An Attempt to Understand “Charity (Done) in Truth”

Benedict XVI introduces his third encyclical “Caritas in veritate” – signed on June 29, 2009 – by saying that “charity is the heart of the Church’s social doctrine.”  Lest charity is misinterpreted and detached from ethics, it needs to be linked with truth.  The Pontiff writes that charity without truth is of little relevance (see par. 1-4); and without truth, any works of charity “ends up serving private interests and the logic of power, resulting in social fragmentation” (par. 5).   At the outset, too, the Pope brings to fore the two “criteria (governing) moral action” that proceed from “charity in truth” principle: these are justice and common good.

At the outset, the Pontiff clarifies that charity is more than a personal act.  It is realized through “institutional path” – that is, charity in the context of life in society (par. 6-7).  While the Church speaks about and promotes charity, the encyclical clarifies that Christians cannot hope for technical solutions from the Church (as to how one may practicalize charity) (par. 8-9).

The first chapter of the encyclical is an echo of Paul VI’s “Populorum Progressio”.  The Pope writes, “Without God, development becomes negative, dehumanized” (par. 10-12).  “(Gospel is indispensably important) for building a society according to freedom and justice” (par. 13).  Still quoting Paul VI (this time, in “Humanae Vitae), Benedict XVI says “(there is) strong ties between life ethics and social ethics” (par. 14-15).  The encyclical explains that “development is vocation” because “it derives from a transcendent call”, and “integral” because it “promote(s) the good of every man and of the whole man” (see par. 16-18).

Underdevelopment is “not primarily of the material order,” as it is primarily in the will, thought and “in the lack of brotherhood among individuals and peoples”.  Hence, the Pontiff strikingly pens, “As society becomes ever more globalized, it makes us neighbors but does not make us brothers” (par. 19-20).

Chapter two is about human development in our time.  The Pontiff mentions some distortions of development, such as financial dealing that is “largely speculative,” migration of peoples “often provoked” and then insufficiently attended to, and the “unregulated exploitation of the Earth’s resources (par. 21).  On account of these distortions of development, “the world’s wealth is growing in absolute terms, but inequalities are on the increase” – with new forms of poverty emerging.  Significantly, the Pope makes mention about corruptions in countries rich and poor, multinationals not respecting workers’ rights, irresponsible actions of donors and beneficiaries resulting to the diversion of international aids from their proper ends, and the unduly rigid assertion of the right to intellectual property, especially in the field of health care, by the rich countries (par. 22).

Distortion of development also occurs on cultural ground and takes the form of either cultural eclecticism, which views cultures as “substantially equivalent”, or cultural leveling, which is the “indiscriminate acceptance of types of conduct and lifestyles” (par. 26).

Distortion of development, too, is given a face by hunger.  This scandal is occasioned by a missing “network of economic institutions” that can confront this problem.  The Pontiff hopes for “new possibilities” in the field of agriculture and in the realization of land reform especially in developing countries (par. 27).

Benedict XVI likewise stresses that respect for life cannot be separated from the development of peoples.  He notes that in various countries there is demographic control that “(goes) as far as to impose abortion”; there is “an anti-birth mentality”, which is being exported to other states; and there are “specific health-care policies that de facto involve the imposition of birth control”; there are “laws permitting euthanasia”.  He writes, “when a society moves towards the denial or suppression of life, it ends up no longer finding the necessary motivation and energy to strive for man’s true good” (par. 28).

Capping up the second chapter, the Pope mentions about right to religious freedom as another aspect of development.  He mentions about violence, especially terrorism motivated by fundamentalism, as “(putting) the brakes on authentic development”.  Atheism “obstructs the requirements for the development of peoples, depriving them of spiritual and human resources” (see par. 29).

He makes references too to prioritization of the goal to access steady employment and furthering of workers’ rights, to heed the requirements of the present Earth’s state of ecology, and to globalization that “without the guidance of charity in truth … could cause unprecedented damage and create new divisions” (see par. 32-33).

The theme of the third chapter is fraternity, economic development and civil society – which are very often unheeded on account of the world’s consumerist and utilitarian worldview (see par. 34).  “Without internal forms of solidarity and mutual trust, the market cannot completely fulfill its proper economic function.”  The market “cannot rely only on itself”; it “must draw its moral energies from other subjects”.  The market must not consider the poor as a “burden, but a resource,” and must not become “the place where the strong subdue the weak.”  Commercial logic needs to be “directed towards the pursuit of the common good, for which the political community in particular must also take responsibility.”  Thus, the market needs to be challenged by man’s moral conscience and responsibility (see par. 35-39).

The fourth chapter delves into the development of people, right and duties and the environment.  The encyclical notes that in some societies, there is a claim to “right to excess”.  This is important note to make viz. the fact that water and food are lacking in certain underdeveloped regions.  Rights and duties need to be always connected to ethics.  Pointedly, the Pope asserts that it is a “mistake” to “consider population increase as the primary cause of underdevelopment.”  Concerning sexuality, the Pope writes that “morally responsible openness to life represents a rich social and economic resource”; thus, he calls for states “to enact policies promoting the centrality and the integrity of the family” (par. 44).

This same centrality of human person needs to guide the economy and the principles in development programs of international cooperation (par. 45-47).

The last item in the fourth chapter is environment.  The Church leader notes the current energy problem, saying that “technologically advanced societies can and must lower their domestic energy consumption (and) … encourage research into alternative forms of energy”.  But what is more fundamental to attend to the ecological crisis of the time is “an effective shift in mentality which can lead to the adoption of new lifestyles” – different from hedonism and consumerism (see par. 48-52).

The fifth chapter has in its heart the issue of cooperation of human family.  According to the Pontiff, “the development of peoples depend above all on a recognition that the human race is a single family.”  And a dialogue between reason and faith is a constitutive element of this cooperation (par. 53-56).  In this chapter, too, the Pope discusses the principle of “subsidiarity,” which offers a help to the human person through the autonomy of intermediate bodies.  Subsidiarity “is the most effective antidote against any form of all-encompassing welfare state” and can direct globalization towards its authentic human development.  Likewise, the Bishop of Rome counsels the international aid givers not to “lock people into a state of dependence” by involving all subjects of the civil society – and not just the rulers (see particularly par. 57-58).  The developed countries need to “allocate larger portions of their economic resources to development aid” – especially to effect greater access to education for all (par. 59-61).

With similar urgency, the encyclical focuses on the issue of migration.  The Pope uncompromisingly states that every migrant is a human person “(possessing) fundamental, inalienable rights that must be respected by everyone and in every circumstance.”  This conviction counters the usual treatment of foreign workers as mere merchandise.  The Pope exhorts for decent working conditions for all and respect for social rights of foreign workers (see par. 62-64).

Further, the Pope writes on finance – “an instrument directed towards development”.  “Financiers” – according to Benedict XVI – needs to “rediscover the genuinely ethical foundation of their activity (see par. 65-66).

Completing the fifth chapter, “Caritas in veritate” calls for “reform of the UN” (see the Pope’s perceived “urgent need of a true world political authority”) and the “economic institutions and international finance” – all within the context of the Pope’s call for “a greater degree of international ordering” for the management of globalization (par. 67).

The sixth and final center juxtaposes development of peoples and technology.  The Pope does not believe that “humanity can re-create itself through the wonders of technology.”  After highlighting the connection between technology and social communications that promote the dignity of persons and peoples (par. 73), the Pope identifies bio-ethics as a specifically crucial battleground between technology and moral responsibility.  The Pope fears “systematic eugenic programming of births” (par. 74-75), saying that “development must include not just material growth but also spiritual growth (see par. 76-77).

The Pope concludes by saying that development “needs Christians with their arms raised towards God in prayer,” together with love and forgiveness, self-denial, acceptance of others, justice and peace” (par. 78-79).