View source for Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church

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The '''''Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church'''''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html | title=Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church }}</ref> is a document issued by the [[Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace]] in 2004 to offer "a complete overview of the fundamental framework of the doctrinal corpus of [[Catholic social teaching]]".<ref>Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (2004). ''Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church'', No. 9.</ref> The work was created at the request of [[Pope John Paul II]] to consolidate and organize [[Catholic social teaching|Church social doctrine]]. The work reads that:<ref>''Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church'', No. 19.</ref>

<blockquote>The Church... intends with this document on her social doctrine to propose to all men and women a humanism that is up to the standards of God's plan of love in history, an integral and solidary humanism capable of creating a new social, economic and political order, founded on the dignity and freedom of every human person, to be brought about in peace, justice and solidarity.</blockquote>

The compendium's audience includes bishops, priests, men and women religious (e.g., nuns, deacons), catechists, lay faithful, and all people of good will committed to the common good.<ref>''''Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church'', No. 11-12, 529.</ref> Catholic social doctrine is [[Magisterium]], which obligates Catholics to adhere to it.<ref>''Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church'', No. 80.</ref>

==History==
The document was presented by [[Renato Martino]], President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, on April 2, 2004, the memorial of [[Francis of Paola]].<ref name="vatican_a">[https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html#PRESENTATION Compendium: Presentation]</ref> He noted that the document was preceded by ''[[Laborem Exercens]]'', ''[[Sollicitudo Rei Socialis]]'' and ''[[Centesimus Annus]]'', wherein John Paul II expounded upon the church's social teaching. The late Pope wanted a compilation of all the church's doctrines on society, so the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace wrote the ''Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church'' to him, whom it named the "Master of Social Doctrine and Evangelical Witness to Justice and Peace".<ref name="vatican_a" />

==Content==
The compendium is divided into three parts, with twelve chapters, an introduction and a conclusion, a letter by Secretary of State [[Angelo Sodano]], and abbreviations for books of the Bible and church documents it references.<ref>[https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html Compendium: Table of Contents] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802000000/https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html |date=August 2, 2016 }}</ref>

The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church presents a systematic overview of Catholic Social Teaching, grounding social, political, and economic life in the dignity of the human person and the common good. It emphasizes that every person is created in the image of God, and therefore social structures must promote justice, solidarity, peace, and authentic human flourishing. By applying Gospel values to contemporary challenges, it shows how living the faith calls us to engage the world with love and justice, making Catholic Social Teaching a concrete expression of witness and discipleship in action.

The conclusion is entitled "For a Civilization of Love".

==Editions==
The compendium is available [https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html online] at the Vatican website. It also can be purchased as a printed book, which runs about 250 pages in the English edition, plus an additional 200 pages of back matter.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160802175343/https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html ''Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church'', official English translation]
*Ramdeen, L., Catholic Commission for Social Justice of the Diocese of [[Port of Spain]] (Trinidad and Tobago), [http://rcsocialjusticett.org/2.0/series/ Understanding the Church's Social Teaching], series of articles on each part of the ''Compendium'', published in 2005-2009. Only the 2005 and 2006 series are available online. 

[[Category:Catholic social teaching]]
[[Category:Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace]]
[[Category:2004 documents]]
[[Category:2004 in Christianity]]
[[Category:Documents of the Catholic Social Teaching tradition]]