Christian-Catholic Humanism for Humanizing Business

Abstract

Christian Humanism (CH), as presented by Catholic teaching, is based on both reason and faith in Jesus Christ and offered to all people of good will. The Christian view of the human being involves, among other characteristics, the consideration of the uniqueness and intrinsic worth of every human being, created in the image of God; a certain absolute—only submitted to God— and openness to the transcendence; with reason, freedom, relationability, sociability, and called to develop oneself as a human being. This view entails the recognition of human dignity and innate human rights and the necessity to work for an integral human development—development of the whole person and all persons. Love of benevolence (agapē), meaning willingness to do good, is at the core of all virtues and its growth is seen as essential for developing and flourishing in humanity. This entails treating people with respect (justice) and benevolence.

CH informs managerial ethos with the mentioned view of the human and love of benevolence as fundamental virtue. The human action is seen as a whole and, in business activity, it makes no sense to separate “business decision” with no ethical content and “ethical decisions” with no business content. The human person is at the core of business activity, while profits are seen as necessary but only instrumental for higher ends. Managerial power is for serving the community, not to obtain personal advantages. Care and a sense of stewardship leads to responsible management and to working for sustainable development.

Furthermore, CH emphasizes the centrality of work within the productive process and sees business organizations as communities of persons and as intermediate institutions in the society, which has important consequences in organizing work and marketing and in assuming social responsibilities. Respect and benevolence are guideline to deal with people and groups interrelated with the firm. Respect for human dignity entails, first of all, a set of duties of justice in doing business.