Jules Constant van Gestel

1
Jules Constant van Gestel

• a Commentator on the Churchs
• Social Teaching

2
(No Transcript)
3
The Radiophonic Preacher

• Turnhout 1899-1978 Lier
• Studied at École Supérieure pour Travailleurs,
  Belgium
• Doctorate on religious socialism, then
  professorship at Louvain
• Chaplain to Belgian Red Cross
• Helped develop institutions of higher education
  for women before WWII

4
(No Transcript)
5
Sacred Eloquence

• Early articles on art theory of preaching
• Interest in new media
• radio, film then television
• young OP group to introduce film to Flemish
  Catholic circles
• member of Belgian radio board, Pontifical Academy
  for Social Communications

6
(No Transcript)
7
Ruttens Student

• Rutten discovered him convinced him to
  research on religious socialism (PhD 1932)
• Quadragesimo Anno (1931) opposed any
  reconciliation between Christians socialists
• Explains careful wording of van Gestels thesis
  
• argued Marxs atheistic materialism meant he did
  not emphasise ethics enough
• analysed Christian Socialist movements in
  Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, France
  Belgium

8
(No Transcript)
9
Christian Socialism

• Protestant churches less central authority, more
  liberty to engage with socialism
• Swiss theologian Ragaz From Jesus Christ to
  Marx, from Marx to Jesus Christ
• Christian faith ethical requirements of the
  Gospel inform each other
• socialism lives from a moral idea, thirst for
  justice
• religious socialism a minority - almost no
  political influence, but intellectual weight
• Christianity needs awareness of social injustice,
  but socialism is limited to earthly realities
• Stimulated debate in Belgium

10
(No Transcript)
11
Dialectic of Church CST

• Sub-editor of OP journal Kultuurleven
• column on sociology law
• Commentary on Church magisterium
• translated basic texts from Latin
• CST as teaching principles, not scientific
  doctrine
• Introduction to the Social Teaching of the Church
  (1950)
• noted importance of Protestant social ethics
• only explicitly mentions Bible encyclials
• Dialectic process
• academic work prepares official teaching
• doctrine a starting point for Catholic scholars

12
(No Transcript)
13
Encycliology

• A loyal commentator, using his dialectic method
• Defended Quadragesimo Anno
• not accepting corporatism in the exisiting
  (fascist) state
• countered by principle of subsidiarity
• Mater et Magistra shows church principles
• Individual human beings are the foundation, the
  cause the end of every social institution
• Disappointed by change of direction to signs of
  the times in Gaudium et Spes

14
(No Transcript)
15
Distributism Property

• Felt close to Vincent McNabbs ideas
• linked Distributism to shift in Church teaching
  on property rights
• Pius XII radio message on 50 years since Rerum
  Novarum
• private property a natural, fundamental human
  right
• only this, not collectivism, will aid the masses
• some redistribution necessary to promote right
  use
• Injustice of land distribution in Latin America a
  theme in van Gestels courses on international
  justice

16
(No Transcript)
17
Limits

• Distributist ideas were in the socio-economic
  chapter of Gaudium et Spes
• it is the right of public authority to prevent
  anyone from abusing his private property to the
  detriment of the common good
• Yet van Gestel failed to comment on them

18
(No Transcript)