Italy Secondaria di secondo grado – classe 5ª (esame di Stato) Catholic religion or alternative activities

1. Religion and the contemporary world

Religion in society · Church and modern world · Marriage, family, social doctrine

• Social Ethics: Family, Dignity, Common Good, Technology and Development – Social ethics asks how people should live together fairly. This lesson covers three themes. First, marriage and family: in the Christian view marriage is a lifelong, faithful promise and the family is the first school of love, respect and responsibility; other traditions also honour the family, and societies differ on laws about marriage. Second, social doctrine: the Church's social teaching rests on a few principles, namely human dignity, the common good, solidarity, subsidiarity and justice, with a special care for the poor and for nature. Similar ideas exist in other traditions, such as ubuntu or seva. Third, the ethics of technology and development: new tools bring benefits and harms, so we ask who gains, who is hurt and whether it is fair to all and to the planet. Integral development means growth of the whole person and of every person, not only the rich, and not at nature's cost.