BLACKFRIARS - APRIL 1943 - CHURCH CANDLES

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Hazel

Monthly editorial review edited by the English Dominicans, issue dated April 1943, presenting theological and social discussions under the theme of self-sufficiency. The text develops a Thomistic social principle by contrasting the individual and the group, the land and the city, and evaluates the humanizing influence of rural labor versus urban society. It argues that genuine completion comes through shared responsibility and co-operation for the common good, with critique of modern judgments shaped by industrialism.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages56

Reading Time1 h 26 min

AccessFree to download

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

Thimist social principle of self-sufficiency

Land, agriculture, and humanizing influence

Society, responsibility, and the common good

Limits of medieval social theory and modern industrial judgments

BLACKFRIARS A M ONT HLY REV IEWEdited by the English Dominicans N115 # A PRIL 1943 EDITORIAL on SELF-SUFFICIENCY AFFECTIVE KNOWLEDGE -Victor White,O.P.MOTIVE OF THE RESURRECTION Vincent McNabb,O.P.‘JUDGEMENT OF NATIONS’ dward QuinnCOMMUNIST LINEJ.R.W.Digby,S.J.WORDS OF THE CROSSSt.Antoninus SUPPLEMENT一THEOLOGY ONE SHILLING OXFORD BLACKWELL THE CATHOLIC WORLD Published by the Paulist FathersThe First Catholic Monthly in the United States FEBRUARY,1943PLANNING THE POST-WAR WORLD THE EISENHOWER-DARLAN UNDERSTANDINGA CALIFORNIA OLD MASTER THE PROBLEM OF GERMANYOUTH WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE‘COMICS’?THE QUEST OF FRAY ANTONIODrama一Fiction -Verse一Books一Chronicle THE CATH OLIC WO RLD 401 West 59th Street,New York,U.S.A. Subscription($5 annually post paid)may be sent toBurns,Oates and Washbourne,London. Francis Tucker &Co.Ltd. have been renowned for 200 YEARS as the most reliable makers of # CHURCH CANDLES of every description Sanctuary Oll,Wicks and Floats,Incense,Charcoal,Sanctuary Glasses,Silxer,Brass and Ironwork,and allChurch Requisites of Finest Quality are also suppled # BLACKFRIARS (With which is incorporated The Catholic Revieru) Literary Communications should be addressed to The Editor,Blackfriars,Oxford(Tel.3607).The Editor cannot be responsible for the loss of MSS.submitted.No.MSS.will be returned unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope. Communications regarding Advertisements should be addressed to the Manager,Blackfriars,Oxford(Tel.3607). Subscriptions and orders for copies should be sent to Messrs.Basil Blackwell,49 Broad Street,Oxford(Tel.3487).Annual Subscription 12/6 post free(inU.S.A.$3). | VOL.XXIY | APRIL 1943 | No.277 | | --- | --- | --- | Page # SELF-SUFFICIENCY I22 THOMISM AND‘AFFECTIVE Know-·Victor White,O.P.I26LEDGE’(II) THE MEANING OR MoTIVE OF THE Vincent·McNabb,O.P.I32RESURRECTION THE LAST BATTIE OF CHRISTENDOM Edward QuinnI40 THE PARTY LINEJ.R.Wingfield Digby,I45S.J. THE SEVEN LIGHTS OF THE CRoss St.AntoninusI50 REVIEws:John Fitzsimons;J.F.T.Prince;Michael Sewell, 154etc. / # BLACKFRIARS | YOL.XXIV | APRIL 1943 | No.277 | | --- | --- | --- | # SELF-SUFFI CIEN CY THE problem of synthesis between tlie individual and the group,man and society,the one and the niany,may be solved by the ap-plication of the thomist social principle of self-sufficiency.We maystate it in terins of the relation between the land and the city. Against the many thomist enthusiasts who are also land enithu-siasts it is sometimes pointed out that St.Thomas himself had nolove for agriculture and regarded it as tending towards the work ofthe beast.Troeltsch has written in this respect:'In contrast tothe inclination of modern Catholicism towards the rural populationand its specific Ethos,it is solely the city that St.Thomas takes intoaccount.In his view man is naturally a town dweller,and he re-gards a rural life only as the result of misfortune or of want’(SocialTeaching of the Christian Churches,II,p.318).The rude tiller ofthe soil degenerates through continual contact with the lesser crea-tion,animals and the soil;he is to be pitied much in the same wayas the modern'thomist’often pities the.factory worker. There is surely some truth in the assertion that those who cul-tivate the land lack the human delicacy of mind and soul that isto be found in the town dweller.The rustic may often be soil-soddenand unresponsive.The land and the things that grow and live onthe land do not necessarily humanise;they do not inevitably of theirnature ted to deepen the understanding and quicken the perceptionof the labourer.Experience often shows the contrary,the slowyokel more at home with his animals than with his fellows.Thereare reasons,good and urgent reasons,why we should now returnto the soil and forsake the town.But it is surely true to say thatthese reasons lie rather in the evil of the town than the good of thesoil.The soil is good and fu

FAQs

What is the main Thomistic idea used to explain self-sufficiency in the text?

The text applies a Thomist social principle of self-sufficiency, framing it as the proper relation between the land and the city, and between the individual and the group.

Why does the text question the humanizing value of cultivating the land?

It argues that continual contact with animals and soil can dull human delicacy of mind and soul, and that experience may show the opposite—rustic laborers may not become more fully human.

How does the text define the kind of self-sufficiency it considers complete?

It defines self-sufficiency not as selfish individualism but as responsibility and co-operation with others for the common good, grounded in man’s social nature.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Hazel