A Catholic Work Ethic?
The article examines recent teaching by popes and councils of the Catholic Church about work and labour. It produces evidence to suggest that this teaching involves a substantial revaluation of the place of work in the moral economy. An ethic of work as such was not part of the Catholic
tradition of reflection and practice, because of the higher valuation placed on contemplation rather than action, the religious state of poverty, chastity and obedience rather than the lay state, the single rather than the married state. Before Luther Vocation was not a concept extended
to every state of life. All the same there was always a high Catholic valuation placed on doing one's duty and on industriousness in good works. A kind of inner-worldly asceticism was also demanded of the Catholic laity. The article concludes by examining some of the resources provided
by the Catholic tradition itself for the spirituality of work propounded by recent Catholic teaching.
Keywords: Asceticism; Industriousness; Virtue; Vocation; Weber; Work
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: University of Essex,
Publication date: 01 January 2007
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