“Traces” No. 6, 2012, 45-47.
“… In the document [Caritas in Veritate], the Pope focused less
on public policy, and more on outlining his vision of ‘business as a vocation,’
calling business leaders to look beyond profit, and manage their companies
based on ‘the logic of gift.’
“This
was a departure from the reasoning of previous social encyclicals. Instead of
arguments grounded in the natural law, CV’s language was deeply theological.
Man’s ‘astonishing experience of gift,’ explained the Pope, should have a place
within ‘normal economic activity.’ This was radical – less Ten Commandments,
and more Sermon on the Mount. Not surprisingly, this mixing of theology and
social policy made many American Catholics nervous. The questions were asked: Was the encyclical merely concerned with the
private spirituality of business executives? Or was it a naïve call to do
business like lambs among the wolves of the marketplace?
“Both
questions implied that the encyclical’s ideas were not relevant to real-life
business… (O)ver the next two years the Pontifical Council on Justice and Peace
organized several conferences to study how to put Caritas in Veritate into practice, and in April published a 32-page
reflection booklet entitled Vocation of
the Business Leader.
“The
document masterfully integrates the Pope’s deep theology with contemporary
business issues, and in clear, vivid language presents a practical discernment
guide for Christian business leaders in the 21st century….
“Vocation calls Christian business
leaders to the integrated life, to ‘realize the grandeur and awesome responsibility
of their vocation’ by ‘participating in the work of the Creator through their
stewardship of productive organizations.’ The vocation of business is rooted in
the Gospel, ‘a message of love which is found not primarily in a theory or an
ethic, but in a relationship with Christ’…
… ‘The practice
of virtues’ is necessary to act effectively. ‘Wise business leaders act
virtuously in their practical affairs, cultivating wisdom in concrete practices
and policies, not just in abstract mission statements’…. We had intuitively
reasons that we should pay people above industry standards in exchange for hard
work and education, and provide generous severance pay to anyone who was laid
off. This created a high level of staff commitment, and positive ‘word of mouth’
in our industry from ex-employees, which made it possible to attract excellent people.
The result was greater profitability. ‘Doing the right thing’ led to an objective
experience of reciprocity – giving and receiving – that helped to create what Vocation calls ‘a community of persons’
in our company. I believe that most people are similarly motivated by ‘the
logic of gift’ in the workplace, that experience of ‘something greater’ that
Christians recognize as the Logos of Christ. But mainstream economic
theory-built upon Adam Smith’s idea that self-interest, not self-giving,
creates wealth – says that experience must be denied or, at best, never named.
Why? Because a fear exists that this ‘something greater’ will limit our freedom.
To safeguard the autonomy of the individual, only what can be ‘objectively’
measured - money – can guide our lives together.
“Vocation’ doesn’t assume that good jobs
and socially useful goods and services are the natural by-products of greed.
Instead, it insists tha the explicit purpose and end of business must be the
good of persons and society. Unfortunately, corporate law, to a large extent,
limits American companies – especially those that are publicly traded – to the single
goal of making as much money as possible for shareholders. Since the financial
crisis, however, the social enterprise movement has challenged this ideology,
spurring the chartering of new ‘B’ (for public benefit) corporations that are
free to use their profits for the social good. The Vocation of the Business
Leader may provide what has so far been lacking in that movement – a transcendent
foundation rooted in a Christian anthropology.”
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