Church Teachings on Racism
Alec Carbine
21 March 2013
Period 1
MFO Chapter 2
Catholic Social Teaching on Racism
Chapter 2 Racism, or prejudice towards people that are different than you, is a necessary evil that has been around since ancient times. Racism has been around long enough that people have spoken out against it in the past. One such place where being racist or prejudiced has been taught against is the bible. The very idea of racism or being prejudiced to a race of people, has been otherwise been ruled out by the bible. There are many different scriptures and stories in the bible that say things as “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10). Such a story as this one demonstrates how God himself deems racism as a very evil idea. Jesus, God’s only son, is the person most notable for telling us to be kind to others regardless of our background or ethnicity, that we are all children of God. The Church also has teachings about the evils of racism, mostly reflected from biblical scriptures and teachings. Through biblical scriptures and passages as well as Catholic social teaching, racism towards one another is an evil that must be dealt away with in the eyes of the church and God. The Catholic social teaching says that indeed racism is a sin because racism divides the human family, blots out the image of God among specific members of that family, and violates the fundamental human dignity of those called to be children of the same Father (Catholic Social Teaching). The Church teaches that the fact that some human beings see others as inferior to them is a grave sin.
“Racism is the sin that says some human beings are inherently superior and others essentially inferior because of races. It is the sin that makes racial characteristics the determining factor for the exercise of human rights. It mocks the words of Jesus: "Treat others the way you would have them treat you." Without a doubt, racism is more than a disregard for the words of Jesus; it is a denial of the truth of the
21 March 2013
Period 1
MFO Chapter 2
Catholic Social Teaching on Racism
Chapter 2 Racism, or prejudice towards people that are different than you, is a necessary evil that has been around since ancient times. Racism has been around long enough that people have spoken out against it in the past. One such place where being racist or prejudiced has been taught against is the bible. The very idea of racism or being prejudiced to a race of people, has been otherwise been ruled out by the bible. There are many different scriptures and stories in the bible that say things as “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10). Such a story as this one demonstrates how God himself deems racism as a very evil idea. Jesus, God’s only son, is the person most notable for telling us to be kind to others regardless of our background or ethnicity, that we are all children of God. The Church also has teachings about the evils of racism, mostly reflected from biblical scriptures and teachings. Through biblical scriptures and passages as well as Catholic social teaching, racism towards one another is an evil that must be dealt away with in the eyes of the church and God. The Catholic social teaching says that indeed racism is a sin because racism divides the human family, blots out the image of God among specific members of that family, and violates the fundamental human dignity of those called to be children of the same Father (Catholic Social Teaching). The Church teaches that the fact that some human beings see others as inferior to them is a grave sin.
“Racism is the sin that says some human beings are inherently superior and others essentially inferior because of races. It is the sin that makes racial characteristics the determining factor for the exercise of human rights. It mocks the words of Jesus: "Treat others the way you would have them treat you." Without a doubt, racism is more than a disregard for the words of Jesus; it is a denial of the truth of the