- 期刊
時代訊號－探討羅馬公教會社會思想的根源
Catholic Social Philosophy -A Foundational Exploration
摘要
這篇文章詳述羅馬公教會的神學實踐，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以一種難以捉模的方式(in an exclusive way)被侷限於世俗領域，畢竟社會的憂慮必須與可產生答覆的聖經、傳統及信仰相遇，而真信仰是種參與的(engaged)信仰，它牽涉並影響人類社會在每日生活中的努力奮鬥。在促成適當回應的過程中，羅馬公教會已發展出系統神學行動，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「不為外人所知的教會機密」 (Church's Best Kept Secrets)。天主教社會訓導的傳佈是經由教宗們的通諭、公會議(councils)和主教會議(synods)文獻，並且這些聲明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、正義與和平的各種議題及環境議題等等。正當今日狀況是能認出應對策略的多元性，以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，羅馬公教會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的部分有其貢獻。因此，天主教社會訓導是富有成效(fruitful)並相互豐富地對話和談論有關羅馬公教會在社會方面的功能性貢獻的研究領域之一。
並列摘要
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 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: 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, environment, etc. While today’s context 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.