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egos’. For him
politics and morality
34 Bedford St, Box Hill are not separated in
PO Box 505, Box Hill VIC 3128
Phones: SPC: (03) 9890 1077 the name of some
Yarra Institute (03) 9899 4777 mythical ‘separation
Mobile: 0432 991 085
info@socialpolicyconnections.com.au of church and state’.
www.socialpolicyconnections.com.au He also pushed a
number of ‘pro-life’
NEWSLETTER June 2009 issues: alleviating
climate change,
Editorial by Paul Rule opposing weapons
of mass destruction,
Religion, politics and conscience serving the weakest
in the community.
The question of an appropriate relationship between By the way, I
religion and politics and how the Christian churches wonder if our Catholic universities match the 80%
and other religious bodies should intervene in political social service record of Notre Dame students
debates has been raised in many contexts. mentioned by the president.
One issue concerns the question of human rights and Another address at the Notre Dame Commencement
whether certain expressions of what are regarded as was much less noticed but in my view equally
human rights might clash with Christian values. We significant. It was by Judge John T. Noonan whose
intend to take up this issue soon on our website and writings on law and conscience issues will be known
invite members to contribute their views. Another to many of you (they include classic works on the
pressing issue is the appropriate response to climate history within the Catholic Church of views, moral
change. Bill Frilay’s position paper on our homepage and legal, about contraception, abortion, divorce and
presents a view which merits urgent consideration; usury). He spoke of ‘moral vision’ emerging from
again we invite comments. clashes of opinion but always under ‘the light
radiating from the Gospel’.
Yet another is more technical: the appropriate
Australian response to the global financial crisis. He spoke movingly of his
What we must do, surely, is ask whether a higher or friend Mary Ann Glendon
lower level of national indebtedness will have better who had declined to receive
outcomes for the poor and marginalised and whether the Laetare medal at the same
stimulus measures contribute to the common good or ceremony as Obama received
unduly favour certain interest groups. his honorary degree. ‘By a
lonely, courageous and
Obama at Notre Dame conscientious choice she
Those who follow international events may have declined the honor she
noticed the debate about whether or not a US Catholic deserved. I respect her
University, Notre Dame, should have invited
President Obama as their Commencement speaker. A young John T Noonan decision. At the same time, I
Let us avoid the complexities of Obama’s position on am here to confirm that all
abortion and simply accept that it is not that of the consciences are not the same; that we can recognise
American Catholic bishops, although we should note great goodness in our nation’s president without
that Obama spoke in his address of working together defending all of his multitudinous decisions; and that
to reduce the number of abortions, of promoting the we can rejoice on this wholly happy occasion.’
adoption alternative and safeguarding the consciences Noonan’s position rests on conscience: ‘more than an
of medical staff opposed to abortion. He also wrote of emotional impulse, this mysterious, impalpable,
conducting the abortion debate, on both sides, without imprescriptible, indestructible, and indispensable
presuming bad faith on the part of the opposition. See guide governs our moral life. Each one is different.
the extraordinary video and texts at You may suggest what my conscience should say, but
http://commencement.nd.edu. you cannot tell me what my conscience must say.’
Like our Prime Minister, Obama spoke strongly about When confronting another’s conscientious difference
Christian witness but he went on, as few if any from us on moral/political issues we must respect
Australian politicians do, to sheet home our social their conscience for what it is and confront them not
problems to ‘our selfishness, our pride, our with hatred and harshness but with prayer, patience,
stubbornness, our acquisitiveness, our insecurities, our empathy and love. A useful piece of advice for us all.
Pope’s encyclical on globalisation Such ethical perspectives are not new for church and
other religious groups, or course. Anglican leaders
As we reported on our SPC website, Pope Benedict’s and Uniting Church spokespeople among others have
encyclical on globalisation has been delayed again. issued quite incisive economic critiques. The Catholic
More than two years overdue, the encyclical is Church also has maintained a strong social and
reportedly to be signed by the Pope on 29 June. One economic critique for over a century, especially in the
can understand that the economic situation is very social encyclicals since Pope Leo XIII issued On the
complex and changing rapidly, and it is hard to hit Condition of the Working Class in 1891. Popes John
such a moving target. One might also wonder if the XXIII, Paul VI and John
Pope’s recent trips to Africa and the Middle East have Paul II each developed
caused him to pay closer attention to their problems. this thinking vigorously.
We can have a pretty Benedict will draw from
good guess at what them the constant
Pope Benedict will critique of ‘economic
say in the encyclical. liberalism’, or laissez-
Though seldom faire individualism,
reported in the media, which was reborn in the
the Vatican maintains 1970s as currents of
a vigorous presence in ‘neoliberalism’. This
international forums, drew from the economic
especially around individualism advanced
Photo: 'normalityrelief', flickr
issues of peace- by Friedrich von Hayek, who dismissed notions of
keeping and social justice as nonsense, and insisted that minimally
disarmament, climate regulated markets would produce the most efficient
change, refugees, economic outcomes.
health care, and issues
Photo ‘sam-herd’, flickr. specific to developing The neoliberalism that developed propounded its
countries: poverty, hunger and the Millennium ideas to dismantle the welfare state, liberalise capital
Development Goals. markets, privatise public utilities, minimise
government regulation, reduce taxes on middle and
Central to the encyclical will be Benedict’s response upper income groups and weaken the influence of
to the global economic crisis, particularly as it affects unions. It held that the benefits of increased growth
poorer countries. He will try to avoid entering into
would eventually ‘trickle down’ to the lower classes.
partisan political disputes, but the political
implications could be very significant. On the contrary, the outcome of this ideology has
been a vast redistribution of wealth to upper-income
Benedict will address aspects of globalisation from a groups, and particularly to the very rich, with a
moral perspective, insisting that systemic moral concentration of economic power, especially in the
failures were involved in the present crisis. He will
hands of transnational companies and financial
undoubtedly focus on the ideological positions that markets. The ideology even infected international
drove financial markets into their astonishing excesses organisations like the IMF, as its policies of debt
with such dire consequences. The crisis will not only restructuring inflicted enormous hardship on people in
cost millions of jobs in developed countries, but force many developing countries. As Joseph Stiglitz wrote
an estimated 200 million people into the severest some years ago, for many developing countries
poverty in developing countries. globalisation has been ‘an unmitigated disaster’.
Coming Events
"The Global Financial Crisis: Opportunity for We invite you to submit contributions to our
Transformation?" by John Langmore, editors to help evolve policy positions and for
Professorial Fellow, School of Social and Political possible publication.
Sciences, University of Melbourne,
at the new Study Centre, Yarra Theological Union,
98 Albion Rd., Box Hill, or via 34 Bedford St, Join SPC or renew membership 2009-2010
7.30 pm, Thursday 27 August. Membership entitles you to a more active
The globalisation encyclical: SPC and the Yarra voice in the development of SPC and to vote
Institute intend to hold an ecumenical forum on the at elections. Application/renewal forms are on
new encyclical when it appears. our website’s Support us button. $25 a year.
