Catholic theology about the place of man in society: Orthodox view

Abstract

This study raises the question of the possibility and purpose of social theology as an integral part of theological knowledge in general. Taking into account modern trends, characterized by an increase in interest in social issues in Orthodox theology, it is proposed to turn to the study of the formation of social theology in the Roman Catholic Church. In the course of a phased analysis of the main milestones in the development of the Catholic social doctrine, the influence of the political and social environment and the strategy of integrating the Catholic Church into public life is demonstrated. The main task of the study is an attempt to give an Orthodox assessment of certain aspects of Catholic socio-theological thought, to identify similarities and explain differences. The main sources of research are the documents that set out the position of the Vatican — encyclicals, apostolic letters on social issues, the Compendium of Social Doctrine. The main vectors of comparison are the issues of attitude to charity, work, property, participation in politics and the life of the state, as well as the questions of the rights and freedoms of the individual.