How Catholic social teaching improves all 'four Americas'

How Catholic social teaching improves all 'four Americas' 

The four Americas roughly correspond to the cultural typology of Mary Douglass and Aaron Wildavsky, with Free America correspondence to high group, high organization hierarchy, Just America to high group, low organization egalitarianism, Smart America to low group, low organization libertarianism and Real America to low group, high organization authoritarianism.

A healthy society has room for each way of life. Indeed, too much or too little of each culture is dangerous, even and especially the egalitarians (see the Terror and Pol Pot).

The Church could use a bit of cultural analysis. University theologians correspond to libertarian free thought, the hierarchy to the clergy, authoritarianism to the desire for the people to pay, pray and obey and egalitarianism with social justice and communal (read Franciscan) egalitarianism. Each way of life has its dysfunctions as well. Especially in the Church.

How each Pope fits into these dynamics is pretty obvious. Note that the same Pope who started Catholic Social Teaching also condemned Americanism and the right to strike. St. John's council overthrew the authoritarianism of Popes Pius IX and X and embraced respect for religious diversity - with Francis continuing in that Spirit (not using the royal We in his letters). The right of conscience is libertarian - including the right to form one's conscience as well as to deal with how one deals with moral dilemmas.

When it sheds its asexual bias, ordains women and embraces sexuality for its own sake, I will concede it has made progress. Francis is moving the organizational culture in the right direction, but the Church has a long way to go, especially in respecting the rights of others. Not firing gay people who get married would be a good start.