The Signs of the Times: Portrait of a Church Present to the World

成為「時代的記號」即是在世上建立耶穌救世的臨在，羅馬公教會發一套系統的實踐教導就是「教會社會教義」（SocialDoctrine of the Church）或「天主教社會訓導」（Catholic SocialTeaching，簡稱CST）。對CST來說基督宗教是具體化的信仰，關注社會議題。以聖經和聖統的教導，關懷社會議題如勞工的處境、公益、保障窮人和環保、擁有私人財產權、軍事擴張中的正義與和平、等等。現代社會意識到為達到世界益處的多元性來源，也重視個人能力、意識形態、以及宗教傳統的貢獻。為豐富彼此的討論與對話，羅馬公教會提供「天主教社會訓導」作為宗教對社會實用性的參考。這篇文章詳述羅馬天主教的神學實踐，亦即談論對於時代訊號的解讀與識別，以及所提供解決之道的具體化。此一實踐存在於對社會所面臨之重要且具時代性議題的深度思考中，天主教徒察覺到社會關懷的複雜本質，並且不認為那些問題應該被侷限於世俗領域。社會的憂慮必須與可產生答覆的聖經、傳統和信仰相遇。真信仰是種使用的（engaged）信仰，它牽涉並影響人類社會每日生活中的努力奮鬥。在發展適切的回覆中，羅馬天主教已發展出系統神學行動（systematic theological action），思想上成其行動準則的即「教會社會教義」（Social Doctrine of the Church）或「天主教社會訓導」（Catholic Social Teaching，簡稱CST），並如謎般被稱為是「教會最寶貴的機密」（Church's Best Kept Secrets）。CST的傳佈是經由教宗通諭、大公會議（councils）和主教會議（synods）文獻，以及源自地區性和主教們的議會所提出之特定社會議題，如：工人處境、不論資本或共產政治的私產權、公益的落實、窮人的保護、面對黷武主義增長的和平權利、正義與和平的各議題、環境……。當今日狀況是能認出應對策略的多元性，及關注可對世界帶來改善的個人、意識形態和宗教傳統的潛力之時，羅馬天主教亦藉由詳盡闡述一套社會教義而在改善世界公民生活條件上有其貢獻。因此，CST是富有成效（fruitful）並相互豐富地對話和談論有關羅馬天主教在社會方面的功能性貢獻的研究領域之一。

關鍵字

時代訊號；羅馬公教會；教會社會教義；天主教社會訓導；對話

並列摘要

To be a ＂Sign of the Times,＂ i.e. an institution channeling Jesus' saving presence to the world, the Roman Catholic Church has developed a systematic action oriented doctrine referred to as ＂Social Doctrine of the Church＂ or ＂Catholic Social Teaching (CST).＂ For CST, Christianity is an incarnate faith, concerned with societal issues. Using Scriptures and Tradition, CST strives to engages societal issues such as the conditions of the workers, common good, protection of the poor, ecology, right to private property, peace and justice in the confront of the proliferation of militarization, etc. As contemporary context recognizes the plurality of resources, and values the potentials of individuals, ideologies and religious traditions bring to the betterment of the world; CST is the area where to engage the Roman Catholic Church for a fruitful and mutually enriching debate and dialogue on the functional contribution of religion to society. The present article dwells on a theological praxis within the Roman Catholic Church, namely the reading or discernment of the signs of the time and the concreteness of the solutions provided. The praxis consists in an in-depth consideration of major and timely issues confronting society. Catholics are aware of the complex nature of social concerns and do not think that those problems should, in an elusive way, be confined to the secular realm. Social worries must be met with fitting Scripture, Tradition and faith inspired responses. True faith is one engaged, implicated and an engaged faith, a faith implicated and impacting on the daily struggle of the human society. In fostering appropriate responses, the Roman Catholic Church has developed systematic theological action oriented thinking called ＂Social Doctrine of the Church＂ or ＂Catholic Social Teaching＂ (CST) and enigmatically referred to as ＂Church's Best Kept Secrets.＂ CST is circulated through papal encyclicals, councils' and synods' documents as well as pronouncements from regional and episcopal conferences addressing specific social issues: such as the conditions of the workers, the right to private property in either communist or capitalist regimes, the implementation of common good, the protection of the poor, the right to peace in the confront of the proliferation of militarization, issues of justice and peace, ecology environment, etc. While today in a context valuing recognizes the plurality of resources, and pays attention to the potentials of individuals, ideologies and religious traditions bring to the betterment of the world; the Roman Catholic Church has been providing its contribution to the improvement of the living conditions of world's citizens by elaborating a social doctrine. CST is hence one of the areas of investigation for a fruitful and mutually enriching debate and dialogue on the functional contribution of the Roman Catholic Church to society.

並列關鍵字

Signs of the Times ； Roman Catholic Church ； Social Doctrine of the Church ； Catholic Social Teaching ； Dialogue

參考文獻

Laux, John Joseph. Christian Social Reform: Program Outlined by its Pioneer, William Emmanuel, Baron Von Ketteler, Bishop of Mainz. Philadelphia: The Dolphin Press, 1923.

Google Scholar

Cartagenas, Aloysius Lopez(2013).Unlocking the Church's Best Kept Secret: Principles for the Interpretation, Communication, and Praxis of Catholic Social Teaching.Honolulu:University of Hawaii Press.