The Church’s View on Development

The very existence of the Church is for humans and for their unfolding as human beings. The Church was founded as a small community of disciples by Jesus Christ so that they might continue his mission of proclaiming the good news of the reign of God, that all humans may experience meaning and wholeness in their lives. Therefore, the Church supports and encourages progress and development in all areas of human life for the well-being of humanity. Though the Church emphasises the integral development of humans, some see it only as an organization catering to the spiritual needs of people, especially its members. Some see it as the conscience of the world. Others who are not members of the Church see it only as a monolithic social organization that has a tremendous influence on the world. Those who see the Church only as an institution that has stood the test of time may find that the Church is against any type of development,   especially technological development.

Commenting on the acceleration of change and referring to the observations of Alvin Toffler in his book Future Shock, Ilia Delio says, “In an era of accelerating artificial intelligence, many find themselves gripped by existential uncertainty. Some have turned to traditional religious frameworks—particularly Catholic and Evangelical fundamentalist traditions—seeking stable ground in turbulent times. Yet paradoxically, these same religious systems, with their emphasis on human dominion and a supernatural God, may have helped create the conditions for our current technological disruption.” From a superficial or prejudiced understanding of the Church, it may appear that the Church is cautious or even resistant to technological and scientific progress and development. In fact, the Church is not anti-technology or anti-development. However, the Church’s approach is critical, ethical, and human-centred. It wants to ensure that development assists the furthering of human dignity and the common good.

The official Church has always stood for the integral development of all humans and affirmed that proper development is humanity’s cooperation with God for the well-being of human beings. Heaven rejoices when human beings use their God-given capacity to develop new scientific and technological means to improve their quality of life, reduce the hardship of their daily toil, gain time and energy for serving one another, and deepen their communion among themselves. The Church’s official view on development was well expressed in Pope Paul VI’s landmark encyclical Populorum Progressio. It says, “The development we speak of here cannot be restricted to economic growth alone. To be authentic, it must be well-rounded; it must foster the development of each man and of the whole man. As an eminent specialist on this question has rightly said: ‘We cannot allow economics to be separated from human realities, nor development from the civilization in which it takes place. What counts for us is man—each individual man, each human group, and humanity as a whole’” (No. 14). He holds the view that development is ‘the new name for peace’. However, he warns against any kind of development that does not help humans to become authentically human. He says, “Neither individuals nor nations should regard the possession of more and more goods as the ultimate objective. Every kind of progress is a two-edged sword. It is necessary if man is to grow as a human being; yet it can also enslave him if he comes to regard it as the supreme good and cannot look beyond it. When this happens, men harden their hearts, shut others out of their minds, and gather together solely for reasons of self-interest rather than out of friendship; dissension and disunity follow soon after” (No. 19). Pope Paul emphasized that the promotion of human dignity and the well-being of everyone must be the goal of any development.

Pope Paul VI’s vision of development was further deepened by Pope John Paul II in his encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis. He says emphatically, “Development, which is not only economic, must be measured and oriented according to the reality and vocation of the human person seen in his totality, namely, according to his interior dimension. There is no doubt that he needs created goods and the products of industry, which are constantly being enriched by scientific and technological progress. The ever-greater availability of material goods not only meets needs but also opens new horizons. The danger of the misuse of material goods and the appearance of artificial needs should in no way hinder the regard we have for the new goods and resources placed at our disposal and the use we make of them. On the contrary, we must see them as a gift from God and as a response to the human vocation, which is fully realized in Christ” (No. 29).

Following his predecessors Pope Francis too, in his encyclical Laudato Si’ emphasized the need for a development that is integral. According to him, any development must respect and care for both human life and environment. He says, “Authentic human development has a moral character. It presumes full respect for the human person, but it must also be concerned for the world around us and take into account the nature of each being and of its mutual connection in an ordered system. Accordingly, our human ability to transform reality must proceed in line with God’s original gift of all that is” (GS, no. 5). Certainly, the Church supports development but it critiques those models of development that does not pay attention to the ethical values and ecological concerns.

Recognizing technology as an expression of human creativity, the Church has a very positive view of it that it is a participation in the creative activity of God. Humans, created in the image and likeness of God, the Trinity or Absolute Communion, orient all their creative activity for deepening communion among human beings. When technology is used for destruction of humans and their property, it becomes an instrument of evil destroying communion among people and as such a grievous sin. It is an affront to the God of Communion. The Second Vatican Council in its Pastoral Constitution, Gaudium et spes recognizes the importance of technological advancement. It says, “This scientific spirit has a new kind of impact on the cultural sphere and on modes of thought. Technology is now transforming the face of the earth, and is already trying to master outer space. To a certain extent, the human intellect is also broadening its dominion over time: over the past by means of historical knowledge; over the future, by the art of projecting and by planning” (GS, no.5). The Church sees the advancement in technology as legitimate expression of human ingenuity and creativity that can improve the quality of human life.

Today, technology is happily embraced by the Church as one of the means for fulfilling its missionary mandate of proclaiming the good news to all. It uses all advanced means of communication for spreading the gospel. The technological advancements in the field of healthcare, education and other social services are gainfully used by the Church. Further, the Church uses digital platforms, artificial intelligence and global communication networks as means for evangelization and human development.

From the teaching of the popes, it is clear that the Church is very positive about technological progress; however, it also warns against its misuse and abuse. Pope Francis cautions against the dangers of the ‘technocratic paradigm’ in his encyclical Laudato Si’. According to him, technology is not the ultimate solution to human problems. The misuse and abuse of technological know-how can lead to the exploitation of nature, social inequality, and the loss of moral responsibility. When technological advancements fail to take into account the moral and ethical issues associated with their use, they devalue human dignity and become instruments of human enslavement. Furthermore, if technology is not used responsibly, it can lead to environmental degradation and increased economic inequality. The Church exhorts all those involved in the development of technology to be mindful of their responsibility toward the whole of humanity. They must pay careful attention to the moral values that should guide technology, especially in the fields of biotechnology and artificial intelligence.

The Church’s concern is that every form of development must be directed toward the common good of all people, without discrimination. Due to human sinfulness, even the best inventions can be distorted to serve the interests of a few, leading to the dehumanization of the majority. In this context, the Church insists that technology must serve the whole of humanity; it should neither dominate human beings nor replace human values. In light of divine revelation, the Church affirms that human beings, created in the image and likeness of God, the Trinity or Absolute Communion, must remain at the centre of all development. Human well-being must be the goal of every technological advance.

Pope Benedict XVI, in his encyclical Caritas in Veritate, called for a ‘humanization of technology’: “The key to development is a mind capable of thinking in technological terms and grasping the fully human meaning of human activities, within the context of the holistic meaning of the individual’s being. Even when we work through satellites or through remote electronic impulses, our actions always remain human, an expression of our responsible freedom. Technology is highly attractive because it draws us out of our physical limitations and broadens our horizon. But human freedom is authentic only when it responds to the fascination of technology with decisions that are the fruit of moral responsibility. Hence the pressing need for formation in an ethically responsible use of technology” (CV, no. 70). The Church desires that technology foster greater human solidarity, promote justice, and encourage the responsible exercise of human freedom.

The Church continues to engage actively in a world that has embraced new technologies with tremendous influence on human life. Innovations in technology, especially the ever-expanding possibilities of artificial intelligence, digital surveillance, and biotechnology, continue to shape contemporary society. The Church supports and encourages the responsible use of digital media, the ethical application of artificial intelligence, the inclusion of disadvantaged communities in development, and sustainable technological practices. In all this, the Church sees itself not as an opponent of technology, but as a moral guide that strives to protect human dignity, freedom, and the well-being of all creation.