TRANSFORMING RELIGIOUS COMMUNITES THROUGH THE VIRTUE OF JUSTICE

Bartholomew Chidili

Abstract


Since the virtue of justice governs relationships between one another1 and since it particularly teaches us to specifically give to each other what belongs to him/her, we decided to explore it with a view to seeing how it can assist us reform our religious communities. Because human person is a free and intelligent being, created in the image of God, he/she has a dignity and a worth vastly superior to the material and animal world by which he is surrounded. Hence, it is within the purview of human person to know, love and worship his/her creator.  Moreover, humanity is made for an end which he/she is destined to attain perfectly in future, which is immortal and never-ending life.  In view of this God equipped humanity with faculties and liberty in order that he/she might freely work for the accomplishment of this destiny.  Since humanity is under obligations to fulfill the God-given duty he/she is consequently invested with rights, God-given and primordial, antecedent to the State and independent of it. Such are human natural rights, granted to him/her by nature herself, sacred, is their origin, and inviolable. Beside these, humanity may have other rights given to him/her by the Church or State, or acquired by his/her own industry and exertion. All these rights, whatever might be their source, are the object of the virtue of justice.2 In this essay therefore, we study the virtue of justice with a view to seeing how its requirements can afford all persons in our communities, free enjoyment of all their rights for the purpose of their transformation.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ackermann, D. (1991). Patriarchy. In D. Ackermann et al. (Eds.). Women hold up half the sky. Pietermaritzburg, South Africa: Cluster Publications.

Aquinas, T.(1947). The Summa Theologica: Second Part of the Second Part. Catholic Way Publishing Retrieved April 5, 2013: http://www.amazon.com/The-SummaTheologica- Second-Volumes/dp/1481885553/ref=pd_cp_b_2

_____ (1993. Trans). Commentary on Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics (In NE). Notre Dame, IN: Dumb Ox Books. Retrieved, May 7, 2013. https://www.google.com.ng/#output=search&sclient=psy ab&q=summa+theologica&oq=summa+theolog&gs_l=hp.1.0.0l10.5154.8915.1.22 283.13.10.0.3.3.1.770.4393.3-

______(1975.) Summa contra gentiles (SCG), vol. III. Vernon Bourke (Trans.). Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press. Retrieved, May 7, 2013. https://www.google.com.ng/#output=search&sclient=psy ab&q=summa+theologica&oq=summa+theolog&gs_l=hp.1.0.0l10.5154.8915.1.22 283.13.10.0.3. 3.1.770.4393.3-

Jackson, O. R. (1985). Dignity and Solidarity: An introduction to Peace and Justice Education. Chicago: Loyola University Press

Kelso, L. (2013). The Third Way: A New Paradigm for Economic Empowerment of the Family in the 21st Century. Retrieved, May 2 2013. https://www.google.com.ng/#sclient=psy ab&q=Defining++Economic+Justice+and+Social+Justice&oq

Lanari, B. (2013, March 13). Ignetius Insight. Retrieved May 5 2013 http://www.ignatiusinsight.com/features2011/blanari_rerumnovarum_may2011.asp

Minuchin, S. (1974). Families and Family Therapy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, Press

Oduyoye, M. A. (2001). Introducing African Women’s Theology. Cleveland, OH: The Pilgrims Press

Slater, T. (1910). Justice. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved October 5, 2012 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08571c.htm

Wikipedia (2013). Distributive Justice. Retrieved April 5 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distributive_justice

Aquinas, 1947, 57: 1 2 Slater, 1910:1. 3 Slater. 1910:1. 4 Kelso, 2013. 5 Peschke, 2004. 6 Aquinas, 1947, 81: 1. 7 Aquinas, 1947, 81: 1. 8 Peschke, 2004:235. 9 Peschke, 2004:235. 10 Jackson 1985; Peschke, 2004. 11 Jackson, 1985. 12 Lanari, 2011:2 13 Ibid. 14 Jn. 15:11-17. 15 Eph. 2:19-22. 16 Col 3: 15. 17 Jackson,1985. 18 Jackson, 1985: 310. 19 Peschke, 2004: 239. 20 Ibid. 21 Peschke, 2004:239. 22 Rm. 13: 1ff. 23 Jackson, 1985. 24 Act, 2:42, 4:32. 25 Oduyoye, 2001: 71 26 Ibid 27 Ackermann,1991: 100. 28 Mark, 12:31. 29 Minuchin. 1974:6. 30 Oduyoye, 2001:71. 31 Canon 1256. 32 Canon 634: no.1. 33 Peschke, 2004:235. 34 Ibid. 35 Jackson, 1985.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.