The relevance of theological thinking for today's society, economy and politics

The Faculty of Theology at Comillas Pontifical University organised its 20th conference which, on this occasion, was dedicated to the social doctrine of the Church. Under the title "A voice for our times: The social doctrine of the Church", a large group of specialists debated during two intense days. The inauguration was led by the Rector of Comillas, Enrique Sanz, SJ, and the Dean of the Faculties of Theology and Canon Law, Francisco Ramírez, SJ.

During his speech, the Rector quoted the renowned Italian theologian and specialist in the social doctrine of the Church, Bartolomeo Sorge, SJ, who said that it might be more appropriate, nowadays, to speak of the social discourse of the Church. "The programme of this conference is in line with this idea. Fundamentally because of the type of approach to politics, the economy, migration and war," he said. "These conferences connect with something very characteristic of the university, interdisciplinarity, an asset of Comillas due to its extension and the complexity that it implies, which is increasingly necessary to face the new social challenges", the Rector assured.

In his speech, Enrique Sanz, SJ, also thanked the organisers, speakers and attendees, and made a special tribute to Professor Santiago Madrigal, SJ, one of the promoters of the conference, who recently passed away.

The dean of the faculty, for his part, made an extensive review of the last twenty years of changes in the social doctrine of the Church to recall the relevance of theological thinking for society, the economy and politics. "Pope Francis' thinking has been received with praise by many, but with rejection and resistance by others, even within the Church. In these days we wanted to commemorate the encyclical published by Pope John XXIII, and to be able to make concrete proposals for today's society based on faith," he concluded.

The inaugural conference was given by Joseba Segura, Bishop of Bilbao. Idelfonso Camacho, SJ, professor emeritus of Moral Theology at the Faculty of Theology of the Loyola University and president of the Identity and Mission Commission of UNIJES was in charge of closing the conference with the lecture "The Christian in the construction of a more just and humane world order. From John XXIII to Francis".