This elaboration draws out what the author refers to as the “Spirit of Fratelli Tutti” from the recent encyclical by Pope Francis entitled Fratelli Tutti. He provides a socio-religious or theological perspective on the new encyclical. Based on three social virtues, fraternity, solidarity and social friendship, the encyclical is a call to humanity to unite and to build a brave new world order after the Covid-19 pandemic.
He has limited himself to examining why the encyclical has been well-received, how Covid-19 calls us to a new way of being human in which humanity is being challenged not to return to business as usual in the way we deal with each other; how natural evil, such as a pandemic, cannot thwart the plan of the creator; how the new encyclical, Fratelli Tutti factors into a new World Order and ending with five lessons he was able to cull from Fratelli Tutti.
Written, as the Pope says, when "the Covid-19 pandemic unexpectedly erupted, exposing our false securities” (Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti 2020: par 7), he uses that as a jumping off point to challenge the age-old theologoumenon of the impassibility of God. He argues that God in fact suffers as he has been suffering during the Covid-19 pandemic, but he is not overwhelmed by suffering. Fratelli Tutti calls for a new way of relating to each other as our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, as we head towards Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Two Initial Appreciations of Fratelli Tutti
3. Christian Life Community as Fratelli Tutti in Action
4. Reception of Fratelli Tutti thanks to Covid-19 and a Papal Ideological Manifesto
5. New Bottles for New Wine and God’s Passibility in a Post Covid-19 Era
6. Natural Evil, Suffering, a New Encyclical and New World Order
7. Creation, Covid-19, Natural Evil, Suffering and the Cost of Evolution
8. Natural Evil, Suffering, the Cost of Evolution and the Christic Omega Point
9. Fratelli Tutti, Catholic Social Teaching, Covid-19 and a New World Order
i. Fraternity [Fraternidad], Social Friendship [Amistad Social] and Fratelli Tutti
ii. The Most Important Encyclical of St Francis’ Pontificate
iii. Brief Overview of the Encyclical Fratelli Tutti
iv. Fratelli Tutti in 550 Words
10. Africa Welcomes Fratelli Tutti
11. Five Takeaways from Fratelli Tutti
i. The Encyclical is no Quick Read for Partisan Spin
ii. The Encyclical is a Heavy Read
iii. The Encyclical is Bergoglio Redivivus
iv. There are no Bombshells in the Encyclical
v. The Encyclical is no Panacea for Solving World’s Problems
12. Conclusion
Objectives & Core Themes
This work provides a socio-religious and theological analysis of Pope Francis' encyclical Fratelli Tutti, exploring its call for global fraternity and solidarity in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The central research objective is to examine how the encyclical addresses the challenges of natural evil, suffering, and the formation of a new, more inclusive world order based on Catholic social teaching.
- The intersection of theology, natural evil, and the Covid-19 pandemic.
- The "spirit of Fratelli Tutti" as a mandate for social friendship and universal fraternity.
- Critiques and reception of the encyclical from diverse theological and political perspectives.
- The application of "new bottles for new wine" as a framework for societal and Church transformation.
- The concept of the "cost of evolution" and its role in an eschatologically transformative theology.
Excerpt from the Book
7. Creation, Covid-19, Natural Evil, Suffering and the Cost of Evolution
But how does natural evil, such as Covid-19, especially the suffering engendered by it, factor in the Pope’s encyclical. In two words — a lot. The word suffering or sufferings appears 27 times in the encyclical (par 16, 38, 50, 65x2, 67x2, 68x2, 69, 71, 81, 116, 137, 138, 165, 179, 186x2, 193, 246, 248, 251x2, 253, 274 and 287). Although these 27 instances do not debate how suffering squares up with a loving God or his impassibility, I find that they cohere with Australian theologian Denis Edwards who argues that “Only a theology of the resurrection that is eschatologically transformative can begin to respond to the suffering that is built into an evolutionary universe….A second requirement is that this divine action be understood in a noninterventionist way….The third requirement for a theology of divine action that might offer some response to the costs of evolution would involve an understanding of God’s power as constrained by God’s love and respect for creatures” (Edwards 2006b: 817). This is the kind of theology and eschatology that Paul grapples with in 1 Corinthians 15. Denis Edwards goes so far as to say that “In such a view of divine power, the love that defines the divine nature is understood as a love that waits upon creation, living with its processes, accompanying each creature in love, rejoicing in every emergence, suffering with every suffering creature, and promising to bring all to healing and fullness of life” (Edwards 2006b: 818 — italics in the original). Yes, God suffers with every suffering creature. God has been and is suffering during the Covid-19 pandemic. Denis Edwards has made the same point in “Every Sparrow that Falls to the Ground: The Cost of Evolution and the Christ-Event” (Edwards 2006a). St Paul had grappled much earlier with what Denis Edwards refers to as “a love that waits upon creation” in an iconic passage from his letter to the Romans.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The author introduces the "spirit of Fratelli Tutti" and outlines the theological perspective on building a new world order post-pandemic.
2. Two Initial Appreciations of Fratelli Tutti: This chapter highlights initial reactions from organizations like CAFOD and key figures who view the document as a radical blueprint for the future.
3. Christian Life Community as Fratelli Tutti in Action: It explores how the Ignatian charism of the CLC reflects the core themes of the encyclical, emphasizing community and discernment.
4. Reception of Fratelli Tutti thanks to Covid-19 and a Papal Ideological Manifesto: This section details the overwhelmingly positive reception of the encyclical versus the criticisms from dissenting voices regarding its economic and political implications.
5. New Bottles for New Wine and God’s Passibility in a Post Covid-19 Era: The author tackles the theological conundrum of God's passibility and whether God suffers in solidarity with creation.
6. Natural Evil, Suffering, a New Encyclical and New World Order: The chapter contextualizes the document within the Pope's meditation on post-Covid reconstruction and the hope of the Resurrection.
7. Creation, Covid-19, Natural Evil, Suffering and the Cost of Evolution: It discusses the integration of suffering into an evolutionary universe, drawing upon the insights of Denis Edwards.
8. Natural Evil, Suffering, the Cost of Evolution and the Christic Omega Point: The author connects evolution to the Christological conclusion of the Omega Point as theorized by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.
9. Fratelli Tutti, Catholic Social Teaching, Covid-19 and a New World Order: This chapter situates Fratelli Tutti within the broader tradition of Catholic Social Teaching and economic distributism.
10. Africa Welcomes Fratelli Tutti: This section presents the positive endorsement of the encyclical by African Catholic leadership in the context of pandemic-related challenges.
11. Five Takeaways from Fratelli Tutti: The author distills five primary lessons, including the document's nature as an invitation rather than a quick partisan read.
12. Conclusion: The article concludes by summarizing the necessity of adopting the "spirit of Fratelli Tutti" to achieve an epochal change in human society.
Keywords
Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis, Social Encyclical, Covid-19, Fraternity, Solidarity, Social Friendship, Theology, Natural Evil, Suffering, Omega Point, Catholic Social Teaching, Distributism, Evolution, Post-Pandemic World
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work provides a socio-theological reflection on Pope Francis' encyclical Fratelli Tutti, specifically examining its relevance to humanity's challenges during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.
What are the central themes discussed in the publication?
Key themes include the call to universal fraternity, the theology of a suffering God, the "cost of evolution," and the application of Catholic social teaching to create a more just world order.
What is the author's primary research question?
The author investigates how the encyclical offers a roadmap for humanity to transcend "business as usual" and foster a new world order based on the principles of social friendship and solidarity.
Which scientific or theological method is employed?
The author utilizes a socio-theological approach, integrating biblical hermeneutics, evolutionary theology (specifically the work of Denis Edwards and Teilhard de Chardin), and an analysis of contemporary Catholic Social Teaching.
What does the main body of the work address?
The body analyzes the encyclical's reception, its theological stance on natural evil and divine passibility, its connection to the Omega Point, and its critique of current economic and political structures.
Which keywords best characterize this analysis?
The work is defined by terms like Fratelli Tutti, social encyclical, fraternity, solidarity, God's passibility, and post-pandemic reconstruction.
How does the author interpret the role of "natural evil" in the context of the pandemic?
The author argues that natural evil, such as the pandemic, is an inherent part of an evolving universe and that God suffers in solidarity with creation rather than remaining aloof or impassible.
What is the significance of the "Christic Omega Point" in this text?
The author uses Teilhard de Chardin's concept of the Omega Point to argue that history and evolution are moving toward a final unification in Christ, providing a source of hope amidst global suffering.
Why does the author classify the encyclical as a "macro sermon"?
The author views it as a "macro sermon" because it is a comprehensive, invitational document intended to wake humanity from moral lethargy and guide it toward a transformative future.
- Quote paper
- Dr Tarcisius Mukuka (Author), 2020, Natural Evil, Suffering, a New Encyclical and a New World Order. A Socio-Religious Perspective on the Spirit of "Fratelli Tutti", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/968823
