Perspectief 2017-36

2017-36 JT Chapter 1: Roman Catholic responses 21 Reageer charity must be that of agape . Taylor uses the parable of the Good Samaritan to illustrate how the Christian agape was a deviation from the social norms at the time: “If the Samaritan had followed the demands of sacred social boundaries, he would never have stopped to help the wounded Jew. It is plain that the Kingdom involves another kind of solidarity altogether, one which would bring us into a network of agape ”. 70 Since God’s love existed before mankind became divided into communities, agape is all-inclusive. Yet as Western society became increasingly secular and modern humanism took hold, a substitute had to be found for agape that did not involve a supreme being 71 . This more limited perception of charity withstands the initial claims of modern humanism that humans are inherently capable of boundless altruism. Taylor therefore notes that modern humanism did not entirely adopt pre-Christian notions of charity, but took it one step further. Whereas humanists before Christ, such as Lucretius, simply excluded the divine from their understanding of charity, modern humanists thought humans to be endowed with an intrinsic capability of determining just boundaries within which to conduct their charitable acts. The selflessness of agape was by them deemed to be over the top. 72 6. Critical voices As we have seen, the Roman Catholic Church, through its official social doctrine, expresses itself in favour of admitting people fleeing life-threatening circumstances to more stable countries. Since the introduction of this teaching in the late nineteenth century the magisterium has become increasingly explicit about the rights of refugees and duties of states in relation to refugees. Pope Francis has himself visited refugees in Italy and Greece and regularly speaks about refugees in his homilies. The scholars we have discussed – Guardini, Groody and Taylor – provide a theological explanation for Francis’ statements. Yet despite Catholic social teaching being in favour of receiving and providing pastoral and physical care for refugees, and being explicitly 70 ibid. 158. 71 ibid. 245. 72 ibid. 247.