
the Kingdom of
Jesus’ invitation God embodies the
to strive first for way God relates
The Greek word
the Kingdom of with people and
dikaiosune can be
God and His sheds light on the
rendered
righteousness word dikaiosune
righteousness or
(Mt. 6: 33) is as the manner by
justice.
basically which God wants
relational. to be ―king or as
to be the divine
will is followed.
 In the New
Testament, Jesus
Christ proclaims that
the Kingdom of God
is already at hand
and the Beatitudes
are the ways to
attain its fullness.
 God reigns
where the divine
will is done.
The Lord‘s
Prayer in Luke The right
11: 2-4 are situation is doing
petitions for the justice to
coming of God‘s humankind for it
Kingdom and for is the one willed
the doing of the by God.
divine will.
Jesus‘ initial proclamation of the justice of God ― to bring good news to the
poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to
let the oppressed go free and announce the Lord‘s year of mercy/favor (Lk. 4:
18-19) resonates the prophet Isaiah‘s announcement of God giving ― justice
to His people (Is. 60: 21; 61: 1-3).
Jesus‘ proclamation of the Kingdom of God also entails
renewal and righteousness by witnessing the Gospel.
The Beatitudes of Jesus are also considered as expressions and
ways to realize the right relationship in the Kingdom of God.
 Blessed are you Poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
The Beatitudes of
Jesus Christ according Blessed are you Hungry, you shall be satisfied.
to Matthew 5: 3-10:
Blessed are you that Weep, you shall laugh.

Blessed are those Mourn, they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the Meek, they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are the Merciful, they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are Pure in Heart, they shall see God.

Blessed are the Peacemakers, they shall be called children of God.

The Gospel shows in an abundance of texts that Jesus was not indifferent or
extraneous to the problem of the dignity and rights of the human person,
nor to the needs of the weakest, the neediest, and the victims of injustice.
Jesus‘ concern was not limited to
the forgiveness of sins: At all
times He stressed a real
solidarity with the poorest and
lowliest (Matthew 11:28-30). He
cured the sick, lepers and blind
men, and many more. He fed
thousands of hungry people. He
personally took upon Himself the
description of the Suffering
Messiah as foretold by Isaiah.
 The Church continues
to struggle for the
realization of the
Kingdom of God
through ongoing
renewal and consistent
propagation of the
Gospel through words
and deeds.
The social mission of
the Church is rooted
in the ministry and
mission of Jesus
Christ to love and
serve by promoting
and protecting the
wellbeing of the
human persons.
Just like the mission of Jesus Christ, the mission of the Church to the
society is threefold: Kingly, Priestly and Prophetic.

King
One‘s commitment to serve others through active participation to
integral human development.

Priest
Our capacity to pray for one another and our ability to establish a
deeper relationship with God through prayer and worship.

Prophet
Proclaiming peace founded on truth, built according to justice,
integrated by charity and practiced in freedom.
 The Church and the Questions of
‘Just Relations’ among People

The Church in the Philippines has been known as

the forerunner of truth and justice among the
Filipinos regardless of ethnicity, gender and
religion.

It is not to be identified with any political partisan

in order to become a credible herald of peace,
justice and truth; and proponent of unawa
(understanding), awa (mercy) and gawa (deeds)
among people particularly the marginalized.
 RESPECT vs. Discrimination

The Church in the Philippines is expected

to be the advocate of impartiality that
shuns any form of discrimination, conflict
and political animosity.

The Church is also called to promote

respect for races, genders, religions and
point of views so that national unity and
healing are attainable.
 RESPECT vs. Discrimination

Discrimination and neglect are

obstacles to the full development of
persons and of society as a whole.
• Everyone has a role and needs to
have the opportunity to improve
themselves so that they can take
their place in society and
participate fully in the community
they find themselves in.
RESPECT vs. Discrimination

This aspiration can only be

achieved through the
recognition of people’s
capacities, potentials, and
rights as well as in ensuring
that the structures in the
communities and in society as a
whole support this goal.
 Duc in Altum
(“Put out into the deep” Lk. 5:4)

Each Catholic is a missionary.

He/she is immersed and conscious of the

signs of the times making him/her
capable of bringing people closer to the
Kingdom of God.

Like the apostles of Jesus Christ, we are

also fishers of men by witnessing our
faith.
 As Agent of Hope and
Transformation

Christ commanded his disciples: “Go therefore

and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

It is through baptism that members

of the Christian community ―are
called to a holiness of life in the
world befitting disciples of Jesus.
 As Agent of Hope and Transformation

Discipleship is the fundamental vocation in which

the Church's mission and ministry find full meaning.
As disciples of Jesus, we are called into communion with both
God and others and are sent in mission to proclaim the Good
News of the Kingdom.
 As Agent of Hope and
Transformation
The Synod of Bishops spoke about the
relation between the Gospel and justice:
―Action on behalf of justice and
participation in the transformation of the
world fully appear to us as a constitutive
dimension of the preaching of the Gospel.

The Church fulfills her mission

of preaching the Gospel when it
teaches the demands of justice.
Responding to the Demands of our Contemporary Communities

a. The Fact of Religious Pluralism

• The Church recognizes and defends the fundamental dignity of man to be

free from coercion in matters religious.
• The Church position on religious pluralism: All men are called in freedom
to Jesus Christ and to his Church, which has a divine mission, indeed a
mandate, to evangelize the whole world, so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth, and every tongue
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:10–
11).
• To all peoples, the Church preaches Christ crucified, a stumbling block to
Jews and a folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and
Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:23–24).
• All men and women are called by God to faith and baptism in Jesus Christ.
Responding to the Demands of our Contemporary Communities

b. Truthful Tolerance

• The Declaration on Religious Freedom of Vatican II, Dignitatis

Humanae, cast a new light.
• The human person has a right to religious freedom. This freedom
means that:
• All men are to be immune from coercion on the part of individuals
or social groups and of any human power
• No one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs
• Not to be restrained from acting in accordance with his own beliefs,
whether privately or publicly, whether alone or in association with
others, within due limits.
Responding to the Demands of our Contemporary Communities

c. Fidelity to Proclaim the Kingdom of God

• The Church, endowed with the gifts of her founder and

faithfully observing his precepts of charity, humility and self-
denial, received the mission of proclaiming and establishing
among all peoples the Kingdom of Christ and of God, and she
is, on earth, the seed and the beginning of that Kingdom.
• The Church‘s mission is the same as it was yesterday, today,
and tomorrow: to evangelize the whole world. ―It is the duty
of the Church, therefore, in her preaching to proclaim the
Cross of Christ as the sign of God‘s universal love and the
source of all grace.
Should the Church play an active role on the
issues of injustice?
 ACTIVITY
• Go to this link: https://info.flipgrid.com/.
• In the upper left corner, click "Enter a Flip code."
• Enter this code:
• Ask a stranger if Is it necessary that the Church play an active role on the
issues of injustice? Place it I a 90-second video clip. All students must
submit an entry individually.
• In a short bond paper, write a reflection based on our discussion about the
active role of the Church in the society in relation to your video.
• Submit your videos not later than _____, 2019) until 6PM.
• Submit your reflection paper on the next class meeting.