I attended the Gospel Non Violence retreat at Stella Niagara October 2, 3 and 4, 2009.
Much food for thought. More later...
Monday, October 12, 2009
Theological meaning of the Human Person paper
October 6, 2009
Theological Meaning of the Human Person
Luke R. Dyer
SY 511 Fall 2009
Foundations in Theology
Gabriel Scarfia, O.F.M, S.T.D
Christ the King Seminary
Introduction
What is a human person? “The human person, created in the image of God, is a being at once corporeal and spiritual. The biblical account expresses this reality in symbolic language when it affirms that 'then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.' (Gen 2:7) Man, whole and entire, is therefore willed by God.” (page 92-93, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.)
Human beings are created in the image of God. This is supported by Scripture in Genesis 1:27. “God created man in his image, in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.” (page 8, Senior) It is also supported by tradition. “As the witness of Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium makes clear, the truth that human beings are created in the image of God is at the heart of Christian revelation.” (paragraph 6, International Theological Commission)
Clearly the human person is created by God, in the image of God. This forms the foundation of the theological meaning of the human person.
Human persons have been given the gift of free will. God provides guidance in the form of conscience. "Deep within their consciences men and women discover a law which they have not laid upon themselves but which they must obey. Its voice, ever calling them to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, tells them inwardly at the right moment: do this, shun that. For they have in their hearts a law inscribed by God. Their dignity rests in observing this law, and by it they will be judged." (page 178, Flannery)
What do sources say about the theological meaning of the human person?
The Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation makes it clear that all theology comes from Scripture and tradition. “Sacred theology relies on the written work of God, taken together with sacred tradition, as its permanent foundation.” (page 113, Flannery)
The Church teaches a particular order to be used in theology:
“The following order should be observed in dogmatic theology: Let biblical themes be treated first, then what the Fathers of the church (both east and west) have contributed to the faithful transmission and explanation of the revealed truths, followed by the later history of dogma, including its relation to the general history of the church. Then, in order to throw the fullest light possible on the mysteries of salvation, let them learn through speculation guided by St. Thomas to enter into them more deeply and see how they are interconnected, to recognize how they are present and active in liturgical celebration and in the whole life of the church. Let them also use the light of divine revelation in seeking the solution to human problems, to apply its eternal truths to the changing condition of human life, and to communicate these truths in a way the modern world can understand.” (page 376, Flannery)
The Church also teaches theology does not exist contrary to truth in other fields. “Theological research, while it deepens knowledge of revealed truth, should not lose contact with its own times, so that experts in various fields may be led to a deeper knowledge of the faith.” (page 240, Flannery)
Theology is not static. New discoveries and events create new questions for theologians to answer. “In fact, recent research and discoveries in the sciences, in history and philosophy bring up new problems which have an important bearing on life itself and demand new scrutiny by theologians.” (page 238, Flannery) Tradition is key to the development and change of theology. “... tradition, which presents the Word of God in contiunally new forms, suited to the changing cultures and conditions in which the Church finds itself.” (page 23, Dulles, Craft of Theology)
In the last century the questions of theology have shifted away from propositional to personal. They are not mutually exclusive. The theological meaning of the human person is evolving away from what is revealed towards who is revealed. “Talk of 'personal encounter' is not a way of vaporizing the essence of revelation into a set of indescribable experiences. The faith which arises in this encounter with the self revealing God talks about itself and what it now knows of God. St. Paul puts it this way: 'Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, “I believed and so I spoke,” we too believe, and so we speak' (2Cor 4:13).” (page 55, O'Collins)
Human beings are given free will and choice by God. “Blondel's conclusion that every man is carried forward by action to an important option in his life, which determines who he will be.” (Page 17, Baum) Human beings face the choice of accepting God and the reality of the transcendant, or denying spirituality and accepting a limited existence. This is supported by the definition of the human person in the introduction.
In the last fifty years theology has been evolving away from a bias toward doubt to a tendency toward faith. “This bias was understandable enough in the time of the religious wars, when fanatical overcommitment was a major threat to civic peace, but is a distinct liability in a time when moral and religious convictions have been thoroughly eroded by skepticism.” (page 5, 6, Dulles, Craft of Theology)
Modern theology is turning towards Scripture as source. This is a trend away from legalism and scholastic method. “In the Middle Ages and even more since the Reformation, Catholicism tended to become the church of law and sacraments rather thatn the church of the gospel and the word. …. Vatican II, especially in its Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum), recovered the primacy of Scripture as the word of God...” (page 5-6, Dulles, Church)
There is a trend toward ecumenism in the theology of the human person. Even though “the Catholic church has been endowed with all divinely revealed truth … Nor should we forget that anything wrought by the grace of the holy Spirit in the hearts or our separated brothers and sisters can contribute to our own edification. Whatever is truly christian is never contrary to what bring a more perfect realization of the very mystery of Christ and the church.” (page 506, Flannery)
Repeated themes and common positions
The assigned sources substantially agree on the concept that Scripture is critical to theological understanding. They all say that any answer to a theological question must be first grounded in Scripture. They also say that tradition is key to understanding theology as well.
The questions of theology change over time. As human understanding of nature and humanity change new questions arise. Old answers become incomplete because of new insights and discoveries. Theology must conform to experience to have meaning.
Another common understanding is that God is not subject to human limitations. Even though human beings are created in God's image, they can not understand the entire transcendence of God, only what God chooses to reveal.
Human beings have a choice. God reveals but does not compel belief. Scripture, tradition and theological writings all agree on this point.
Key Themes and Meaning
Human beings are created in the image of God. They are subject to limitations in the physical world that God is not. Humans have a need to understand and learn. God has given humans the gift of free will to allow them to study, understand and choose. This gift of choice has consequences, because it implies the possibility of choosing the wrong path.
The study of the theology of the human person requires understanding the physical world, the human person, God and how they interact. It has been going on for generations and will continue until the end of time.
Conclusion
Theology of the human person is a living, vibrant study. As human knowledge grows, understanding requires more study. The theological implications of nuclear weapons was inconceivable a thousand years ago, a hypothetical a century ago and a burning question fifty years ago and today. Likewise, the theological implications of the human genome project, with a shorter set of dates.
This study seems headed towards a goal of more fundamental universal understanding of the nature of God and human beings' place in the universe. The common reference to the works of Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King in Catholic classrooms makes it clear that fundamental theology is becoming a study of all people's understanding of God, not a set of mutually exclusive studies delineated by religious sects.
The theological understanding of the human person seems to becoming more universally understood and accepted. The key elements that are getting closer to agreement are that humans are created in the image of God, that God is not subject to human limitations, belief is a matter of choice, not compulsion, and that God is becoming understood as a benevolent God of love and understanding. There is a long way to go.
Bibliography and Discussion of Sources
Baum, Gregory, Man Becoming, New York, NY, Herder & Herder, 1971.
This is an assigned class text, believed to be reliable.
Dulles, Avery, “Vatican II Reform,” Church, Volume 1, Number 2, Summer 1985: 3-10
Dulles, Avery, The Craft of Theology, from Symbol to System, New Expanded Edition, New York, NY, Crossroad Publishing Company, 1992, 1995.
This is an assigned class textbook. It contains Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur from Catholic clergy and is believed to be reliable.
Flannery, Austin, O.P., editor, Vatican Council II, the Basic Sixteen Documents, Constitutions, Decrees, Declarations, a Completely Revised Translation in Inclusive Language, Northport, NY, Costello Publishing Company, 2007.
This is an assigned class textbook. It contains Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur from Catholic clergy and is believed to be reliable.
International Theological Commission, “COMMUNION AND STEWARDSHIP: Human Persons Created in the Image of God”, 2002, http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20040723_communion-stewardship_en.html accessed October 4, 2009
This is commission document, published on the Vatican web site. It was prepared by a sub commission of senior Church scholars, approved in forma specifica by written ballot of the full Commission and publication authorized by the then president of the Commission, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. It is believed to be reliable.
O'Collins, Gerald, Fundamental Theology, Eugene, OR, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2001.
This is an assigned class textbook, believed to be reliable.
Senior, Donald, Collins, John Joseph, Editors, The Catholic Study Bible, Second Edition, New American Bible, including the Revised New Testament and Psalms Translated from the Original Languages with Critical Use of All the Ancient Sources, New York, NY, Oxford University Press, 2006.
This is a Bible that is peer reviewed, academically prepared and with a Roman Catholic imprimatur, believed to be reliable.
United States Catholic Conference, Inc., Catechism of the Catholic Church, Washington, DC; United States Catholic Conference, Inc., 2007.
This is a publication of a national arm of the Catholic Church with a Roman Catholic imprimatur, believed to be reliable.
Theological Meaning of the Human Person
Luke R. Dyer
SY 511 Fall 2009
Foundations in Theology
Gabriel Scarfia, O.F.M, S.T.D
Christ the King Seminary
Introduction
What is a human person? “The human person, created in the image of God, is a being at once corporeal and spiritual. The biblical account expresses this reality in symbolic language when it affirms that 'then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.' (Gen 2:7) Man, whole and entire, is therefore willed by God.” (page 92-93, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.)
Human beings are created in the image of God. This is supported by Scripture in Genesis 1:27. “God created man in his image, in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.” (page 8, Senior) It is also supported by tradition. “As the witness of Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium makes clear, the truth that human beings are created in the image of God is at the heart of Christian revelation.” (paragraph 6, International Theological Commission)
Clearly the human person is created by God, in the image of God. This forms the foundation of the theological meaning of the human person.
Human persons have been given the gift of free will. God provides guidance in the form of conscience. "Deep within their consciences men and women discover a law which they have not laid upon themselves but which they must obey. Its voice, ever calling them to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, tells them inwardly at the right moment: do this, shun that. For they have in their hearts a law inscribed by God. Their dignity rests in observing this law, and by it they will be judged." (page 178, Flannery)
What do sources say about the theological meaning of the human person?
The Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation makes it clear that all theology comes from Scripture and tradition. “Sacred theology relies on the written work of God, taken together with sacred tradition, as its permanent foundation.” (page 113, Flannery)
The Church teaches a particular order to be used in theology:
“The following order should be observed in dogmatic theology: Let biblical themes be treated first, then what the Fathers of the church (both east and west) have contributed to the faithful transmission and explanation of the revealed truths, followed by the later history of dogma, including its relation to the general history of the church. Then, in order to throw the fullest light possible on the mysteries of salvation, let them learn through speculation guided by St. Thomas to enter into them more deeply and see how they are interconnected, to recognize how they are present and active in liturgical celebration and in the whole life of the church. Let them also use the light of divine revelation in seeking the solution to human problems, to apply its eternal truths to the changing condition of human life, and to communicate these truths in a way the modern world can understand.” (page 376, Flannery)
The Church also teaches theology does not exist contrary to truth in other fields. “Theological research, while it deepens knowledge of revealed truth, should not lose contact with its own times, so that experts in various fields may be led to a deeper knowledge of the faith.” (page 240, Flannery)
Theology is not static. New discoveries and events create new questions for theologians to answer. “In fact, recent research and discoveries in the sciences, in history and philosophy bring up new problems which have an important bearing on life itself and demand new scrutiny by theologians.” (page 238, Flannery) Tradition is key to the development and change of theology. “... tradition, which presents the Word of God in contiunally new forms, suited to the changing cultures and conditions in which the Church finds itself.” (page 23, Dulles, Craft of Theology)
In the last century the questions of theology have shifted away from propositional to personal. They are not mutually exclusive. The theological meaning of the human person is evolving away from what is revealed towards who is revealed. “Talk of 'personal encounter' is not a way of vaporizing the essence of revelation into a set of indescribable experiences. The faith which arises in this encounter with the self revealing God talks about itself and what it now knows of God. St. Paul puts it this way: 'Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, “I believed and so I spoke,” we too believe, and so we speak' (2Cor 4:13).” (page 55, O'Collins)
Human beings are given free will and choice by God. “Blondel's conclusion that every man is carried forward by action to an important option in his life, which determines who he will be.” (Page 17, Baum) Human beings face the choice of accepting God and the reality of the transcendant, or denying spirituality and accepting a limited existence. This is supported by the definition of the human person in the introduction.
In the last fifty years theology has been evolving away from a bias toward doubt to a tendency toward faith. “This bias was understandable enough in the time of the religious wars, when fanatical overcommitment was a major threat to civic peace, but is a distinct liability in a time when moral and religious convictions have been thoroughly eroded by skepticism.” (page 5, 6, Dulles, Craft of Theology)
Modern theology is turning towards Scripture as source. This is a trend away from legalism and scholastic method. “In the Middle Ages and even more since the Reformation, Catholicism tended to become the church of law and sacraments rather thatn the church of the gospel and the word. …. Vatican II, especially in its Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum), recovered the primacy of Scripture as the word of God...” (page 5-6, Dulles, Church)
There is a trend toward ecumenism in the theology of the human person. Even though “the Catholic church has been endowed with all divinely revealed truth … Nor should we forget that anything wrought by the grace of the holy Spirit in the hearts or our separated brothers and sisters can contribute to our own edification. Whatever is truly christian is never contrary to what bring a more perfect realization of the very mystery of Christ and the church.” (page 506, Flannery)
Repeated themes and common positions
The assigned sources substantially agree on the concept that Scripture is critical to theological understanding. They all say that any answer to a theological question must be first grounded in Scripture. They also say that tradition is key to understanding theology as well.
The questions of theology change over time. As human understanding of nature and humanity change new questions arise. Old answers become incomplete because of new insights and discoveries. Theology must conform to experience to have meaning.
Another common understanding is that God is not subject to human limitations. Even though human beings are created in God's image, they can not understand the entire transcendence of God, only what God chooses to reveal.
Human beings have a choice. God reveals but does not compel belief. Scripture, tradition and theological writings all agree on this point.
Key Themes and Meaning
Human beings are created in the image of God. They are subject to limitations in the physical world that God is not. Humans have a need to understand and learn. God has given humans the gift of free will to allow them to study, understand and choose. This gift of choice has consequences, because it implies the possibility of choosing the wrong path.
The study of the theology of the human person requires understanding the physical world, the human person, God and how they interact. It has been going on for generations and will continue until the end of time.
Conclusion
Theology of the human person is a living, vibrant study. As human knowledge grows, understanding requires more study. The theological implications of nuclear weapons was inconceivable a thousand years ago, a hypothetical a century ago and a burning question fifty years ago and today. Likewise, the theological implications of the human genome project, with a shorter set of dates.
This study seems headed towards a goal of more fundamental universal understanding of the nature of God and human beings' place in the universe. The common reference to the works of Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King in Catholic classrooms makes it clear that fundamental theology is becoming a study of all people's understanding of God, not a set of mutually exclusive studies delineated by religious sects.
The theological understanding of the human person seems to becoming more universally understood and accepted. The key elements that are getting closer to agreement are that humans are created in the image of God, that God is not subject to human limitations, belief is a matter of choice, not compulsion, and that God is becoming understood as a benevolent God of love and understanding. There is a long way to go.
Bibliography and Discussion of Sources
Baum, Gregory, Man Becoming, New York, NY, Herder & Herder, 1971.
This is an assigned class text, believed to be reliable.
Dulles, Avery, “Vatican II Reform,” Church, Volume 1, Number 2, Summer 1985: 3-10
Dulles, Avery, The Craft of Theology, from Symbol to System, New Expanded Edition, New York, NY, Crossroad Publishing Company, 1992, 1995.
This is an assigned class textbook. It contains Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur from Catholic clergy and is believed to be reliable.
Flannery, Austin, O.P., editor, Vatican Council II, the Basic Sixteen Documents, Constitutions, Decrees, Declarations, a Completely Revised Translation in Inclusive Language, Northport, NY, Costello Publishing Company, 2007.
This is an assigned class textbook. It contains Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur from Catholic clergy and is believed to be reliable.
International Theological Commission, “COMMUNION AND STEWARDSHIP: Human Persons Created in the Image of God”, 2002, http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20040723_communion-stewardship_en.html accessed October 4, 2009
This is commission document, published on the Vatican web site. It was prepared by a sub commission of senior Church scholars, approved in forma specifica by written ballot of the full Commission and publication authorized by the then president of the Commission, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. It is believed to be reliable.
O'Collins, Gerald, Fundamental Theology, Eugene, OR, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2001.
This is an assigned class textbook, believed to be reliable.
Senior, Donald, Collins, John Joseph, Editors, The Catholic Study Bible, Second Edition, New American Bible, including the Revised New Testament and Psalms Translated from the Original Languages with Critical Use of All the Ancient Sources, New York, NY, Oxford University Press, 2006.
This is a Bible that is peer reviewed, academically prepared and with a Roman Catholic imprimatur, believed to be reliable.
United States Catholic Conference, Inc., Catechism of the Catholic Church, Washington, DC; United States Catholic Conference, Inc., 2007.
This is a publication of a national arm of the Catholic Church with a Roman Catholic imprimatur, believed to be reliable.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
A brief paper on the prophet Amos
May 30, 2009
Amos, an Analysis of its Original Theological Message, Historical and Textual Context
Luke R. Dyer
SS 902 Summer 2009
Biblical Prophets and Social Justice
Professor Jonathan Lawrence
Christ the King Seminary
Introduction
Amos was selected because I have a strong interest in social justice. It bluntly castigates the Israelites for their failure to act justly. “... he speaks directly to the issue of social justice, with a vigor unparalleled anywhere in the Bible.” (Clifford, page 351) Amos boldly challenges the status quo using strong, even insulting, language. The text is clearly crafted to discomfort the comfortable. “Over and over he announces to the people of Israel that, because of their social injustice and religious arrogance, the Lord will punish them by means of a total military disaster.” (Attridge, Meeks, page 1217)
Historical Setting
The events chronicled in the Book of Amos “place Amos in the last decade or so of the reign of Jeroboam II, about 760 BCE.” (Attridge, Meeks, page 1216) Phillips closely agrees with this date. “Amos is the earliest of the four prophets; his was a short sharp ministry, exercised in about 755 B.C.” (Phillips, page 3) “Amos is the earliest of the prophets who have books in their names.” (Clifford, page 351) It was a period of relative peace and prosperity, at least for the upper class.
”The reigns of Jeroboam II and Uzziah were long and relatively peaceful. … peace seems to have been accompanied by prosperity, at least for a few and – according to Amos – at the expense of many. There seems to have been a breakdown in the old tribal and family systems of land ownership and the emergence of a wealthy class at the top of society.” (Attridge, Meeks, page 1216)
The book of Amos refers to the evil deeds of the nations of Judah and Israel, as well as their neighboring nations of Damascus, Philistia, Tyre, Edom, Ammon and Moab. It refers to the Exodus as proof that the Israelites were the chosen people of God. This implies a higher duty for the chosen people than for other nations. It foretells the doom of Samaria, Bethel and the house of Jacob.
It is important to remember that these accusations were made during the best of times for Israel and Judah. This period of peace and prosperity was soon to end. Assyria came under new leadership in 745 BCE.
“Samaria, the capital city, (of the Northern Kingdom) fell to the Assyrian kings Shalmaneser V and Sargon II in 722/21 BCE (2 Kings 17.1-6), and the history of Israel came to an end. The prophecies of Amos thus were fulfilled some forty years after he uttered them.” (Attridge, Meeks, page 1216)
Textual Context
The book of Amos is very bleak. “... he is not introducing any new moral or legal expectations, but draws disturbing implications from them in holding the people accountable for their transgressions.” (Attridge, Meeks, page 1217) Amos attacks injustice bluntly, saying that injustice will be punished. This is very harsh and direct, compared to most of the Bible.
Amos 3:1 says “... O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:” (Attridge, Meeks, page 1220) This appears to reference the liberation described in the Book of Exodus. It shows that Amos knew the story of liberation and used it in his prophecy.
There appear to be two quotations of Amos in the New Testament. (Faussett, paragraph 7)
Acts 7:42-43 appears to quote Amos 5:25-26:
Acts 7:42-43 reads:
“But God turned away from them and handed them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:
'Did you offer to me slain victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? No; you took along the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship; so I will remove you beyond Babylon.'” (Attridge, Meeks, page 1868)
Amos 5:25-26 reads:
“Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? You shall take up Sakkuth your king, and Kaiwan your star-god, your images, which you make for yourselves; therefore I will take you into exile beyond Damascus” (Attridge, Meeks, page 1224)
Acts 15:16-17 appears to quote Amos 9:11-12:
Acts 15:16-17 reads:
“'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; from its ruins I will rebuild it, and I will set it up, so that all other peoples may seek the Lord--- even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called. Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things known from long ago.'” (Attridge, Meeks, page 1884)
Amos 9:11-12 reads:
“On that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen, and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old; in order that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name, says the LORD who does this.” (Attridge, Meeks, page 1227, 1228)
These quotations are very close, and probably represent translation and replication variations inevitable over the centuries. They clearly show that Amos was considered part of the prophetic literature at the time Acts was set down and support it being part of sacred Scripture.
Reflection
The primary message of Amos is that denying justice is wrong and will be punished. Amos rants against deceptive business practices, corrupt and abusive use of power and treating the powerless unjustly. Reading a newspaper, watching TV news, or listening to radio news will demonstrate that the same problems exist today.
I am a member of the most advanced, prosperous and powerful society in the history of the world. This necessarily colors my perceptions. Nonetheless, study of the Book of Amos gives me several insights into the period it is set in. I think the people who Amos was addressing thought he was crazy. All they had to do was look around them to support their world view. Their nations had been at peace, and had not lost a war in a long time. The people Amos was talking to were prosperous, and better off than their ancestors. Their history and sacred scriptures told them God was on their side. God had delivered their ancestors out of bondage in Egypt and helped them defeat an arguably stronger enemy to give them their land. This causes me to be queasy. I remember growing up hearing “We've never lost a war” and learning about manifest destiny and the superiority of the American cultural mosaic in school. If the purpose of a homily is to comfort the distressed and distress the comfortable, Amos probably succeeded in his time. He certainly is relevant today.
Discussion of Sources
All sources were textbooks or library books from Christ the King seminary with one exception. I used Biblos.com's concordance to find quotations included in Amos and quotations from Amos used elsewhere. I cited the quotations and then verified and directly quoted the study Bible recommended for the course for verification.
Bibliography
Attridge, Harold W. General Editor, Revised Edition, Meeks, Wayne A., General Editor, Original Edition, Bassler, Jouette M., Lemke, Werner E., Miditch, Susan, Schuller, Eileen M., Associate Editors, With the Society of Biblical Literature, (2006) The HarperCollins Study Bible, Fully Revised and Updated, New Revised Standard Version, With the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books, Student Edition, San Francisco, CA, Harper One.
Clifford, Richard J., “The Major Prophets, Baruch, and Lamentations”, an article in Senior, Donald, Collins, John Joseph, Editors, (2006), The Catholic Study Bible, Second Edition, New American Bible, including the Revised New Testament and Psalms Translated from the Original Languages with Critical Use of All the Ancient Sources, New York, NY, Oxford University Press.
Faussett, A. R., “The Book of Amos Commentary”, http://jfb.biblecommenter.com/amos/1.htm accessed May 30, 2009
Phillips, J. B., (1963) Four Prophets, Amos ~ Hosea ~ First Isaiah ~ Micah, A Modern Translation from the Hebrew, New York, NY, The MacMillan Company.
Senior, Donald, Collins, John Joseph, Editors, (2006), The Catholic Study Bible, Second Edition, New American Bible, including the Revised New Testament and Psalms Translated from the Original Languages with Critical Use of All the Ancient Sources, New York, NY, Oxford University Press.
A brief paper on the prophet Micah
June 22, 2009
Micah, an Analysis of its Relevance Originally and Today
Luke R. Dyer
SS 902 Summer 2009
Biblical Prophets and Social Justice
Professor Jonathan Lawrence
Christ the King Seminary
Introduction
The book of Micah denounces the power structure of Judah during a period of high stress and fear. “Micah prophesied in 'the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah,' that is, 742-687 BCE. … Judah was caught in the tug and pull of international politics and Assyria's military aggression.” (Leclerc, page 188) Micah was selected because it was relevant both when set down and today. Judah faced an uncertain future with a venal and corrupt power structure. “With burning eloquence he attacked the rich exploiters of the poor, fraudulent merchants, venal judges, corrupt priests and prophets.” (Senior, et al, page 1203) A scan of any newspaper can find today's equivalents deserving the same chastisement.
Social Context
Judah was in a state of anxiety during the time of Micah. “On the surface of things, the priests appear to have great faith: no evil can come upon Israel because the Lord is in its midst.” (Clifford, page 359) This was counterpointed by Assyria's military conquests. “... Tiglath-pileser III conquered Damascus and parts of Israel in 732; Samaria fell to Sargon II in 722/21 and Ashdod fell in 711; ...” (Leclerc, page 188) In other words, God was on the side of Judah and there was nothing to fear, but the bad guys are enjoying a lot of success. This created a queasy, uncertain outlook.
In this atmosphere, “Micah also discusses another fact of life in ancient Israel … The professional prophets were leading the people astray … finds himself in opposition to the religious leaders, the priests, and the official prophets.” (Clifford, page 359) Micah 3:11 says:
“Her leaders render judgment for a bribe, her priests give decisions for a salary, her prophets divine for money, while they rely on the LORD, saying, 'Is not the LORD in the midst of us? No evil can come upon us!'” (Senior, et al, page 1206)
Clearly Micah was railing against the one sided view those in power took of the covenant. Why should God protect people who did not keep his law? Micah 7:16-20 said there must be punishment, repentance and then compassion:
“The nations shall behold and be put to shame, in spite of all their strength: they shall put their hands over their mouths; their ears shall become deaf. They shall like the dust like the serpent, like reptiles on the ground; They shall lick the dust like the serpent, like reptiles on the ground; They shall come quaking from their fastnesses, trembling in fear of you, the LORD, our God. Who is like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, and will have compassion on us, treading underfoot in our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins; You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, As you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.” (Senior, et al, page 1210)
Despite the breaches of the leaders, priests and prophets, after punishment there will be forgiveness.
Modern Implications
Today's society is clearly in a state of anxiety. We live in the wealthiest, most powerful nation in history. Our nation controls a large fraction of the world's wealth, much more than our proportionate share by population. Yet we live in fear of terrorism and financial uncertainty. We have the stark example of Ground Zero and September 11th, 2001 to tell us that we have powerful enemies who hate us. The failure of Lehman Brothers in 2008 caused financial turmoil and fear. The analogy between Judah and Assyria is not entirely apt because of the locus of power, but clearly there are people who hate us because of unjust acts.
Our news is filled with examples that could be taken directly from Micah.
“Her leaders render judgment for a bribe...” (Senior, et al, page 1206) June 8th, 2009 headline from USA Today “Bribery trial set to begin today for Louisiana's William Jefferson” (Kelly, page 1) A Google News search for the phrase retrieved 439 headlines in the past month. (Google News 1, paragraph 1)
“... her prophets divine for money...” (Senior, et al, page 1206) Credit rating agencies supposed to estimate the ability of a borrower to pay back a loan. A Google News search for the phrase retrieved 223 headlines in the past month. (Google News 2, paragraph 1)
While the analogy between Judah in the late eighth century BCE and twenty first century United States of America is not perfect, there is much to learn from Micah that is applicable today. The problems of just use of power are the same today as they were then. The application of justice is just as necessary today as it was 2800 years ago.
Reflection
Micah discusses corruption. I define corruption as not following the golden rule, or treating people as I can get away with, not as I would wish to be treated.
Micah addresses the rich exploiting the poor. This is not just a flaw of the wealthy. It can also be applied to the educated exploiting the uneducated. The entire idea of funding essential government services by the use of a lottery appalls me, and yet we fund public education with lottery tickets sold to both the poor and the uneducated, reducing the tax burden of the wealthy and educated.
Micah addresses fraudulent merchants. Retail stores create prominent end caps of high margin goods that have higher unit costs than similar goods hidden on lower shelves in the center of the store. This penalizes the uneducated.
Micah addresses venal judges. Here in Western NY we have a direct example of a disgraced judge who attempted to shield a friend and colleague from punishment for drunken driving. Over 2800 years and yet directly on point!
Micah addresses corrupt priests and prophets. The clergy sex abuse scandal is directly on point yet again. Only minor adjustment is required to apply the message to credit rating services.
Micah's answers to these issues is clear. Follow the law. Christians have an advantage here. Jesus taught us “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Senior, et al, page 1298) This makes the golden rule clear to me. Not easy, just crystal clear.
Bibliography and Discussion of Sources
Clifford, Richard J., “The Major Prophets, Baruch, and Lamentations”, an article in Senior, Donald, Collins, John Joseph, Editors, (2006), The Catholic Study Bible, Second Edition, New American Bible, including the Revised New Testament and Psalms Translated from the Original Languages with Critical Use of All the Ancient Sources, New York, NY, Oxford University Press.
This is a peer reviewed study guide article with a Roman Catholic imprimatur in a Bible. It is a well respected source used as a textbook at Christ the King seminary.
Google News 1, robot generated, http://news.google.com/news?um=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=public+official+bribery+trial accessed June 21, 2009
Google News 2, robot generated, http://news.google.com/news?um=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=credit+rating+conflict+of+interest accessed June 21, 2009.
The use of Google News was to determine rapidly if many news articles were published for the search terms. Since Google News is a robot it has no bias and just reports what it finds, which helps lend it credence. It is not a highly reliable peer reviewed source for exact counts of published documents, nor does it purport to be. It was used to find out if there were many news stories published, not their veracity, and would not be suitable for either exact counts or exact facts.
Kelly, Matt, (2009) “Bribery trial set to begin today for Louisiana's William Jefferson” http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-06-08-jefferson-trial_N.htm accessed June 21, 2009
This is a headline from a major newspaper, reliable as an indicator of current events. It would not be reliable for an exact account.
Leclerc, Thomas L., (2007) Introduction to the Prophets, Their Stories, Sayings and Scrolls, Mahwah, NJ, Paulist Press
This is a peer reviewed textbook assigned for the course, believed to be reliable.
Senior, Donald, Collins, John Joseph, Editors, (2006), The Catholic Study Bible, Second Edition, New American Bible, including the Revised New Testament and Psalms Translated from the Original Languages with Critical Use of All the Ancient Sources, New York, NY, Oxford University Press.
This is a Bible that is peer reviewed, academically prepared and with a Roman Catholic imprimatur, believed to be reliable.
Micah, an Analysis of its Relevance Originally and Today
Luke R. Dyer
SS 902 Summer 2009
Biblical Prophets and Social Justice
Professor Jonathan Lawrence
Christ the King Seminary
Introduction
The book of Micah denounces the power structure of Judah during a period of high stress and fear. “Micah prophesied in 'the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah,' that is, 742-687 BCE. … Judah was caught in the tug and pull of international politics and Assyria's military aggression.” (Leclerc, page 188) Micah was selected because it was relevant both when set down and today. Judah faced an uncertain future with a venal and corrupt power structure. “With burning eloquence he attacked the rich exploiters of the poor, fraudulent merchants, venal judges, corrupt priests and prophets.” (Senior, et al, page 1203) A scan of any newspaper can find today's equivalents deserving the same chastisement.
Social Context
Judah was in a state of anxiety during the time of Micah. “On the surface of things, the priests appear to have great faith: no evil can come upon Israel because the Lord is in its midst.” (Clifford, page 359) This was counterpointed by Assyria's military conquests. “... Tiglath-pileser III conquered Damascus and parts of Israel in 732; Samaria fell to Sargon II in 722/21 and Ashdod fell in 711; ...” (Leclerc, page 188) In other words, God was on the side of Judah and there was nothing to fear, but the bad guys are enjoying a lot of success. This created a queasy, uncertain outlook.
In this atmosphere, “Micah also discusses another fact of life in ancient Israel … The professional prophets were leading the people astray … finds himself in opposition to the religious leaders, the priests, and the official prophets.” (Clifford, page 359) Micah 3:11 says:
“Her leaders render judgment for a bribe, her priests give decisions for a salary, her prophets divine for money, while they rely on the LORD, saying, 'Is not the LORD in the midst of us? No evil can come upon us!'” (Senior, et al, page 1206)
Clearly Micah was railing against the one sided view those in power took of the covenant. Why should God protect people who did not keep his law? Micah 7:16-20 said there must be punishment, repentance and then compassion:
“The nations shall behold and be put to shame, in spite of all their strength: they shall put their hands over their mouths; their ears shall become deaf. They shall like the dust like the serpent, like reptiles on the ground; They shall lick the dust like the serpent, like reptiles on the ground; They shall come quaking from their fastnesses, trembling in fear of you, the LORD, our God. Who is like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, and will have compassion on us, treading underfoot in our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins; You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, As you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.” (Senior, et al, page 1210)
Despite the breaches of the leaders, priests and prophets, after punishment there will be forgiveness.
Modern Implications
Today's society is clearly in a state of anxiety. We live in the wealthiest, most powerful nation in history. Our nation controls a large fraction of the world's wealth, much more than our proportionate share by population. Yet we live in fear of terrorism and financial uncertainty. We have the stark example of Ground Zero and September 11th, 2001 to tell us that we have powerful enemies who hate us. The failure of Lehman Brothers in 2008 caused financial turmoil and fear. The analogy between Judah and Assyria is not entirely apt because of the locus of power, but clearly there are people who hate us because of unjust acts.
Our news is filled with examples that could be taken directly from Micah.
“Her leaders render judgment for a bribe...” (Senior, et al, page 1206) June 8th, 2009 headline from USA Today “Bribery trial set to begin today for Louisiana's William Jefferson” (Kelly, page 1) A Google News search for the phrase
“... her prophets divine for money...” (Senior, et al, page 1206) Credit rating agencies supposed to estimate the ability of a borrower to pay back a loan. A Google News search for the phrase
While the analogy between Judah in the late eighth century BCE and twenty first century United States of America is not perfect, there is much to learn from Micah that is applicable today. The problems of just use of power are the same today as they were then. The application of justice is just as necessary today as it was 2800 years ago.
Reflection
Micah discusses corruption. I define corruption as not following the golden rule, or treating people as I can get away with, not as I would wish to be treated.
Micah addresses the rich exploiting the poor. This is not just a flaw of the wealthy. It can also be applied to the educated exploiting the uneducated. The entire idea of funding essential government services by the use of a lottery appalls me, and yet we fund public education with lottery tickets sold to both the poor and the uneducated, reducing the tax burden of the wealthy and educated.
Micah addresses fraudulent merchants. Retail stores create prominent end caps of high margin goods that have higher unit costs than similar goods hidden on lower shelves in the center of the store. This penalizes the uneducated.
Micah addresses venal judges. Here in Western NY we have a direct example of a disgraced judge who attempted to shield a friend and colleague from punishment for drunken driving. Over 2800 years and yet directly on point!
Micah addresses corrupt priests and prophets. The clergy sex abuse scandal is directly on point yet again. Only minor adjustment is required to apply the message to credit rating services.
Micah's answers to these issues is clear. Follow the law. Christians have an advantage here. Jesus taught us “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Senior, et al, page 1298) This makes the golden rule clear to me. Not easy, just crystal clear.
Bibliography and Discussion of Sources
Clifford, Richard J., “The Major Prophets, Baruch, and Lamentations”, an article in Senior, Donald, Collins, John Joseph, Editors, (2006), The Catholic Study Bible, Second Edition, New American Bible, including the Revised New Testament and Psalms Translated from the Original Languages with Critical Use of All the Ancient Sources, New York, NY, Oxford University Press.
This is a peer reviewed study guide article with a Roman Catholic imprimatur in a Bible. It is a well respected source used as a textbook at Christ the King seminary.
Google News 1, robot generated, http://news.google.com/news?um=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=public+official+bribery+trial accessed June 21, 2009
Google News 2, robot generated, http://news.google.com/news?um=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=credit+rating+conflict+of+interest accessed June 21, 2009.
The use of Google News was to determine rapidly if many news articles were published for the search terms. Since Google News is a robot it has no bias and just reports what it finds, which helps lend it credence. It is not a highly reliable peer reviewed source for exact counts of published documents, nor does it purport to be. It was used to find out if there were many news stories published, not their veracity, and would not be suitable for either exact counts or exact facts.
Kelly, Matt, (2009) “Bribery trial set to begin today for Louisiana's William Jefferson” http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-06-08-jefferson-trial_N.htm accessed June 21, 2009
This is a headline from a major newspaper, reliable as an indicator of current events. It would not be reliable for an exact account.
Leclerc, Thomas L., (2007) Introduction to the Prophets, Their Stories, Sayings and Scrolls, Mahwah, NJ, Paulist Press
This is a peer reviewed textbook assigned for the course, believed to be reliable.
Senior, Donald, Collins, John Joseph, Editors, (2006), The Catholic Study Bible, Second Edition, New American Bible, including the Revised New Testament and Psalms Translated from the Original Languages with Critical Use of All the Ancient Sources, New York, NY, Oxford University Press.
This is a Bible that is peer reviewed, academically prepared and with a Roman Catholic imprimatur, believed to be reliable.
Contemporary Tax Policy
July 4, 2009
Contemporary Tax Policy, the Prophets and the Church
Luke R. Dyer
SS 902 Summer 2009
Biblical Prophets and Social Justice
Professor Jonathan Lawrence
Christ the King Seminary
Introduction
John Marshall, fourth Chief Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court, said “An unlimited power to tax involves, necessarily, a power to destroy” in a legal opinion issued in 1819. (Find Law, paragraph 11) The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church says about tax policy:
“Just as clearly, it must be done intelligently and well. Just, efficient and effective public financing will have very positive effects on the economy, because it will encourage employment growth and sustain business and non-profit activities and help to increase the credibility of the State as the guarantor of systems of social insurance and protection that are designed above all to protect the weakest members of society. “ (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, paragraph 355)
Clearly tax policy has to be done with forethought and planning. Justice must be a part of this process, especially in financing the mechanisms to protect the poor and vulnerable. If it is not, we run the risk of repeating some sad events in history that had horrible consequences.
I chose tax policy because I believe it is an area that cries out for justice. In my opinion, public apathy, inertia and confusion are causing injustice in tax policy in the United States. This injustice is harming the uneducated and vulnerable members of our society. In general, I believe that most members of society think the issue is too complex for them to have any impact on it.
Biblical Texts
The prophets clearly were concerned with justice in tax policy.
Amos 5:11 says:
“Therefore, because you have trampled upon the weak and exacted of them levies of grain, Though you have built houses of hewn stone, you shall not live in them! Though you have planted choice vineyards, you shall not drink their wine!” (Senior, et al, page 1193)
Amos was telling his audience that the unjust application of power to tax excessively will be disastrous. Using force to levy too much from the weak will have bad consequences. It is possible that weakening the peasantry by levying too high a tax weakened the kingdom and allowed it to fall. In subsistence agriculture, if too much is taken, the farmers will not have the strength to continue raising crops. If too much grain is taken, the beasts of burden will starve, causing the farmer's family to have to do the work by hand. This reduces productivity causing a degenerating spiral requiring higher percentages of the crop to fulfill the tax levy. Over the course of a very few years a productive farm economy could be destroyed.
Micah 6:9-11 says:
“Hark! The LORD cries to the city. [It is wisdom to fear your name!] Hear, O tribe and city council, You whose rich men are full of violence, whose inhabitants speak falsehood with deceitful tongues in their heads! Am I to bear any longer criminal hoarding and the meager ephah that is accursed? Shall I acquit criminal balances, bags of false weights?” (Senior, et al, page 1208)
This refers to fraud and deceit. Criminal hoarding could mean collecting too much. Lying to collect taxes is repugnant to Micah. Falsifying measures (ephah is a unit of measure) by deliberate misrepresentation of units, false scales and false reference weights for balances is clearly a matter of justice denied. It seems that Micah is saying that the unit of measure was being altered in favor of the more powerful side of the transaction and that this was reprehensible and against the law. Asking God to permit these practices was like asking him to be a false judge and a co-conspirator in the crime. Clearly, Micah was saying that dealing honestly with the less powerful was required by the law.
Zephaniah 1:11-12 says:
“Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar! For all the merchants will be destroyed, all who weigh out silver, done away with. At that time I will explore Jerusalem with lamps; I will punish the men who thicken on their lees, Who say in their hearts, 'Neither good nor evil can the LORD do.'” (Senior, et al, page 1218)
This is a warning against complacency. “The men who thicken on their lees: those who are overconfident because, like bottles of wine in which the sediment has settled to the bottom, they have remained at peace and undisturbed for a long time.” (Senior, et al, page 1218) Zephaniah is saying that doing things the same way they have always been done is not sufficient for justice. It is also an indictment of agnosticism. In other words, those who deny the power of God will be destroyed.
Modern Responses
The Catholic Church teaches that “Tax revenues and public spending take on crucial economic importance for every civil and political community.” (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, paragraph 355) It also teaches that:
“The use of certain categories of goods, collective goods and goods meant for common utilization, cannot be dependent on mechanisms of the market,[743] 1 nor does their use fall under the exclusive competence of the State. The State's task relative to these goods is that of making use of all social and economic initiatives promoted by intermediate bodies that produce public effects. Civil society, organized into its intermediate groups, is capable of contributing to the attainment of the common good by placing itself in a relationship of collaboration and effective complementarities with respect to the State and the market. It thus encourages the development of a fitting economic democracy. In this context, State intervention should be characterized by a genuine solidarity, which as such must never be separated from subsidiarity.” (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, paragraph 356)
In other words, society can not rely blindly on the market or the State for justice. It is the responsibility of all of us working together in solidarity to promote the common good. Like many Church documents this states the case for every member of society having a responsibility to act justly, with forethought and prudence.
The principal of subsidiarity means that problems should be resolved at the lowest possible level of organization. An example would be if a family is hungry the local community should help feed them. If an entire community is hungry the district or county should help feed them. If famine strikes an entire district or county the State should help feed them. If an entire State is hungry the whole world should help feed them.
The Catholic Church's modern response revolves around the idea of the common good. “The responsibility for attaining the common good, besides falling to individual persons, belongs also to the State, since the common good is the reason that the political authority exists.” (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, paragraph 168) Taxes are required to support the state, and the reason the state exists is to promote the common good.
The Church also says the common good requires justice:
“To ensure the common good, the government of each country has the specific duty to harmonize the different sectoral interests with the requirements of justice[358]. The proper reconciling of the particular goods of groups and those of individuals is, in fact, one of the most delicate tasks of public authority. Moreover, it must not be forgotten that in the democratic State, where decisions are usually made by the majority of representatives elected by the people, those responsible for government are required to interpret the common good of their country not only according to the guidelines of the majority but also according to the effective good of all the members of the community, including the minority. (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, paragraph 169)
This statement clearly states that the common good is not the will of the majority and it is unjust for the majority to dictate what is good to the minority.
The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church is a summary of Church teachings on social justice. It has over 1200 citations of Scripture, Church documents, histories and international law. Clearly, just tax policy is a prime concern of the Church, just as it was for the Biblical Prophets.
Conclusion and Reflection
Tax policy is one of the most powerful levers of government. Like all powerful levers it has consequences. Sometimes they can be intended, sometimes not. Those consequences can be good, bad, or good for some, bad for others. Hopefully the intentional consequences are good and the bad consequences can be mitigated by just and deft leadership. The good for some, bad for others consequences require analysis to make sure they are just. These questions are not easy to resolve.
In the United States, the fastest growing source of revenue is payroll taxes. These payroll taxes fund Medicare, Social Security, railroad retirement, unemployment insurance, and federal workers pensions. (Williams, paragraph 4) These taxes amounted to 7.5% of household income in 2006. The highest quintile paid 5.8 percent, the fourth quintile 9.6%, the third quintile 9.4%, the second quintile 9.2% and the lowest quintile 8.5% of household income. (CBO, Table 1) The reason the highest income group pays the lowest percentage in tax is because these taxes have a per person maximum. Supporting the unemployed and elderly is clearly a just goal, keeping with the prophets statements to deal justly with the powerless and the Church's teachings of a preferential option for the poor and disadvantaged. Is it just that the highest burden of taxation falls upon the three middle quintiles? Is it just that the lowest percentage burden falls upon the highest quintile? Zephaniah's prophecy against the status quo comes to mind. In my opinion, this theory of taxation needs analysis and change to make it more just. On the other hand, an argument in equity could be made that the benefits to the highest quintile are lower than the benefits to the middle three quintiles proportionately, and the current system is just.
Should tax policy be used to support policy goals? This is a very thorny problem without simple answers, partially because there are so many examples. One of the largest exemptions to personal income tax in the United States is the mortgage interest tax deduction. 57% of housing units in the United States are estimated to be owner occupied by the Census Bureau. (Callis, Cavanaugh, Table 3) The deductibility of mortgage interest from taxable income clearly benefits a majority, but Church teachings caution that the good of the majority is not necessarily the common good. There are many benefits to society found in a large homeownership percentage. Is it just that people who don't finance homes have a disadvantage in the tax code? If it is because they don't know how to manage money, should they be penalized further because of ignorance? If it is because they chose an itinerant profession? Because they inherited their home? I think this is a very difficult example of finding the common good, where people of good will can disagree. Personally, I do use the mortgage interest deduction when preparing my own income tax. My analysis for this paper makes me unsettled about this.
There are many other examples of tax policy being modified to support social policy. Some of them include tax deductions, exemptions and/or credits for ethanol production, creating business activity in designated areas (Empire Zones), sales tax exemptions for food, child care and rearing, investment tax credits, capital gains tax rates, municipal bond interest exemptions, alternative energy production and energy conservation. There are also the increased taxes on activities which are deemed not in the common good. Examples would include excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol and the proposed taxes on carbon emissions. This is only a small proportion of the possibilities, any one of which could require a massive research project to analyze. The key issue is justice. Is it just and fair to treat people inequitably based on their support or opposition to government policy? Is it just that a cigarette smoker has to pay a huge tax on tobacco? Is it just that a person who can afford a $30000 Toyota Prius can get credit on their income tax for doing so?
These questions make me uncomfortable. There are arguments both ways and room enough in the world for some jurisdictions to go one way and some the other. It seems to me that in a just world, taxes would be levied uniformly and justly, without regard to policy considerations. Policy discussions would center around appropriations and disbursements. There is plenty of room for injustice in the spending of public money to be sure, but the tax code must be seen to be fair and just, or it will fail, in my opinion.
Bibliography and Discussion of Sources
Callis, Robert R. and Cavanaugh, Linda B., (2009) CENSUS BUREAU REPORTS ON RESIDENTIAL VACANCIES AND HOMEOWNERSHIP, U. S. Census Bureau News, Washington, D. C., http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/hvs/qtr109/files/q109press.pdf , accessed July 4, 2009.
The Census Bureau is charged by the Constitution to provide accurate data for public policy, and is believed to be reliable.
CBO ~ Congressional Budget Office, (2009) “Historical Effective Federal Tax Rates:
1979 to 2006” http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/100xx/doc10068/effective_tax_rates_2006.pdf , accessed July 4, 2009
This is a U. S. Government published website, used for data for policy discussions, believed to be reliable.
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace , (2005) “Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church”, http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html accessed July 4, 2009.
This is a concise overview of the social doctrine of the Catholic Church prepared by a commission created by Pope John Paul II, published on the Vatican website, signed by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary of State. It is believed to be a reliable, peer reviewed, referenced summary.
Senior, Donald, Collins, John Joseph, Editors, (2006), The Catholic Study Bible, Second Edition, New American Bible, including the Revised New Testament and Psalms Translated from the Original Languages with Critical Use of All the Ancient Sources, New York, NY, Oxford University Press.
This is a Bible that is peer reviewed, academically prepared and with a Roman Catholic imprimatur, believed to be reliable.
Williams, Roberton, (2009) “The Numbers: What are the federal government’s sources of revenue?”, http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/background/numbers/revenue.cfm , accessed July 4, 2009
This is a peer reviewed article published by the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution, which references government data sources. It is used to indicate a trend, but is not absolutely reliable.
1 [743] is a footnote in the document cited. It references Cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 40: AAS 83 (1991), 843.
Long time away....
I took a class on social policy and have been too busy to post for a while. Just emailed in my last paper and I decided to post my papers here. See below....
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Social Justice Collaborative
Tonight I am using this blog to demonstrate the use of the internet for distributing information quickly and efficiently.
I will also demonstrate links to websites I maintain:
www.stlawrencepediatrics.com
www.stlawrencevineyardministries.org
www.dobetools.org
and also my parish website:
www.stlawrencebuffalo.org
I will also demonstrate links to websites I maintain:
www.stlawrencepediatrics.com
www.stlawrencevineyardministries.org
www.dobetools.org
and also my parish website:
www.stlawrencebuffalo.org
Monday, May 18, 2009
Drug policy
For a long time, I have been troubled by the war on drugs. It seems to me that treating currently illegal drugs like tobacco and alcohol would be much better social policy. Legalization, regulation and taxation of currently prohibited drugs would take the smuggling profit out of the equation and reduce the violence and crime now associated with drugs. We then treat the issue as a health issue, like alcoholism and tobacco addiction. Probably revenue neutral, but it gets the money away from crime and reduces the incentive for violence. Your thoughts?
Opening day
Today I did some work for the Social Justice Collaborative and needed to learn how to use a blog, so I set this up. We will see how much I use it and if anyone reads it.
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