Two guidelines could describe today the very core of Pope Benedict XVI mandate: on the one side, the strong assertion of the Catholic Church as the essential point of reference in terms of culture and values in modern societies; on the other side, the perception of a increasingly difficult situation of the Catholics as “strangers” or “minorities” both in Western countries and in other places, like Middle East or Asia.
Since the beginning of its mandate, Pope Benedict XVI has tried to reverse or contain what he considers the widespread “relativism” in countries where Christian faith traditionally used to have strong roots. He uses to refer to the perceived moral laxity of modern Western culture in terms of “dictatorship of relativism”. In fields like moral values and individual choices, Pope Benedict XVI advocates the principles of sanctity of life and the need for a more responsible personal conduct. He doesn’t refuse a rational debate with contemporary science and philosophy, but he strongly supports a comprehensive vision of the world where faith and reason can go hand in hand, and where “natural “ rights and values have to be considered as the secular outcome of Faith and should be regarded as universal and valuable for everybody and for every culture.
One focal point of this vision is the wide and complex field of the new frontiers of life, bioethics and individual lifestyles. For Benedict XVI, at the center of what he considers a “disorder” in this field is the emphasis put by contemporary civilization on individualism, consumerism and research for individual satisfaction. Dramatic dilemmas like abortion or the final phases of human existence, research on human genome and stem cells are dealt with in the overarching framework of the non-negotiability of life as absolute value, considered as a gift of God. Consequently, life should not be subject to any manipulation, especially in the field of reproduction and sexual behavior, and in the cases of vegetative survival due to serious diseases.
But Pope Benedict XVI has also a strong perspective in social ethics. In a speech to the United Nations, he touched upon several items of international import: “questions of security, the development goals, the reduction of inequalities, and the protection of the environment, of resources and of the climate.” This constitutes a pretty good list of distinctive social justice concerns for the new millennium. He also expressed special concern for “the most fragile regions of the planet, especially those countries in Africa and on other continents which are still excluded from authentic integral development and therefore at risk of experiencing only the negative effects of globalization.” Moreover, the Pope placed front and center “the principle of the responsibility to protect,” referring to the obligations of states to protect both their own domestic populations as well as other members of the international community, from “grave and sustained violations of human rights, as well as from the consequences of humanitarian crises, whether natural or man-made.” The Pope also put emphasis on collective security actions, making a case for more international cooperation, and on the need of managing international conflicts “by exploring every possible diplomatic avenue”, underlines his preference for reconciliation through dialogue rather than trying to solve international crisis through the precipitous use of force.
Finally, Benedict XVI acknowledges the need to balance individual human rights and concern for the life of the community. This reminder of the theme of solidarity is a “master concept” of the Catholic Church teachings on social relations. It should be acknowledged that in those cultures (such as in the USA) where crass individualism is a deep temptation, the Catholic community often constitutes a strong voice for communitarianism and high regard for the poor and vulnerable.
Pope Benedict XVI, addressing the United Nations, also stressed the important of religious freedom, not to be regarded only as an individual right. “The full guarantee of religious liberty cannot be limited to free exercise of worship, but has to give due consideration to the public dimension of religion.” For Pope Benedict XVI one face of the right to religious freedom is keeping open at least the “possibility of believers playing their part in building the social order”. In his very first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est (2006), Benedict had already insisted that “the Church not remain on the sidelines in the struggle for social justice”.
Starting from this analysis, it is possible to draw some conclusions and outline a strategy of relations with the Catholic Church.
From the political point of view, it should be stressed that the moral and social thought of today’s Catholicism, as a whole, cannot be “kidnapped” neither by the political right nor by the left. Both Republicans and Democrats can point out to elements of agreement with the Church’s stances on individual morality (Republicans) or social ethics (Democrats). For instance, while in topics as abortion or research on stem cells the political right can appear closer to the Catholicism, on other subjects, like peace, environment, international solidarity, the left is much more in agreement with the tradition of the Catholic social teaching.
This means that there is no Republican or Democratic monopoly in terms of “alliance” with the Catholic Church in the efforts to bring about a better world.
Moreover, the dramatic changes that are taking place on the global scenario make also the social agenda a matter of life and death, no more no less that the topics related to life as a moral issue. Global warming, food crisis, prospects of economic recession, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction are putting at risk the life of millions of people on the planet. On all this topics, the political agenda of the President elect appears in better shape than any Republican stance of the past. As a matter of fact, the President elect plans to double the annual investments in foreign aid to $50 billion by 2012 and to capitalize a $2 billion Global Education Fund in order to eliminate the global education deficit. These are significant efforts to pursue a global agenda for life and human dignity.
The President elect will also be instrumental to free religion from unfortunate embrace with policies aimed at confrontation with other cultures, war or “forcibly imposed regime change”. Respect and dialogue are deeply needed especially in regions like Middle East. It is ironic to stress that today in Iraq Catholics find themselves in a much worse shape today that in 2002. The President elect, instead of “lectures on democracy” will try to empower forces of moderation, “exporting opportunities”, like access to education and health care, trade and investment. All these actions will contribute to a climate of reciprocal recognition and tolerance. At the core of every religion lies the call for universal brotherhood. This is the starting point to build a new alliance of civilizations.
