Church and State

In an encyclical called Octogesima Adveniens ( A Call to Action), Pope Pius VI called on Christians to live up to the duty of participation in social and political reform as a way of discovering the truth and living out the Gospel.

One of the most interesting concept in Church teachings is the idea of Political Catholicism – a political and cultural conception which promotes the ideas and social teachings of the Catholic church in public life through government action. This concept is a hotly debated issue because of the long standing belief in the strict separation of the State and Church.

The United States Catholic Bishops Conference of Bishops had a statement that clarified their own position. They said that “...the separation of Church and State does not require division between belief and public action, between moral principles and political choices but protects the rights of believers and religious groups to practice their faith and act on values in public life.”

Political Catholicism started in 19th century Europe as a means of countering the attempts of certain governments to limit the influence of the Catholic Church. Then the Industrial Revolution and the rise of unbridled capitalism resulted in the rise of a new ideology – Marxism.

It was at that time that Catholic political movements begun to gain more adherents. These movements gained more impetus with the issuance of encyclicals that became known as Catholic Social Teachings. The first one was issued by Pope Leo XIII in 1891 which addresses the plight of the industrial workers in the wake of the Industrial Revolution. It calls for the protection of the weak and the poor through the pursuit of justice while excluding socialism and class struggle as legitimate principles of change. It affirms the dignity of work, the right to private property and the right to join labor unions.

The most recent encyclicals written by Pope Francis have proven to be controversial. In his encyclicals, Pope Francis has condemned capitalism saying the “trickle down theory has never worked.” He has also said that income inequality is the biggest social problem of the world today and that the rich are guilty of what he terms as “ the idolatry of money.”

After the Second World, Catholic political and social activism begun to wane. However, the Second Vatican Council again resurrected the idea of political Catholicism. In fact, in the 60s to the early 80s, the Church hierarchy tried to suppress what they termed as liberation theology. This concept is an interpretation of Christian theology which emphasizes a concern for the liberation of oppressed.

In the Philippines, during the Marcos dictatorship, some priests went joined revolutionary movements like the National Democratic Front ( NDF) and the New People’s Army (NPA). Among them were Luis Jalandoni, who continues to be one of the main leaders of the Communist Party; and, Leoncio Evasco a former member of the NPA and is the present Cabinet Secretary in the Duterte administration.

Jaime Cardinal was a central figure in the EDSA People Power Revolution when he publicly asked people to go to EDSA. During the massive gathering in EDSA, it was also observed that many groups were carrying religious symbols like statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and President Duterte have had a rocky relationship since the start of the Duterte presidential terms. But recently CBCP President Bishop Soc Villegas has expressed a desire, on the part of the Bishops, to work with the Duterte administration in “ critical collaboration.”

But what does this term really mean? According to the CBCP Catechism on Politics, “critical collaboration” or critical solidarity” means that the Church is one with the state in promoting the common good. Cooperation, solidarity – positive support – has to be given by the Church to whatever the State may be doing for the common good in accordance with the Gospel. But the Church must have a critical sense in providing such collaboration. It should denounce whatever is not in accord with the Gospel.”

There is no disagreement with the idea that cooperation between the Bishops and the Duterte administration would be ideal. There can be disagreement on some issues but there can be critical collaboration if the two institutions – Church and Government – can agree on the meaning of “common good”. In its catechism, the church believes that common good has three elements:

• Respect for the fundamental rights of the human person and the natural freedoms necessary for the development of the human vocation;

• Social well being and development of the group by providing whatever is necessary to lead a truly human life such as food, clothing, health, work, education and culture should be accessible to each one;

• Peace which means the stability and security of a just order.

I am sure that both institutions would agree on these broad guidelines for defining “common good.” But always “ the devil is in the details.” According to Bishop Soc Villegas, communication lines have been opened between the Bishops and one of Duterte’s Cabinet secretaries. Hopefully, this communication can expand into greater exchange of ideas and programs.

The relationship between Christianity and politics has always been a controversial topic not only in modern times but throughout history. One of the major purposes of the CBCP is to act as “evangelizer in relation to all the people, and in particular to civil authority.” The Government is tasked to protect and promote the common good. It would be beneficial to the Filipino people if the two institutions could find a path that would truly lead to collaboration for the common good.

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