10.AfreshreadingofPopulorumProgressio,morethanfortyyearsafteritspublication,invitesustoremainfaithfultoitsmessageofcharityandtruth,viewedwithintheoverallcontextofPaulVI'sspecificmagisteriumand,moregenerally,withinthetraditionoftheChurch'ssocialdoctrine.Moreover,anevaluationisneededofthedifferenttermsinwhichtheproblemofdevelopmentispresentedtoday,ascomparedwithfortyyearsago.Thecorrectviewpoint,then,isthatoftheTraditionoftheapostolicfaith[13],apatrimonybothancientandnew,outsideofwhichPopulorumProgressiowouldbeadocumentwithoutroots—andissuesconcerningdevelopmentwouldbereducedtomerelysociologicaldata.
11.ThepublicationofPopulorumProgressiooccurredimmediatelyaftertheconclusionoftheSecondVaticanEcumenicalCouncil,andinitsopeningparagraphsitclearlyindicatesitscloseconnectionwiththeCouncil[14].Twentyyearslater,inSollicitudoReiSocialis,JohnPaulII,inhisturn,emphasizedtheearlierEncyclical'sfruitfulrelationshipwiththeCouncil,andespeciallywiththePastoralConstitutionGaudiumetSpes[15].ItoowishtorecallheretheimportanceoftheSecondVaticanCouncilforPaulVI'sEncyclicalandforthewholeofthesubsequentsocialMagisteriumofthePopes.TheCouncilprobedmoredeeplywhathadalwaysbelongedtothetruthofthefaith,namelythattheChurch,beingatGod'sservice,isattheserviceoftheworldintermsofloveandtruth.PaulVIsetoutfromthisvisioninordertoconveytwoimportanttruths.ThefirstisthatthewholeChurch,inallherbeingandacting—whensheproclaims,whenshecelebrates,whensheperformsworksofcharity—isengagedinpromotingintegralhumandevelopment.Shehasapublicroleoverandabovehercharitableandeducationalactivities:alltheenergyshebringstotheadvancementofhumanityandofuniversalfraternityismanifestedwhensheisabletooperateinaclimateoffreedom.Innotafewcases,thatfreedomisimpededbyprohibitionsandpersecutions,oritislimitedwhentheChurch'spublicpresenceisreducedtohercharitableactivitiesalone.Thesecondtruthisthatauthentichumandevelopmentconcernsthewholeofthepersonineverysingledimension[16].Withouttheperspectiveofeternallife,humanprogressinthisworldisdeniedbreathing-space.Enclosedwithinhistory,itrunstheriskofbeingreducedtothemereaccumulationofwealth;humanitythuslosesthecouragetobeattheserviceofhighergoods,attheserviceofthegreatanddisinterestedinitiativescalledforthbyuniversalcharity.Mandoesnotdevelopthroughhisownpowers,norcandevelopmentsimplybehandedtohim.Inthecourseofhistory,itwasoftenmaintainedthatthecreationofinstitutionswassufficienttoguaranteethefulfilmentofhumanity'srighttodevelopment.Unfortunately,toomuchconfidencewasplacedinthoseinstitutions,asiftheywereabletodeliverthedesiredobjectiveautomatically.Inreality,institutionsbythemselvesarenotenough,becauseintegralhumandevelopmentisprimarilyavocation,andthereforeitinvolvesafreeassumptionofresponsibilityinsolidarityonthepartofeveryone.Moreover,suchdevelopmentrequiresatranscendentvisionoftheperson,itneedsGod:withouthim,developmentiseitherdenied,orentrustedexclusivelytoman,whofallsintothetrapofthinkinghecanbringabouthisownsalvation,andendsuppromotingadehumanizedformofdevelopment.OnlythroughanencounterwithGodareweabletoseeintheothersomethingmorethanjustanothercreature[17],torecognizethedivineimageintheother,thustrulycomingtodiscoverhimorherandtomatureinalovethat“becomesconcernandcarefortheother.”[18]
12.ThelinkbetweenPopulorumProgressioandtheSecondVaticanCouncildoesnotmeanthatPaulVI'ssocialmagisteriummarkedabreakwiththatofpreviousPopes,becausetheCouncilconstitutesadeeperexplorationofthismagisteriumwithinthecontinuityoftheChurch'slife[19].Inthissense,clarityisnotservedbycertainabstractsubdivisionsoftheChurch'ssocialdoctrine,whichapplycategoriestoPapalsocialteachingthatareextraneoustoit.Itisnotacaseoftwotypologiesofsocialdoctrine,onepre-conciliarandonepost-conciliar,differingfromoneanother:onthecontrary,thereisasingleteaching,consistentandatthesametimeevernew[20].ItisonethingtodrawattentiontotheparticularcharacteristicsofoneEncyclicaloranother,oftheteachingofonePopeoranother,butquiteanothertolosesightofthecoherenceoftheoveralldoctrinalcorpus[21].Coherencedoesnotmeanaclosedsystem:onthecontrary,itmeansdynamicfaithfulnesstoalightreceived.TheChurch'ssocialdoctrineilluminateswithanunchanginglightthenewproblemsthatareconstantlyemerging[22].Thissafeguardsthepermanentandhistoricalcharacterofthedoctrinal“patrimony”[23]which,withitsspecificcharacteristics,ispartandparceloftheChurch'sever-livingTradition[24].SocialdoctrineisbuiltonthefoundationhandedonbytheApostlestotheFathersoftheChurch,andthenreceivedandfurtherexploredbythegreatChristiandoctors.ThisdoctrinepointsdefinitivelytotheNewMan,tothe“lastAdam[who]becamealife-givingspirit”(1Cor15:45),theprincipleofthecharitythat“neverends”(1Cor13:8).ItisattestedbythesaintsandbythosewhogavetheirlivesforChristourSaviourinthefieldofjusticeandpeace.ItisanexpressionoftheprophetictaskoftheSupremePontiffstogiveapostolicguidancetotheChurchofChristandtodiscernthenewdemandsofevangelization.Forthesereasons,PopulorumProgressio,situatedwithinthegreatcurrentofTradition,canstillspeaktoustoday.
13.InadditiontoitsimportantlinkwiththeentiretyoftheChurch'ssocialdoctrine,PopulorumProgressioiscloselyconnectedtotheoverallmagisteriumofPaulVI,especiallyhissocialmagisterium.Hiswascertainlyasocialteachingofgreatimportance:heunderlinedtheindispensableimportanceoftheGospelforbuildingasocietyaccordingtofreedomandjustice,intheidealandhistoricalperspectiveofacivilizationanimatedbylove.PaulVIclearlyunderstoodthatthesocialquestionhadbecomeworldwide[25]andhegraspedtheinterconnectionbetweentheimpetustowardstheunificationofhumanityandtheChristianidealofasinglefamilyofpeoplesinsolidarityandfraternity.Inthenotionofdevelopment,understoodinhumanandChristianterms,heidentifiedtheheartoftheChristiansocialmessage,andheproposedChristiancharityastheprincipalforceattheserviceofdevelopment.MotivatedbythewishtomakeChrist'slovefullyvisibletocontemporarymenandwomen,PaulVIaddressedimportantethicalquestionsrobustly,withoutyieldingtotheculturalweaknessesofhistime.
14.InhisApostolicLetterOctogesimaAdveniensof1971,PaulVIreflectedonthemeaningofpolitics,andthedangerconstitutedbyutopianandideologicalvisionsthatplaceitsethicalandhumandimensionsinjeopardy.Thesearematterscloselyconnectedwithdevelopment.Unfortunatelythenegativeideologiescontinuetoflourish.PaulVIhadalreadywarnedagainstthetechnocraticideologysoprevalenttoday[26],fullyawareofthegreatdangerofentrustingtheentireprocessofdevelopmenttotechnologyalone,becauseinthatwayitwouldlackdirection.Technology,viewedinitself,isambivalent.Ifontheonehand,sometodaywouldbeinclinedtoentrusttheentireprocessofdevelopmenttotechnology,ontheotherhandwearewitnessinganupsurgeofideologiesthatdenyintototheveryvalueofdevelopment,viewingitasradicallyanti-humanandmerelyasourceofdegradation.Thisleadstoarejection,notonlyofthedistortedandunjustwayinwhichprogressissometimesdirected,butalsoofscientificdiscoveriesthemselves,which,ifwellused,couldserveasanopportunityofgrowthforall.TheideaofaworldwithoutdevelopmentindicatesalackoftrustinmanandinGod.Itisthereforeaseriousmistaketoundervaluehumancapacitytoexercisecontroloverthedeviationsofdevelopmentortooverlookthefactthatmanisconstitutionallyorientedtowards“beingmore”.Idealizingtechnicalprogress,orcontemplatingtheutopiaofareturntohumanity'soriginalnaturalstate,aretwocontrastingwaysofdetachingprogressfromitsmoralevaluationandhencefromourresponsibility.
15.TwofurtherdocumentsbyPaulVIwithoutanydirectlinktosocialdoctrine—theEncyclicalHumanaeVitae(25July1968)andtheApostolicExhortationEvangeliiNuntiandi(8December1975)—arehighlyimportantfordelineatingthefullyhumanmeaningofthedevelopmentthattheChurchproposes.ItisthereforehelpfultoconsiderthesetextstooinrelationtoPopulorumProgressio.
TheEncyclicalHumanaeVitaeemphasizesboththeunitiveandtheprocreativemeaningofsexuality,therebylocatingatthefoundationofsocietythemarriedcouple,manandwoman,whoacceptoneanothermutually,indistinctionandincomplementarity:acouple,therefore,thatisopentolife[27].Thisisnotaquestionofpurelyindividualmorality:HumanaeVitaeindicatesthestronglinksbetweenlifeethicsandsocialethics,usheringinanewareaofmagisterialteachingthathasgraduallybeenarticulatedinaseriesofdocuments,mostrecentlyJohnPaulII'sEncyclicalEvangeliumVitae[28].TheChurchforcefullymaintainsthislinkbetweenlifeethicsandsocialethics,fullyawarethat“asocietylackssolidfoundationswhen,ontheonehand,itassertsvaluessuchasthedignityoftheperson,justiceandpeace,butthen,ontheotherhand,radicallyactstothecontrarybyallowingortoleratingavarietyofwaysinwhichhumanlifeisdevaluedandviolated,especiallywhereitisweakormarginalized.”[29]
TheApostolicExhortationEvangeliiNuntiandi,foritspart,isverycloselylinkedwithdevelopment,giventhat,inPaulVI'swords,“evangelizationwouldnotbecompleteifitdidnottakeaccountoftheunceasinginterplayoftheGospelandofman'sconcretelife,bothpersonalandsocial.”[30]“Betweenevangelizationandhumanadvancement—developmentandliberation—thereareinfactprofoundlinks”[31]:onthebasisofthisinsight,PaulVIclearlypresentedtherelationshipbetweentheproclamationofChristandtheadvancementoftheindividualinsociety.TestimonytoChrist'scharity,throughworksofjustice,peaceanddevelopment,ispartandparcelofevangelization,becauseJesusChrist,wholovesus,isconcernedwiththewholeperson.Theseimportantteachingsformthebasisforthemissionaryaspect[32]oftheChurch'ssocialdoctrine,whichisanessentialelementofevangelization[33].TheChurch'ssocialdoctrineproclaimsandbearswitnesstofaith.Itisaninstrumentandanindispensablesettingforformationinfaith.
16.InPopulorumProgressio,PaulVItaughtthatprogress,initsoriginandessence,isfirstandforemostavocation:“inthedesignofGod,everymaniscalledupontodevelopandfulfilhimself,foreverylifeisavocation.”[34]ThisiswhatgiveslegitimacytotheChurch'sinvolvementinthewholequestionofdevelopment.Ifdevelopmentwereconcernedwithmerelytechnicalaspectsofhumanlife,andnotwiththemeaningofman'spilgrimagethroughhistoryincompanywithhisfellowhumanbeings,norwithidentifyingthegoalofthatjourney,thentheChurchwouldnotbeentitledtospeakonit.PaulVI,likeLeoXIIIbeforehiminRerumNovarum[35],knewthathewascarryingoutadutypropertohisofficebysheddingthelightoftheGospelonthesocialquestionsofhistime[36].
Toregarddevelopmentasavocationistorecognize,ontheonehand,thatitderivesfromatranscendentcall,andontheotherhandthatitisincapable,onitsown,ofsupplyingitsultimatemeaning.Notwithoutreasontheword“vocation”isalsofoundinanotherpassageoftheEncyclical,whereweread:“ThereisnotruehumanismbutthatwhichisopentotheAbsolute,andisconsciousofavocationwhichgiveshumanlifeitstruemeaning.”[37]ThisvisionofdevelopmentisattheheartofPopulorumProgressio,anditliesbehindallPaulVI'sreflectionsonfreedom,ontruthandoncharityindevelopment.ItisalsotheprincipalreasonwhythatEncyclicalisstilltimelyinourday.
17.Avocationisacallthatrequiresafreeandresponsibleanswer.Integralhumandevelopmentpresupposestheresponsiblefreedomoftheindividualandofpeoples:nostructurecanguaranteethisdevelopmentoverandabovehumanresponsibility.The“typesofmessianismwhichgivepromisesbutcreateillusions”[38]alwaysbuildtheircaseonadenialofthetranscendentdimensionofdevelopment,intheconvictionthatitliesentirelyattheirdisposal.Thisfalsesecuritybecomesaweakness,becauseitinvolvesreducingmantosubservience,toameremeansfordevelopment,whilethehumilityofthosewhoacceptavocationistransformedintotrueautonomy,becauseitsetsthemfree.PaulVIwasinnodoubtthatobstaclesandformsofconditioningholdupdevelopment,buthewasalsocertainthat“eachoneremains,whateverbetheseinfluencesaffectinghim,theprincipalagentofhisownsuccessorfailure.”[39]Thisfreedomconcernsthetypeofdevelopmentweareconsidering,butitalsoaffectssituationsofunderdevelopmentwhicharenotduetochanceorhistoricalnecessity,butareattributabletohumanresponsibility.Thisiswhy“thepeoplesinhungeraremakingadramaticappealtothepeoplesblessedwithabundance”[40].Thistooisavocation,acalladdressedbyfreesubjectstootherfreesubjectsinfavourofanassumptionofsharedresponsibility.PaulVIhadakeensenseoftheimportanceofeconomicstructuresandinstitutions,buthehadanequallyclearsenseoftheirnatureasinstrumentsofhumanfreedom.Onlywhenitisfreecandevelopmentbeintegrallyhuman;onlyinaclimateofresponsiblefreedomcanitgrowinasatisfactorymanner.
18.Besidesrequiringfreedom,integralhumandevelopmentasavocationalsodemandsrespectforitstruth.Thevocationtoprogressdrivesusto“domore,knowmoreandhavemoreinordertobemore”[41].Buthereinliestheproblem:whatdoesitmean“tobemore”?PaulVIanswersthequestionbyindicatingtheessentialqualityof“authentic”development:itmustbe“integral,thatis,ithastopromotethegoodofeverymanandofthewholeman”[42].Amidthevariouscompetinganthropologicalvisionsputforwardintoday'ssociety,evenmoresothaninPaulVI'stime,theChristianvisionhastheparticularcharacteristicofassertingandjustifyingtheunconditionalvalueofthehumanpersonandthemeaningofhisgrowth.TheChristianvocationtodevelopmenthelpstopromotetheadvancementofallmenandofthewholeman.AsPaulVIwrote:“Whatweholdimportantisman,eachmanandeachgroupofmen,andweevenincludethewholeofhumanity”[43].Inpromotingdevelopment,theChristianfaithdoesnotrelyonprivilegeorpositionsofpower,norevenonthemeritsofChristians(eventhoughtheseexistedandcontinuetoexistalongsidetheirnaturallimitations)[44],butonlyonChrist,towhomeveryauthenticvocationtointegralhumandevelopmentmustbedirected.TheGospelisfundamentalfordevelopment,becauseintheGospel,Christ,“intheveryrevelationofthemysteryoftheFatherandofhislove,fullyrevealshumanitytoitself”[45].TaughtbyherLord,theChurchexaminesthesignsofthetimesandinterpretsthem,offeringtheworld“whatshepossessesashercharacteristicattribute:aglobalvisionofmanandofthehumanrace”[46].PreciselybecauseGodgivesaresounding“yes”toman[47],mancannotfailtoopenhimselftothedivinevocationtopursuehisowndevelopment.Thetruthofdevelopmentconsistsinitscompleteness:ifitdoesnotinvolvethewholemanandeveryman,itisnottruedevelopment.ThisisthecentralmessageofPopulorumProgressio,validfortodayandforalltime.Integralhumandevelopmentonthenaturalplane,asaresponsetoavocationfromGodtheCreator[48],demandsself-fulfilmentina“transcendenthumanismwhichgives[toman]hisgreatestpossibleperfection:thisisthehighestgoalofpersonaldevelopment”[49].TheChristianvocationtothisdevelopmentthereforeappliestoboththenaturalplaneandthesupernaturalplane;whichiswhy,“whenGodiseclipsed,ourabilitytorecognizethenaturalorder,purposeandthe‘good'beginstowane”[50].
19.Finally,thevisionofdevelopmentasavocationbringswithitthecentralplaceofcharitywithinthatdevelopment.PaulVI,inhisEncyclicalLetterPopulorumProgressio,pointedoutthatthecausesofunderdevelopmentarenotprimarilyofthematerialorder.Heinvitedustosearchfortheminotherdimensionsofthehumanperson:firstofall,inthewill,whichoftenneglectsthedutiesofsolidarity;secondlyinthinking,whichdoesnotalwaysgiveproperdirectiontothewill.Hence,inthepursuitofdevelopment,thereisaneedfor“thedeepthoughtandreflectionofwisemeninsearchofanewhumanismwhichwillenablemodernmantofindhimselfanew”[51].Butthatisnotall.Underdevelopmenthasanevenmoreimportantcausethanlackofdeepthought:itis“thelackofbrotherhoodamongindividualsandpeoples”[52].Williteverbepossibletoobtainthisbrotherhoodbyhumaneffortalone?Associetybecomesevermoreglobalized,itmakesusneighboursbutdoesnotmakeusbrothers.Reason,byitself,iscapableofgraspingtheequalitybetweenmenandofgivingstabilitytotheirciviccoexistence,butitcannotestablishfraternity.ThisoriginatesinatranscendentvocationfromGodtheFather,wholovedusfirst,teachingusthroughtheSonwhatfraternalcharityis.PaulVI,presentingthevariouslevelsintheprocessofhumandevelopment,placedatthesummit,aftermentioningfaith,“unityinthecharityofChristwhocallsusalltoshareassonsinthelifeofthelivingGod,theFatherofall”[53].
20.Theseperspectives,whichPopulorumProgressioopensup,remainfundamentalforgivingbreathing-spaceanddirectiontoourcommitmentforthedevelopmentofpeoples.Moreover,PopulorumProgressiorepeatedlyunderlinestheurgentneedforreform[54],andinthefaceofgreatproblemsofinjusticeinthedevelopmentofpeoples,itcallsforcourageousactiontobetakenwithoutdelay.Thisurgencyisalsoaconsequenceofcharityintruth.ItisChrist'scharitythatdrivesuson:“caritasChristiurgetnos”(2Cor5:14).Theurgencyisinscribednotonlyinthings,itisnotderivedsolelyfromtherapidsuccessionofeventsandproblems,butalsofromtheverymatterthatisatstake:theestablishmentofauthenticfraternity.
Theimportanceofthisgoalissuchastodemandouropennesstounderstanditindepthandtomobilizeourselvesatthelevelofthe“heart”,soastoensurethatcurrenteconomicandsocialprocessesevolvetowardsfullyhumanoutcomes.
******
[13]Cf.BenedictXVI,AddressattheInaugurationoftheFifthGeneralConferenceoftheBishopsofLatinAmericaandtheCaribbean(Aparecida,13May2007).
[14]Cf.nos.3-5:loc.cit.,258-260.
[15]Cf.JohnPaulII,EncyclicalLetterSollicitudoReiSocialis(30December1987),6-7:AAS80(1988),517-519.
[16]Cf.PaulVI,EncyclicalLetterPopulorumProgressio,14:loc.cit.,264.
[17]Cf.BenedictXVI,EncyclicalLetterDeusCaritasEst(25December2005),18:AAS98(2006),232.
[18]Ibid.,6:loccit.,222.
[19]Cf.BenedictXVI,ChristmasAddresstotheRomanCuria,22December2005.
[20]Cf.JohnPaulII,EncyclicalLetterSollicitudoReiSocialis,3:loc.cit.,515.
[21]Cf.ibid.,1:loc.cit.,513-514.
[22]Cf.ibid.,3:loc.cit.,515.
[23]Cf.JohnPaulII,EncyclicalLetterLaboremExercens(14September1981),3:AAS73(1981),583-584.
[24]Cf.JohnPaulII,EncyclicalLetterCentesimusAnnus,3:loc.cit.,794-796.
[25]Cf.EncyclicalLetterPopulorumProgressio,3:loc.cit.,258.
[26]Cf.ibid.,34:loc.cit.,274.
[27]Cf.nos.8-9:AAS60(1968),485-487;BenedictXVI,AddresstotheparticipantsattheInternationalCongresspromotedbythePontificalLateranUniversityonthefortiethanniversaryofPaulVI'sEncyclical“HumanaeVitae”,10May2008.
[28]Cf.EncyclicalLetterEvangeliumVitae(25March1995),93:AAS87(1995),507-508.
[29]Ibid.,101:loc.cit.,516-518.
[30]No.29:AAS68(1976),25.
[31]Ibid.,31:loc.cit.,26.
[32]Cf.JohnPaulII,EncyclicalLetterSollicitudoReiSocialis,41:loc.cit.,570-572.
[33]Cf.ibid.;Id.,EncyclicalLetterCentesimusAnnus,5,54:loc.cit.,799,859-860.
[34]No.15:loc.cit.,265.
[35]Cf.ibid.,2:loc.cit.,258;LeoXIII,EncyclicalLetterRerumNovarum(15May1891):LeonisXIIIP.M.Acta,XI,Romae1892,97-144;JohnPaulII,EncyclicalLetterSollicitudoReiSocialis,8:loc.cit.,519-520;Id.,EncyclicalLetterCentesimusAnnus,5:loc.cit.,799.
[36]Cf.EncyclicalLetterPopulorumProgressio,2,13:loc.cit.,258,263-264.
[37]Ibid.,42:loc.cit.,278.
[38]Ibid.,11:loc.cit.,262;cf.JohnPaulII,EncyclicalLetterCentesimusAnnus,25:loc.cit.,822-824.
[39]EncyclicalLetterPopulorumProgressio,15:loc.cit.,265.
[40]Ibid.,3:loc.cit.,258.
[41]Ibid.,6:loc.cit.,260.
[42]Ibid.,14:loc.cit.,264.
[43]Ibid.;cf.JohnPaulII,EncyclicalLetterCentesimusAnnus,53-62:loc.cit.,859-867;Id.,EncyclicalLetterRedemptorHominis(4March1979),13-14:AAS71(1979),282-286.
[44]Cf.PaulVI,EncyclicalLetterPopulorumProgressio,12:loc.cit.,262-263.
[45]SecondVaticanEcumenicalCouncil,PastoralConstitutionontheChurchintheModernWorldGaudiumetSpes,22.
[46]PaulVI,EncyclicalLetterPopulorumProgressio,13:loc.cit.,263-264.
[47]Cf.BenedictXVI,AddresstotheParticipantsintheFourthNationalCongressoftheChurchinItaly,Verona,19October2006.
[48]Cf.PaulVI,EncyclicalLetterPopulorumProgressio,16:loc.cit.,265.
[49]Ibid.
[50]BenedictXVI,AddresstoyoungpeopleatBarangaroo,Sydney,17July2008.
[51]PaulVI,EncyclicalLetterPopulorumProgressio,20:loc.cit.,267.
[52]Ibid.,66:loc.cit.,289-290.
[53]Ibid.,21:loc.cit.,267-268.
[54]Cf.nos.3,29,32:loc.cit.,258,272,273.