Liberals, Conservatives, and Catholics

Abstract

Among Catholics, there is little controversy over theological and doctrinal matters. However, the teaching au thority of the church, the magisterium, extends to the applica tion of Christian, natural-law ideas to social questions. The social encyclicals are general and their application to specific situations is within the authority of the bishops. It is here, especially, that Catholics become divided between liberals and conservatives. Ever since the establishment of the organized American church, Catholics have accepted the American sys tem of separation of religion and politics, but there has been controversy on particular matters. Catholics have favored the liberty of parochial schools and, ultimately, auxiliary benefits to the Catholic school child. Although the freedom of the artist is generally recognized, the Catholic defense of morality has ap proved more censorship of the mass media than liberals ordi narily approve. Catholics are divided in the defense and criti cism of the free market, though it would seem to be clear that most Catholic opinion does not consider the American economy in violation of the social encyclicals. Liberal Catholics are critical of the competitive system, and conservatives believe that papal teaching is in accordance with the free-market system.