Christian socialism

Socialism
Development History of socialism
Ideas Economic planning · Free association Equality of opportunity Economic democracy Adhocracy · Technocracy Self-management · Direct democracy Public ownership · Common ownership Social dividend · Basic income Production for use Calculation in kind · Labour voucher Industrial democracy · Collaboration Material balance accounting Social ownership · Economics
Variants Agrarian Communism Democratic Green · Guild Libertarian socialism · Marxian Mutualism Market socialism · Scientific State Anarchist · Syndicalism Social democracy Religious Revolutionary Socialism of the 21st century Utopian socialism
People Charles Hall · Henri de Saint-Simon Robert Owen · Charles Fourier William Thompson Thomas Hodgskin Louis Blanc · Moses Hess Karl Marx · Friedrich Engels Ferdinand Lassalle William Morris · Mary Harris Jones Eugene V. Debs · John Dewey Enrico Barone · Ben Tillett Edvard Kardelj · Robin Hahnel Michael Albert
Organizations First International (International Workingmen's Association) Second International Third International (Comintern) Fourth International Fifth International Socialist International World Federation of Democratic Youth International Union of Socialist Youth World Socialist Movement
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Part of a series of articles on Christianity
Social Christianity
Major figures
Francis of Assisi Wilhelm E.F. von Ketteler Pope Leo XIII · Adolph Kolping Edward Bellamy Margaret Wedgwood Benn Phillip Berryman · James Hal Cone Dorothy Day · Toni Negri Leo Tolstoy · Óscar Romero Gustavo Gutiérrez · Abraham Kuyper Daniel Berrigan · Philip Berrigan Martin Luther King, Jr. Walter Rauschenbusch Desmond Tutu · Tommy Douglas Joseph Smith, Jr.
Organizations
Confederation of Christian Trade Unions Catholic Worker Movement Christian Socialist Movement United Order
Key concepts
Subsidiarity · Christian anarchism Marxism · Liberation theology Praxis School · Precarity Human dignity · Social market economy Communitarianism · Distributism Catholic social teaching Neo-Calvinism · Neo-Thomism Bishop's storehouse
Key documents
Rerum Novarum (1891) Princeton Stone Lectures (1898) Populorum Progressio (1967) Centesimus Annus (1991) Caritas in Veritate (2009)
Christianity Portal
Christian left whose politics are both Christian and socialist and who see these two philosophies as being interrelated. This category can include Liberation theology and the doctrine of the social gospel. The term "Christian Socialism" is used in this sense by organizations such as the Christian Socialist Movement (CSM). The term also pertains to such earlier figures as the nineteenth century writers Frederick Denison Maurice (The Kingdom of Christ, 1838), Charles Kingsley (The Water-Babies, 1863), Thomas Hughes (Tom Brown's Schooldays, 1857), Frederick James Furnivall (co-creator of the Oxford English Dictionary), Adin Ballou (Practical Christian Socialism, 1854), and Francis Bellamy (a Baptist minister and the author of the United States' Pledge of Allegiance). History In Victorian Britain, the art critic John Ruskin in his later life expounded theories about social justice in Unto This Last (1860). The painters of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood were influenced and sponsored by Ruskin. The artist William Morris was a leader of the Socialist League founded in December 1884. The Fabian Society was founded in the same year; Sydney and Beatrice Webb were its leading members. George Bernard Shaw and the members of the Bloomsbury Group were also influenced by the Fabians. Such Christian socialist thinkers were important in the early history of the British Labour party. In Catholicism, the Rerum Novarum encyclical of Leo XIII (1891) was the starting point of a teaching on social questions that was expanded and updated all through the 20th century. Despite the introduction of social thought as an object of religious thought, Rerum Novarum explicitly rejects what it calls "the main tenet of socialism": "Hence, it is clear that the main tenet of socialism, community of goods, must be utterly rejected, since it only injures those whom it would seem meant to benefit, is directly contrary to the natural rights of mankind, and would introduce confusion and disorder into the commonwealth. The first and most fundamental principle, therefore, if one would undertake to alleviate the condition of the masses, must be the inviolability of private property." Rerum Novarum, paragraph 16 The encyclical promotes a kind of corporatism based on social solidarity among the classes with respects for the needs and rights of all. In the November 1914 issue of the The Christian Socialist, Episcopal bishop Franklin Spencer Spalding of Utah, U.S.A. stated: "The Christian Church exists for the sole purpose of saving the human race. So far she has failed, but I think that Socialism shows her how she may succeed. It insists that men cannot be made right until the material conditions be made right. Although man cannot live by bread alone, he must have bread. Therefore the Church must destroy a system of society which inevitably creates and perpetuates unequal and unfair conditions of life. These unequal and unfair conditions have been created by competition. Therefore competition must cease and cooperation take its place."[1] Despite the explicit rejection of Socialism, in the more Catholic countries of Europe the encyclical's teaching was the inspiration that led to the formation of new Christian democratic parties. A number of Christian socialist movements and political parties throughout the world group themselves into the International League of Religious Socialists. It has member organizations in 21 countries representing 200,000 members. Christian socialists draw parallels between what some have characterized as the egalitarian and anti-establishment message of Jesus, who–according to the Gospel–spoke against the religious authorities of his time, and the egalitarian, anti-establishment, and sometimes anti-clerical message of most contemporary socialisms. Some Christian Socialists have become active Communists. This phenomenon was most common among missionaries in China, the most notable being James Gareth Endicott, who became supportive of the struggle of the Communist Party of China in the 1930s and 1940s. Christian socialism is not to be confused with certain parties with "Christian Social" in their names which are found in the German-speaking world, such as the contemporary Christian Social Union in Bavaria or the Christian Social Party in Austria-Hungary c. 1900. Such parties do not claim to be socialist, nor are they considered socialist by others. The term Christian Democrat is more appropriately applied to the contemporary parties. Religious criticisms Socialism was strongly criticized in the 1878 papal encyclical Quod Apostolici Muneris by Pope Leo XIII. It was again denounced in the 1931 letter Quadragesimo Anno. Socialists were accused of attempting to overthrow all existing civil society, and Christian socialism was deemed to be an oxymoron because of this. Pius XI famously wrote at the time that "no one can be at the same time a good Catholic and a true socialist".[2] Christian socialist parties Social Christians (Italy) Christian Left Party (Chile) Marc Sangnier's Le Sillon and then Ligue de la jeune République (France) League of Christian Socialists (the Netherlands) Christian Social Party (Netherlands) Christian Social Party (Switzerland) Christian Social Democratic Party (Brazil) Social Christian Party (Brazil) Christian Social Party (Venezuela) Non-socialist, conservative and demochristian parties: Christian Social Party (Austria) Christian Social Party (Belgium) Christian Social Party (Belgium, defunct) Christian Social Union (Croatia) Social Christian Reformist Party (Dominican Republic) Christian Social Party (Germany) Christian Social Union of Bavaria Christian Social People's Service Prominent Christian socialists The British Labour Party, Australian Labor Party and New Democratic Party of Canada have both been influenced by Christian socialism, and some figures from both parties could be considered to be Christian socialists, depending on the definition of "socialism" used.[citation needed] Former British Labour leader Tony Blair is a member of the Christian Socialist Movement[3] although his adherence to Christian Socialist ideals is highly disputed, as he is much further to the right than most "socialists".[4] Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd identified himself as an "old-fashioned Christian socialist" in a 2003 interview with The Australian Financial Review,[5] later writing in 2006: "A Christian perspective, informed by a social gospel or Christian socialist tradition, should not be rejected contemptuously by secular politicians as if these views are an unwelcome intrusion into the political sphere."[6] However he also described socialism as an "arcane, 19th century" doctrine and stated that "I am not a socialist. I have never been a socialist and I never will be a socialist."[7] The following list includes other well-known Christian socialists: Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., an anti-Marcos dictatorship hero and martyr of Philippine democracy, who described himself as a "born again" Catholic and a Christian Socialist Francis Bellamy, original author of the Pledge of Allegiance. Karl Barth Tony Benn Robert Malachy Burke Walt Brown Hugo Chávez Mauricio Funes Rafael Correa Dorothy Day Percy Dearmer Tommy Douglas Diane Drufenbrock Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator and critical pedagogy theorist Vekoslav Grmič, a Slovenian Roman Catholic bishop, writer, essayist and public figure Thomas J. Hagerty Keir Hardie Chris Hedges Thomas Hughes Sir David Fletcher Jones Helen Keller Michael Joseph Savage, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and leader of the New Zealand Labour Party Charles Kingsley Edvard Kocbek, a Slovenian thinker, poet and politician Janez Evangelist Krek George Lansbury Father Walter Lini, for whom Christianity and socialism held strong similarities and could be combined to form the basis of Melanesian socialism John Ludlow Margaret MacDonald, the wife of UK Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald F. O. Matthiessen Frederick Denison Maurice, founding father of British Christian Socialism, and founder of The Working Men's College. Jürgen Moltmann Brian P. Moore, a candidate for the 2008 US Presidential elections Morrissey Reinhold Niebuhr Huub Oosterhuis Karl Polanyi J. K. Rowling, author, prominently known for the Harry Potter series Dorothee Sölle Donald Soper, Baron Soper R. H. Tawney Norman Thomas Paul Tillich Cornel West Brooke Foss Westcott Jackson Stitt Wilson (1868–1942), a Methodist minister and socialist mayor of Berkeley, California from 1911-13. Frank P. Zeidler, ex-Milwaukee mayor and Socialist Party USA presidential candidate Quotes If we all came of the same father and mother, of Adam and Eve, how can they say or prove that they are better than we, if it be not that they make us gain for them by our toil what they spend in their pride? John Ball[8] Socialism which means love, cooperation and brotherhood in every department of human affairs, is the only outward expression of a Christian's faith. I am firmly convinced that whether they know it or not, all who approve and accept competition and struggle against each other as the means whereby we gain our daily bread, do indeed betray and make of no effect the "will of God." George Lansbury Capitalism is the way of the devil and exploitation. If you really want to look at things through the eyes of Jesus Christ–who I think was the first socialist–only socialism can really create a genuine society. Hugo Chávez[9] See also Christianity portal Agrarian socialism Catholic trade unions Catholic social teaching Christian anarchism Christian communism Christian democracy Christian left Christian trade unions International League of Religious Socialists Liberation theology Political Catholicism Postmodern Christianity Spiritual left Utopian socialism Working Men's College Radical center (politics) References ^ Berman, David (2007). Radicalism in the Mountain West 1890-1920. University Press of Colorado. pp. 11–12.  ^ Socialism & the Vatican Time magazine, July 8, 1957. ^ UK: Tony Blair's pact with God rationalistinternational.net. ^ Poplarism, Christianity and Socialism workersliberty.org, July 14, 2007. ^ Samantha Maiden and Verity Edwards: Rudd backtracks on socialism The Australian, December 15, 2006. ^ Kevin Rudd: Faith in Politics The Monthly, October 2006. ^ Michael Gordon and Michelle Grattan: Rudd rejects socialism The Age, December 14, 2006. ^ John Richard Green, History of the English People. Accessed 2007-07-22. ^ Tim Padgett: Chavez: "Bush Has Called Me Worse Things" Time magazine, September 22, 2006. Accessed 2007-07-22. Further reading Primary sources Gray, John. The Life of Frederick Denison Maurice: Chiefly Told in His Own Letters (1885) online edition Kingsley, Charles. The Works of Charles Kingsley (1899) online edition Kingsley, Frances Eliza Grenfell. Charles Kingsley: His Letters and Memories of His Life (1877) online edition Leno, John Bedford. The Aftermath with Autobiography of the Author, Reeves & Turner, London 1892 Secondary sources Bissett, Jim. Agrarian socialism in America: Marx, Jefferson, and Jesus in the Oklahoma Countryside, 1904-1920 University of Oklahoma Press, 1999 Boyer, John. Culture and Political Crisis in Vienna: Christian Socialism in Power, 1897-1918 (1995) Cort, John C. Christian Socialism: An Informal History (1988) Hopkins, Charles Howard. The Rise of the Social Gospel in American Protestantism, 1865-1915 (1940) (Chap. X "Christian Socialism") Phillips, Paul T. A Kingdom on Earth: Anglo-American Social Christianity, 1880-1940. (1996) Young, Shawn David. "From Hippies to Jesus Freaks: Christian Radicalism in Chicago’s Inner-City." Journal of Religion and Popular Culture. Vol 22(2) Summer 2010. External links Official site of Christian Socialist Movement (UK) Religious Socialists Vision Statement of the Religion and Socialism Commission of the Democratic Socialists of America Socialism and Faith Commission of the Socialist Party USA Spartacus Educational on nineteenth-century Christian socialism New Testament Supports Socialism Anglo-Catholic Socialism The Bible on the Poor: Or Why God is a Liberal American Socialist Voter Educational and interactive network (non-partisan) Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР? Sandown Chobham Common Look at other dictionaries: Christian Socialism — Any theory or system that aims to combine the teachings of Christ with the teachings of socialism in their applications to life; Christianized socialism; esp., the principles of this nature advocated by F. D. Maurice, Charles Kingsley, and others …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English Christian Socialism — noun 1. A mid 19c movement for applying Christian ethics to social reform 2. The principles of a pre World War II Austrian Roman Catholic political party • • • Main Entry: ↑Christ * * * Christian socialism, any one of various socialistic theories …   Useful english dictionary Christian socialism — Social and political movement originating in mid 19th century Europe. Christian socialists attempted to combine the fundamental aims of socialism with the religious and ethical convictions of Christianity, promoting cooperation over competition… …   Universalium Christian socialism —    A strand of nineteenth century socialist thinking whose adherents were keen to relate socialism with the ideas propagated in the Sermon on the Mount. They wanted to see greater social justice: conciliation and fairness in the workplace; the… …   Glossary of UK Government and Politics Christian Socialism — religious/political movement in which religious and business leaders unite to fight capitalism and promote socialism (began in the late 1800s in Britain and the United States) …   English contemporary dictionary CHRISTIAN SOCIALISM —    a movement which developed in nineteenth century Britain associated with William MAURICE and Charles KINGSLEY that sought to promote social reform along SOCIALIST lines developed from CHRISTIAN social TEACHINGS …   Concise dictionary of Religion Christian Socialism —  Христианский социализм …   Вестминстерский словарь теологических терминов Socialism — • A system of social and economic organization that would substitute state monopoly for private ownership of the sources of production and means of distribution Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Socialism     Socialism …   Catholic encyclopedia Christian Democratic Union (East Germany) — Christian Democratic Union of Germany Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands Leader Andreas Hermes 1945 Jakob Kaiser 1945 1947 Otto Nuschke 1948 …   Wikipedia Christian socialist — Christian Socialism Christian Socialism Any theory or system that aims to combine the teachings of Christ with the teachings of socialism in their applications to life; Christianized socialism; esp., the principles of this nature advocated by F.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”