Book contents
- The cambridge history of the Papacy
- The Cambridge History of the Papacy
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- General Introduction
- Part I Christendom and Empire
- Part II Crises, Schisms, and Dissent
- Part III Reformations and Revolutions
- 12 The Papacy and the Protestants, 1517–1563
- 13 The Reformation Popes
- 14 The Popes and the Enlightenment
- 15 The Papacy in Revolution, 1775–1823: The Cesena Popes, Pius VI and Pius VII
- 16 Enlightenment and Its Aftermath: Liberalism, Socialism, and Nationalism
- 17 Pope Leo XIII and the Catholic Response to Modernity
- Part IV Theopolitics and Religious Diplomacy
- Part V Inter-Faith Relations: Confrontation and Dialogue
- Select Bibliography
- Index
17 - Pope Leo XIII and the Catholic Response to Modernity
from Part III - Reformations and Revolutions
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 February 2025
- The cambridge history of the Papacy
- The Cambridge History of the Papacy
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- General Introduction
- Part I Christendom and Empire
- Part II Crises, Schisms, and Dissent
- Part III Reformations and Revolutions
- 12 The Papacy and the Protestants, 1517–1563
- 13 The Reformation Popes
- 14 The Popes and the Enlightenment
- 15 The Papacy in Revolution, 1775–1823: The Cesena Popes, Pius VI and Pius VII
- 16 Enlightenment and Its Aftermath: Liberalism, Socialism, and Nationalism
- 17 Pope Leo XIII and the Catholic Response to Modernity
- Part IV Theopolitics and Religious Diplomacy
- Part V Inter-Faith Relations: Confrontation and Dialogue
- Select Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The pontificate of Leo XIII (r. 1878–1903) was decisive in shaping the Catholic response to modernity. His primary aim was to guide the Church in coming to terms with the modern world by making a clear distinction between unchangeable truths and other teachings that could be legitimately adapted to fit the scientific, democratic, and industrial world. The centerpiece of Leo’s approach was a Thomistic revival that included several elements: (1) Thomas’ view of the universe as an ordered hierarchy of being, governed by law; (2) Thomas’ view of natural law combined with Suarez’s “transfer theory of power” that permits a variety of legitimate regimes; (3) Thomas’ teaching on private property in service to the common good combined with Locke’s natural rights to property; and (4) a notion of the rights of workers as persons that points toward twentieth-century Christian personalism. I conclude by surveying the scholarly debates about Leo’s contribution to modern Thomism and Catholic social teaching.
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- The Cambridge History of the Papacy , pp. 457 - 474Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025