 This unit helps you to know and understand the social doctrine of the Church by examining… Catholic social justice encyclicals Catholic social justice encyclicals Pastoral letters of the United States bishops Pastoral letters of the United States bishops The Seven Social themes identified by the United States bishops The Seven Social themes identified by the United States bishops And several definitions of the term justice from the Scriptures and Tradition And several definitions of the term justice from the Scriptures and Tradition

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The specific laws that compose the Old Law are collected mainly in the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. These books contain laws about proper worship of God, laws about diet, laws about purity and impurity, laws about sexual morality, and laws governing just behavior in society. 1.Respect for Human Life (Exodus 21:12-32, Numbers 35:12-30) A section of the laws in these books gives penalties for causing bodily harm of killing another person. The basic principle in these laws is that the penalty must be equal to the crime. 2. Respect for Private Property: Penalties for stealing or causing damage to someone else’s property, particularly harm to livestock, fields, and vineyards. These were the possessions necessary for a family to feed and clothe itself; by protecting these things, the laws protected a family’s ability to provide for itself 3.Honesty in Business: These laws cover a variety of topics…Laws commanding that honest weights be used in scales, laws that cover the making of loans (they forbid charging interest when making a loan to another Israelite), laws against taking bribes.

4. Just Distribution of Wealth: Laws that contains the forgiveness of debts and the redistribution of land. Deuteronomy (chapter 15), commands that every sabbatical year, any financial debt that one Israelite owes another is either completely or partially forgiving. Leviticus (chapter 25), commands that every fiftieth year, all the land of Israel is to be returned to the families that originally owned it. The landowners must sell the land back to the family that originally owned it. 5. Special Concern for the Vulnerable: These laws command the Israelites not to take advantage of the most vulnerable members of their society and, even more, to make special provisions for their welfare. God commanded the Israelites to be especially attentive to the rights of travelers or immigrants, orphans, and widows and to leave food for them in the fields and vineyards.

The Justice Message of the Prophets  The Prophets of the Old Testament were the guardians of the Old Law.  When the Israelites failed to keep the Commandments of the Sinai Covenant, the prophets spoke for God, reminding kings what the law required them to do.  They called the Israelites to put their total trust in God, to turn away from false gods, to be authentic in their worship, to repent of their sins and turn back to God

 The Two Great Commandments  Jesus summarized the New Law in his two Commandments:  1. The first Great Commandment places God at the center of our life. All your thoughts, attitudes, and actions should flow from our love of God  2. The second Great Commandment emphasizes the social justice principle of the common good. If we truly love our neighbor as ourselves, we will take action to protect essential human rights and ensure that all people have what they need to live with dignity.  Jesus did not abolish the Old Law; rather his New Law has it’s foundation in the Old Law

Human Dignity:  “You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.” / “Whoever is angry with his brother should be liable to judgment.”  “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” / “When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.”….We must see the image of God in every human person and therefore must love all people as best we can, no exceptions allowed.  Jesus also teaches us unconditional respect for human dignity by his love for people who are considered unimportant or who were societal outcasts. Money and Material Possessions;  Detachment from wealth is necessary for entering the Kingdom of God.  The goods on the earth are meant for all people, not just a privilege few.

: Concern for the Poor and Vulnerable:  “Those who care for people who are poor and vulnerable, as represented by the corporal works of mercy, are placed at God’s right hand and receive the gift of eternal life.” / “Those who do not care for people who are poor and vulnerable are placed in God’s left hand and sent off to eternal punishment. Ex. The Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)