On This Page : - CST & Inculturation | CST & Human Rights | CST & workers | CST & the Constitution

The Church's Social Teaching - CST can be described as a body or collection of “social wisdom.”  It touches both our head (understanding) and our heart (motivation).  It instructs us about the human person – every woman, man and child – living in society – in families, villages, tribes, work places, schools, etc.

The CST guides us about the values, structures and practices that contribute to a full human life. We can learn what principles (like equality) and organisations (like businesses) and activities (like fair elections) really make it possible for human beings to live life to the fullest, as God our Creator desires for all of us.

CST its' origin & everyday life

“Governance and Corruption in Zambia” – at the German World Bank Forum on “Africa on the Rise". Brief reflections on the challenges of meeting good governance for sustainable growth in Zambia, presented by Pete Henriot, May 2007

Revealing Our Best Kept Secret; Peter Henriot
What does the Church have to contribute to political debates in the country?

Church's Social Teaching and the Ethics of GMOs; Peter Henriot & Roland Lesseps, November 2003

What is the Church's Social Teaching saying about Poverty; PDF Document January 2004

The Church's Social Teaching and the Economy in Zambia Peter Henriot November 2003

Why do we have the Church's Social Teaching?;First and foremost, the social teaching is a guide for our individual conscience to make the right decisions for leading a good Christian life. Peter Henriot

CST in Zambia:

Four Decades of Grace (1964 - 2004) Pastoral letter on 40yrs of independence October 2004
"The Christian view of humanity is one that is based on everlasting hope. ".

Church's Social Teaching and the Ethics of GMOs; Peter Henriot & Roland Lesseps November 2003

CST & Workers

The Church's Social Teaching and the Economy in Zambia “Zambia is a very rich country, a very rich country indeed, but Zambia is a country of very poor people, very poor people indeed!”

CST & Inculturation:

Social and Traditional attitudes that contribute to poverty in Zambia. PDF. by Elias Bubala Bboloka Nchimunya, S.J. Alliance Française Presentation
30 March 2006

Linking Inculturation and the Church's Social Teaching; "Recently I have been reflecting on how inculturation relates to the other world I move in, the world of the church’s social teaching (CST)
Peter Henriot

CST & Human Rights:

Education and Rights: the path to Development in Zambia.
According to repeated remarks made by high Government officials, “There is no right to education in Zambia!” ...education for children is recognised as a good and necessary thing, but no child has the right to education.  Period. Simson Mwale and Peter Henriot, Article in UNZa Journal April 2006

Church's Social Teaching says no to Capital Punishment; Peter Henriot
It is true that within the Christian community there have been varying views over the course of history about the legitimacy and acceptability of capital punishment.

The Church's Social Teaching

CST & the Constitution

True Freedom cannot be realised in Zambia without Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the new Constitution, Says JCTR. 23 May 2008
There should be institutional frameworks and structures to guarantee the full range of human freedoms and rights.

Inclusion of economic, social and cultural rights in the new constitution a must, says JCTR. May 2008
It has to be realised that many development challenges in Zambia are linked to Economic, Social and Cultural rights. For instance, meeting the Millennium Development Goals

Catholic Bishops speak on constitution. The Bishops are not calling for anything illegal or completely contrary to the constitutional constraints surrounding how one deals with the fundamental law of the land.
22 May 2007

Constitutional review: the Zambian search for an ideal constitution. If you ask me today to summarise -- in a sentence -- constitutional review in Zambia, over the last forty-one years, this is what I would say: “It has been a search, a search, a search and a search… for an ideal Constitution.” May 2006

Constitutional review: the Zambian search for an ideal constitution. If you ask me today to summarise -- in a sentence -- constitutional review in Zambia, over the last forty-one years, this is what I would say: “It has been a search, a search, a search and a search… for an ideal Constitution.” Simson Mwale, May 2006

Can we afford Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Constitution? Simson Mwale in a paper presented at the alliance Francaise, 20 April 2006 answers the question, “Is the inclusion of economic, social and cultural rights in the Zambian Constitution’s Bill of Rights feasible?

Is a “fast track” for constitutional road map possible and desirable? I’d like to suggest for discussion that the process can indeed be speeded up without bad consequences if three attitudes are reinforced and three structures put in place… 09 January 2007

Can we afford Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Constitution? Simson Mwale 20 April 2006

Church's Social Teaching and Constitutional Review; Peter Henriot
"Should we favour a Constituent Assembly to prepare the new Constitution for Zambia, or should we leave it to the Parliament?

Obervations and comments on Interim Report and Draft Constitution of Constitution Review Commission;
 October 2005

JCTR links constitutional process and content in response to the CRC Draft; “Responding to the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) demand for public scrutiny of the Interim Report and Draft Constitution... October 2005

Constitutional compromise - Is it the only way forward?;August 2005, Pete Henriot

Zambia's Economic, Social & Cultural Rights: Why should they be in the new Constitution; PDF Document Simson Mwale

Let's Say "No" to the Death Penalty; December 2005, Peter Henriot

Good Constitution and Good Theology: You can't have One without the 0ther; July 2005, Peter Henriot

The "Four Cs" To Evaluate Polictical Candidates; November 2005, Peter Henriot

Should the Church Speak Out; December 2005, Peter Henriot

Can Zambians Eat the Constitution; November 2005, Peter Henriot