The Church and the World in the New Millennium
By: Oscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga
June 6, 2016
The Church and the World: Pursuing Peace and Justice in the Twenty-First Century
The topic of “The Church and the World” is undoubtedly a very interesting one. Times are changing so quickly that they sometimes leave one feeling unsettled.
The Catholic Church is facing situations that seemed unimaginable at the beginning of the new millennium. Pope Benedict XVI began his papacy only 10 years ago, and now we have spent three years with Pope Francis.
During the Jubilee Year in 2000, many hearts opened up for peace and justice to make the world a better place. A year later, those dreams were shattered as the war against terrorism began. The invasion of Iraq unleashed a worse war that seems to have no solution.
New Evangelization, the pastoral project to share the Gospel that has been promoted since its approval by Pope John Paul II in 1984, has faced major obstacles that have not aided its progress.
Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation of the pontificate opened a door unprecedented in recent history. On March 13, 2013 something completely unexpected happened: a Jesuit pope from Latin America was elected. A pope from the so-called Third World. In three years, the situation has changed for the better and we look to the future with hope again.
From a Latin American perspective, I see a number of challenges: lack of intercontinental integration, lack of information, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, corruption, unanswered cultural questions, lack of equity, poverty, environmental problems, neglect of children and the elderly, adequate education for political participation, human ecology, and justice and peace issues.
With the new pontificate, we have begun to experience significant changes in how the papacy functions. A few of these changes include greater levels of closeness and simplicity; the decision to reform the Roman Curia; the exhortation of Evangelii Gaudium, which is a governance plan for the Church; seeing missions as a kind of field hospital to heal the wounds of those who are far away from us; and a Samaritan Church. In addition, Pope Francis has encouraged practical ecumenism; political mediation and dialogue; reform of the Synod of Bishops; integration of the College of the Cardinals with smaller or marginal dioceses; and apostolic visits to smaller and poorer nations. The fact that two synods have convened regarding family issues shows us that the topic is urgent and that it cannot be reduced to the possibility of communion for people who have divorced and remarried, or to the possibility of same-sex marriage. We have witnessed significant reforms in Vatican finances, in the media, and in the Code of the Canon Law.
The Pope’s encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si, has had a special impact. We are facing environmental problems that cannot simply be reduced to global warming as they also come from human intervention and the drive for economic advancement. The encyclical has had an important influence around the world, especially at the recent 2015 Paris Climate Conference. The objectives of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals to transform the world are also central themes of the Church’s social teaching.
There is no doubt that achieving peace in the world is perhaps the greatest challenge of our time. Religious fundamentalism is growing in intensity and threatens to bring back Cold War dynamics that we thought were past us. Democracies corroded by the cancer of corruption have been weakened, and all around the world a great lack of leadership is visible.
For this reason, Benedict XVI, in his speech to the United Nations on the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 2008, proposed a return to cultural and religious traditions where human beings are at the heart of society’s institutions, laws, and interventions. He also called for the respect and promotion of human rights in their “universality, indivisibility and interdependence” as “a common language and ethical bedrock of international relations.” He highlighted this as “the most effective strategy for eliminating inequalities among countries and social groups” to combat terrorism and increase security.
Similarly, Pope Francis stated during his visit to the United States in September 2015:
“The contemporary world, so apparently connected, is experiencing a growing and steady social fragmentation, which places at risk ‘the foundations of social life’ and consequently leads to ‘battles over conflicting interests’ (Laudato Si, 229). The present time invites us to give priority to actions which generate new processes in society, so as to bear fruit in significant and positive historical events (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 223). We cannot permit ourselves to postpone ‘certain agendas’ for the future. The future demands of us critical and global decisions in the face of world-wide conflicts which increase the number of the excluded and those in need.”
The pontiff went on to remind world leaders that: “The praiseworthy international juridical framework of the United Nations Organization and of all its activities, like any other human endeavor, can be improved, yet it remains necessary; at the same time it can be the pledge of a secure and happy future for future generations. And so it will, if the representatives of the States can set aside partisan and ideological interests, and sincerely strive to serve the common good.”
This is an important moment for greater interreligious dialogue and bridging divides. There is new openness in many places, but additional efforts are needed to promote greater understanding and common action to advance the common good.
With the world watching, the Church has a great opportunity to continue defending the dignity of every human person, promoting the rights and duties of all, proclaiming moral values in a world that has become rich in technical knowledge but often lacks ethical boundaries. It also has inescapable responsibility to promote the common good and dialogue for peace among all nations. In a world of increasing challenges and interconnectedness this should be a central goal for the years ahead.
During the Jubilee Year in 2000, many hearts opened up for peace and justice to make the world a better place. A year later, those dreams were shattered as the war against terrorism began. The invasion of Iraq unleashed a worse war that seems to have no solution.
New Evangelization, the pastoral project to share the Gospel that has been promoted since its approval by Pope John Paul II in 1984, has faced major obstacles that have not aided its progress.
Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation of the pontificate opened a door unprecedented in recent history. On March 13, 2013 something completely unexpected happened: a Jesuit pope from Latin America was elected. A pope from the so-called Third World. In three years, the situation has changed for the better and we look to the future with hope again.
From a Latin American perspective, I see a number of challenges: lack of intercontinental integration, lack of information, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, corruption, unanswered cultural questions, lack of equity, poverty, environmental problems, neglect of children and the elderly, adequate education for political participation, human ecology, and justice and peace issues.
With the new pontificate, we have begun to experience significant changes in how the papacy functions. A few of these changes include greater levels of closeness and simplicity; the decision to reform the Roman Curia; the exhortation of Evangelii Gaudium, which is a governance plan for the Church; seeing missions as a kind of field hospital to heal the wounds of those who are far away from us; and a Samaritan Church. In addition, Pope Francis has encouraged practical ecumenism; political mediation and dialogue; reform of the Synod of Bishops; integration of the College of the Cardinals with smaller or marginal dioceses; and apostolic visits to smaller and poorer nations. The fact that two synods have convened regarding family issues shows us that the topic is urgent and that it cannot be reduced to the possibility of communion for people who have divorced and remarried, or to the possibility of same-sex marriage. We have witnessed significant reforms in Vatican finances, in the media, and in the Code of the Canon Law.
The Pope’s encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si, has had a special impact. We are facing environmental problems that cannot simply be reduced to global warming as they also come from human intervention and the drive for economic advancement. The encyclical has had an important influence around the world, especially at the recent 2015 Paris Climate Conference. The objectives of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals to transform the world are also central themes of the Church’s social teaching.
There is no doubt that achieving peace in the world is perhaps the greatest challenge of our time. Religious fundamentalism is growing in intensity and threatens to bring back Cold War dynamics that we thought were past us. Democracies corroded by the cancer of corruption have been weakened, and all around the world a great lack of leadership is visible.
For this reason, Benedict XVI, in his speech to the United Nations on the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 2008, proposed a return to cultural and religious traditions where human beings are at the heart of society’s institutions, laws, and interventions. He also called for the respect and promotion of human rights in their “universality, indivisibility and interdependence” as “a common language and ethical bedrock of international relations.” He highlighted this as “the most effective strategy for eliminating inequalities among countries and social groups” to combat terrorism and increase security.
Similarly, Pope Francis stated during his visit to the United States in September 2015:
“The contemporary world, so apparently connected, is experiencing a growing and steady social fragmentation, which places at risk ‘the foundations of social life’ and consequently leads to ‘battles over conflicting interests’ (Laudato Si, 229). The present time invites us to give priority to actions which generate new processes in society, so as to bear fruit in significant and positive historical events (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 223). We cannot permit ourselves to postpone ‘certain agendas’ for the future. The future demands of us critical and global decisions in the face of world-wide conflicts which increase the number of the excluded and those in need.”
The pontiff went on to remind world leaders that: “The praiseworthy international juridical framework of the United Nations Organization and of all its activities, like any other human endeavor, can be improved, yet it remains necessary; at the same time it can be the pledge of a secure and happy future for future generations. And so it will, if the representatives of the States can set aside partisan and ideological interests, and sincerely strive to serve the common good.”
This is an important moment for greater interreligious dialogue and bridging divides. There is new openness in many places, but additional efforts are needed to promote greater understanding and common action to advance the common good.
With the world watching, the Church has a great opportunity to continue defending the dignity of every human person, promoting the rights and duties of all, proclaiming moral values in a world that has become rich in technical knowledge but often lacks ethical boundaries. It also has inescapable responsibility to promote the common good and dialogue for peace among all nations. In a world of increasing challenges and interconnectedness this should be a central goal for the years ahead.
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