By John Norton

Trying to make sense of the pope's new encyclical

My sister and I both love a good debate, and I guess it is convenient that we tend to fall on opposite sides of them.

As I write this, she is visiting (with a dozen other family members) for a week.

It just so happened that this was also the week that Pope Benedict XVI released his long-awaited encyclical on social justice (see In Focus, Pages 9-12, and editorial, Page 19).

I received an advanced copy of the document and withdrew from the family for a few hours to read it through. When I emerged at dinnertime, I was called upon to present an overview of the main ideas.

That's when the fireworks started. Our main argument was over the responsibilities and limits of government to provide for those who cannot (or just do not, my sister added) provide for themselves.

Coming up with the right answer means a balancing act. On the one hand, governments are all about promoting the common good, and that means making sure that the weaker members of society don't fall through the cracks. But if government is too aggressive in redistribution of resources, you risk creating an environment in which people are tempted to ignore their own responsibilities to work hard and creatively to develop themselves and those around them.

Those looking for Pope Benedict to come down squarely in their camp are going to be frustrated. His entire encyclical reads like a careful balancing act on specific policy issues: on the one hand, but on the other...

Some examples: The pope urges reform of the United Nations to give it more "teeth," but underscores the principle of subsidiarity, meaning tasks should be performed at the most local level possible. He calls for regulation of the financial markets, but also stresses the responsibility of investors. He says that governments may have to grow to deal with the current global economic crisis, but says the idea of a welfare state has probably outlived any usefulness.

So how do you make sense of it all? The key, to use a cliché, is not to lose sight of the forest for the trees. And in this encyclical, the central point is this: "The truth of development consists in its completeness: If it does not involve the whole man and every man, it is not true development."

The test for every specific policy proposal is whether it promotes the growth of each person, and of each person holistically. Our faith, backed by reason, provides the context for development: We are on a "pilgrimage through history in company with ... fellow human beings," the pope said, toward the goal of building a kingdom of God, starting in our own hearts.

That's one thing my sister and I fully agree upon.

As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts at feedback@osv.com.