Papal Message Seeks "Global Authority" for Economy

Reuters ^ | July 7, 2009 | Phillip Pullella

[TheRiverNile]

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict called on Tuesday for a "world political authority" to manage the global economy and for more government regulation of national economies to pull the world out of the current crisis and avoid a repeat.

The pope made his call for a re-think of the way the world economy is run in a new encyclical which touched on a number of social issues but whose main connecting thread was how the current crisis has affected both rich and poor nations.

Parts of the encyclical, titled "Charity in Truth," seemed bound to upset free marketeers because of its underlying rejection of unbridled capitalism and unregulated market forces, which he said had led to "thoroughly destructive" abuse of the system.

The pope said every economic decision had a moral consequence and called for "forms of redistribution" of wealth overseen by governments to help those most affected by crises.

Benedict said "there is an urgent need of a true world political authority" whose task would be "to manage the global economy; to revive economies hit by the crisis; to avoid any deterioration of the present crisis and the greater imbalances that would result."

[SMCC1]

...That’s why Popes are almost always off on this stuff. They’re Europeans. Americans (well, until recently) surpassed everyone in economic practice.

[bill1952]

They condemn abortion too, but only in areas where the flock will not get up from the pew and go home, and even then I don’t see them dare (mostly - I have seen exceptions) interject into the political debate in America.

Please provide links to these unqualified condemnations of Communism.
I am interested in reading them.

[Pyro7480]

Read the whole encylcical first. This is Reuters. Of course, the Left is going to exploit it. It’s what they do best.

[DoughtyOne]

I’m sure the Pope feels compelled to address the issue of the impact of this global recession. I think it’s rather sad that people get so worked up over the first severe economic downturn in 70 years.

Global governance has not been, is not now, nor will it every be the answer. It’s simply the best possible way for the world’s citizens to be brought under a non-representative non-responsive oppressive governance on a global scale. The ramifications are dire.

By and large the western economy does quite well. Right now we’re going through a crunch period, but we’ll weather it out.

What seriously concerns me, is what Obama is up to. Perhaps the Pope is concerned about that too. It sure stands to reason any thinking person would be.

[randomhero97]

Hmm, nice try. I’m more of a theist not part of the brainwashed masses. Just realize that many of you practices are derived from pagan rituals.

[padre35]

Well, I found the writing about an absence of Morality leading to the Global Downturn, that was instructive and showed Character, however the call for a single global Authority is not as useful, in fact it reverses the cause of Human Freedom.

I’d hoped his experiences in life would have taught how counter productive central secular Authority can be.

[Pyro7480]

Here's the best Church document against Communism: Divini Redemptoris

[Pyro7480]

So you’re not Protestant? And the whole “pagan rituals” nonsense is proto-Dan Brown mumbo jumbo.

[bill1952]

A very good unvarnished synopsis of this is contained in The Outline of History by H.G. Wells.

A truly great - and still continuing - work - worth a read as a great book in two volumes.

[Columbo]

Exactly. I just finished reading the whole thing and this point about needing a "global aid clearing house" is being grossly taken out of context. I'm surprised with all the freepers who are falling for the media spin, actually. Here is a paragraph more to the point of what the Pope is getting at: "A particular manifestation of charity and a guiding criterion for fraternal cooperation between believers and non-believers is undoubtedly the principle of subsidiarity[137], an expression of inalienable human freedom. Subsidiarity is first and foremost a form of assistance to the human person via the autonomy of intermediate bodies. Such assistance is offered when individuals or groups are unable to accomplish something on their own, and it is always designed to achieve their emancipation, because it fosters freedom and participation through assumption of responsibility. Subsidiarity respects personal dignity by recognizing in the person a subject who is always capable of giving something to others. By considering reciprocity as the heart of what it is to be a human being, subsidiarity is the most effective antidote against any form of all-encompassing welfare state. It is able to take account both of the manifold articulation of plans — and therefore of the plurality of subjects — as well as the coordination of those plans. Hence the principle of subsidiarity is particularly well-suited to managing globalization and directing it towards authentic human development. In order not to produce a dangerous universal power of a tyrannical nature, the governance of globalization must be marked by subsidiarity, articulated into several layers and involving different levels that can work together. Globalization certainly requires authority, insofar as it poses the problem of a global common good that needs to be pursued. This authority, however, must be organized in a subsidiary and stratified way[138], if it is not to infringe upon freedom and if it is to yield effective results in practice."

[PanzerKardinal]

You stated, “Have you? How about telling us exactly where Reuters is lying?”

After my first reading of the encyclical, this is be the central thesis of “Caritas in Veritate”.

“The human being is made for gift, which expresses and makes present his transcendent dimension. Sometimes modern man is wrongly convinced that he is the sole author of himself, his life and society. This is a presumption that follows from being selfishly closed in upon himself, and it is a consequence — to express it in faith terms — of original sin. The Church’s wisdom has always pointed to the presence of original sin in social conditions and in the structure of society: “Ignorance of the fact that man has a wounded nature inclined to evil gives rise to serious errors in the areas of education, politics, social action and morals.” 85 In the list of areas where the pernicious effects of sin are evident, the economy has been included for some time now. We have a clear proof of this at the present time. The conviction that man is self-sufficient and can successfully eliminate the evil present in history by his own action alone has led him to confuse happiness and salvation with immanent forms of material prosperity and social action. Then, the conviction that the economy must be autonomous, that it must be shielded from “influences” of a moral character, has led man to abuse the economic process in a thoroughly destructive way. In the long term, these convictions have led to economic, social and political systems that trample upon personal and social freedom, and are therefore unable to deliver the justice that they promise.” No. 34

“Development must include not just material growth but also spiritual growth, since the human person is a “unity of body and soul”,156 born of God’s creative love and destined for eternal life. The human being develops when he grows in the spirit, when his soul comes to know itself and the truths that God has implanted deep within, when he enters into dialogue with himself and his Creator. When he is far away from God, man is unsettled and ill at ease. Social and psychological alienation and the many neuroses that afflict affluent societies are attributable in part to spiritual factors. A prosperous society, highly developed in material terms but weighing heavily on the soul, is not of itself conducive to authentic development. The new forms of slavery to drugs and the lack of hope into which so many people fall can be explained not only in sociological and psychological terms but also in essentially spiritual terms. The emptiness in which the soul feels abandoned, despite the availability of countless therapies for body and psyche, leads to suffering. There cannot be holistic development and universal common good unless people’s spiritual and moral welfare is taken into account, considered in their totality as body and soul.” No.76

“Development needs Christians with their arms raised towards God in prayer, Christians moved by the knowledge that truth-filled love, caritas in veritate, from which authentic development proceeds, is not produced by us, but given to us. For this reason, even in the most difficult and complex times, besides recognizing what is happening, we must above all else turn to God’s love. Development requires attention to the spiritual life, a serious consideration of the experiences of trust in God, spiritual fellowship in Christ, reliance upon God’s providence and mercy, love and forgiveness, self-denial, acceptance of others, justice and peace. All this is essential if “hearts of stone” are to be transformed into “hearts of flesh” (Ezek 36:26), rendering life on earth “divine” and thus more worthy of humanity. All this is of man, because man is the subject of his own existence; and at the same time it is of God, because God is at the beginning and end of all that is good, all that leads to salvation: “the world or life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; and you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor 3:22-23). Christians long for the entire human family to call upon God as “Our Father!” In union with the only-begotten Son, may all people learn to pray to the Father and to ask him, in the words that Jesus himself taught us, for the grace to glorify him by living according to his will, to receive the daily bread that we need, to be understanding and generous towards our debtors, not to be tempted beyond our limits, and to be delivered from evil (cf. Mt 6:9-13).” No. 79

Very little of this encyclcial has anything to do with economic specifics. Though many will try to portray it as such for their own devices.

It is a mediation on how charity, morality and God must always be present in any discussion about human interaction.

[Sundog]

The Holy Roman Empire, which existed from 962 to 1806, was famously said by Voltaire to be neither holy, Roman nor an empire.



This is the closest the Vatican ever came to setting the economic agenda of the world.

[wolfcreek]

“The anti-Christ’s little helper is coming for a visit.” “I want to make sure I have our ideals synchronized.”

[oldbrowser]

I guess God was wrong to have His prophets complain so much in the Bible about poverty and injustice then, right? Strange how Jesus thought it mattered to the souls of men - and their judgment - but you think it doesn’t.

He said "render to Ceaser that which is Ceasar's and to God that which is God's".

Suggesting a one world government for the world's economy would be very dangerous. As it is now, with many different economies and governments, as one leader starts to falter another one takes the lead.

[Pyro7480]

And Voltaire was the hero of the secularist French Revolution, so he was no one to talk.

[randomhero97]

Thanks. I’ll check it out.

[Columbo]

“Suggesting a one world government for the world’s economy would be very dangerous. As it is now, with many different economies and governments, as one leader starts to falter another one takes the lead.”

Nowhere does this document say we should have a one world government. Read it for yourself.

[Mom MD]

Thought this might be of interest to you and the ping list. If you have already seen it, I apologize, I did not go through all the responses carefully

[Antoninus]

And what about those who don't wanted to be hereded like sheep by a shepherd -- Pope or otherwise?

You're free to say "non serviam" if you so desire.

[WOBBLY BOB]

better check with Obammy, Pope. Obammy’s take isn’t going to leave much for our 10% tithe.