The Twentieth Century Encyclopedia of Catholicism Christianity and Money
Type
Book
Authors
Category
Social problems
[ Browse Items ]
Publication Year
1960
Publisher
Volume
59
Pages
126
Description
What is the Christian attitude toward money? What is the relevance of the basic Christian message to the economic and material realities of our modern society?
The contemporary emphasis in the Church's teaching falls more and more upon the principle that natural law itself destines the resources of the world for the use of all men. In the twentieth century economic system, this traditional doctrine must be applied in the light of the tremendous productivity that human industry achieves by the use of these common resources.
The communal spirit in the early Christian Church, the poverty of the monastic orders and the idealization of poverty in the mendicant orders have contributed to the formation of a Christian concept of poverty. The rich, too, have their obligation to cultivate the spirit of poverty and to seize their God-given opportunity to engage in works of charity.
"There is nothing arbitrary, fantastic or irrational," writes Jacques Leclercq, " about the Christian attitude to money." This attitude, he tells us, is firmly rooted in revelation. The concern of Our Savior for the spirit of poverty and the dangers to salvation in riches is matched by his willingness to associate with the rich and to speak of them with favor.
This book will be found invaluable in relating the truths of Christian revelation to our contemporary terrestrial situation.
The author, Jacques Leclercq, who lives in Brussels, Belgium, was born in Louvain in 1891. He completed his studies in philosophy and ethics at the Catholic University of Louvain, and at present is a professor of moral and social philosophy there. He has written many books on ethics and religious philosophy. These include Lessons on Natural Right in five volumes, Essays on Catholic Morality in four volumes, and many other works.
Eric Earnshaw Smith, the translator, was born in 1893, educated at University College, Oxford, and after service in World War I was attached to the War Trade Intelligence Department and later the British Foreign Office for more than twenty-seven years. In 1946 he was transferred to the University Grants Committee and retired from the Civil Service in 1951. He also translated The Origins of Man in this series.
This is Volume 59 under section V: The Life of Faith.
Taken from the inside flaps.
The contemporary emphasis in the Church's teaching falls more and more upon the principle that natural law itself destines the resources of the world for the use of all men. In the twentieth century economic system, this traditional doctrine must be applied in the light of the tremendous productivity that human industry achieves by the use of these common resources.
The communal spirit in the early Christian Church, the poverty of the monastic orders and the idealization of poverty in the mendicant orders have contributed to the formation of a Christian concept of poverty. The rich, too, have their obligation to cultivate the spirit of poverty and to seize their God-given opportunity to engage in works of charity.
"There is nothing arbitrary, fantastic or irrational," writes Jacques Leclercq, " about the Christian attitude to money." This attitude, he tells us, is firmly rooted in revelation. The concern of Our Savior for the spirit of poverty and the dangers to salvation in riches is matched by his willingness to associate with the rich and to speak of them with favor.
This book will be found invaluable in relating the truths of Christian revelation to our contemporary terrestrial situation.
The author, Jacques Leclercq, who lives in Brussels, Belgium, was born in Louvain in 1891. He completed his studies in philosophy and ethics at the Catholic University of Louvain, and at present is a professor of moral and social philosophy there. He has written many books on ethics and religious philosophy. These include Lessons on Natural Right in five volumes, Essays on Catholic Morality in four volumes, and many other works.
Eric Earnshaw Smith, the translator, was born in 1893, educated at University College, Oxford, and after service in World War I was attached to the War Trade Intelligence Department and later the British Foreign Office for more than twenty-seven years. In 1946 he was transferred to the University Grants Committee and retired from the Civil Service in 1951. He also translated The Origins of Man in this series.
This is Volume 59 under section V: The Life of Faith.
Taken from the inside flaps.
Number of Copies
1
