Criticisms of the economics of Laudato Si’ are without foundation, a new paper by the Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations (ACCER) states.
The paper titled, The Economics of Laudato Si’ – no surprises here, clearly demonstrates that what Pope Francis has said on economic issues is sound and is perfectly consistent with earlier Catholic social teaching on economic issues, including the operation and regulation of markets.
Brian Lawrence, Chairman of the ACCER said, ‘the encyclical’s analysis and consideration of economic issues has been criticised in some quarters. Prominent attacks on the encyclical, and Pope Francis personally are unjustified’.
Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’ is primarily concerned with a range of environmental issues, particularly climate change. However, as the Pope emphasises, environmental issues cannot be separated from the promotion of social justice, the need to care for the poor and the operation of economic systems. As a result, a significant part of the encyclical draws on Catholic social teaching on economic affairs and the operation of markets.
The paper suggests that criticisms of Pope Francis and the encyclical by The Australian newspaper and The Weekend Australian newspaper don’t accurately reflect the intention of the encyclical.
‘The claims are part of an ongoing narrative being spread in sections of the media and in social commentary. Confronting the matters raised in these articles is a means of setting the public record straight,’ Brian Lawrence said.
The response to the editorial in the ACCER paper falls into several sections: an outline of the nature and purpose of Catholic social teaching; a review of Catholic social teaching on economics and markets; an outline of what Laudato Si’ says on economic matters; a response to the editorial’s use of quotations from the encyclical; and a response to the various criticisms made in the editorial.