Catholic Social Teaching, Theology, and Sociology

Exploring the Common Ground

Bibliographic Data

ID3422901
AuthorsVivencio Ballano (0000-0002-2013-6429, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, corresponding author)
Year2019
Volume10
Issue10
Pages557
Publication date2019-09-27
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligions (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/rel10100557
OpenAlexW2975461503
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited17

Drawing on some secondary literature and using sociological perspectives, in this paper, I trace the fundamental conflict and differences between sociology and theology as academic disciplines and draw some implications on why the contributions of sociological inquiries and their empirical assessments of society and human behavior are seldom used in literature and learning materials on Catholic social teaching (CST)-a body of moral principles based on papal, conciliar, and other official Church documents on the Christian faith and social concerns. I argue that despite methodological and theoretical differences, sociology and CST's moral theology can share a common ground in dealing with the social order: the moral theologizing of CST begins where sociologizing ends. Sociology is a necessary tool to reformulate CST's Christian message to the constantly changing historical and social contexts and provide empirical illustrations to its moral teachings

Catholic social teaching · Common ground · Empirical research · Epistemology · Faith · Moral theology · Social science · Sociology · Sociology of religion · Theology · Catholicism and Religious Studies · Law · Philosophy · Religion and Society Interactions · Religious Education and Schools