Based on content from the “History in Action II: Rerum Novarum” presentation — November 13 and 18 sessions of History in Action.
In an era of upheaval and uncertainty, it can be surprising to find clarity in a text written more than a century ago. Yet Rerum Novarum — Pope Leo XIII’s groundbreaking 1891 encyclical on the rights of workers, the responsibilities of capital, and the moral shape of an economic system — continues to offer urgent wisdom for our time.
This document didn’t simply critique the world of the late 19th century. It introduced a new way of imagining justice, community, and economic life through what theologian Walter Brueggemann would call prophetic imagination — a willingness to disrupt numbness, challenge the status quo, and picture a more just order rooted in human dignity.
Today, as we confront new versions of old crises, Rerum Novarum still presses us to ask: What does moral leadership look like in a time of social, economic, and political turmoil? And what bold questions must people of faith ask right now?
A Teaching Born in Upheaval — Then and Now
The world of 1891 was being remade by technology, inequality, and political unrest. The world of 2025 is no different.
Presentation Rerum Novarum 1118…
Technological Disruption
- 1891: Railroads and telegraphs collapsed distance, fueling industrial growth and mass migration into cities.
- 2025: AI, digital platforms, cryptocurrency, and automation are reshaping labor, identity, and power.
Economic Inequality
- 1891: Monopolies and robber barons dominated the economy, while workers fought back.
- 2025: Billionaires, corporate consolidation, the housing crisis, and gig-work precarity echo the same themes.
Political Corruption & Populism
- 1891: Patronage systems and political machines fueled distrust.
- 2025: Populist and far-right movements rise amid economic anxiety and institutional decay.
Social Upheaval
- 1891: Immigration and urban poverty strained social systems.
- 2025: Climate migration, racial reckoning, gender equity debates, and global refugee crises demand moral clarity.
In both eras, one thing is clear: moments of upheaval call for moral vision and organized action.
Tools of Organizing: Institutional Power & Prophetic Imagination
The presentation traces how two tools — institutional organizing and prophetic imagination — form the backbone of social change.
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Institutional organizing recognizes that power grows when communities act together — through congregations, unions, schools, and civic groups.
Prophetic imagination, used by figures from Moses to Jeremiah to Jesus, invites us to see beyond resignation:
- to challenge unjust systems
- to disrupt the numbness that normalizes exploitation
- to imagine a society grounded in dignity, justice, and love
Pope Leo XIII brought these together when he wrote Rerum Novarum. He rejected both unchecked capitalism and socialism, insisting instead on a third way rooted in human dignity, fairness, and moral responsibility.
Lasting Impact
As the presentation outlines, Rerum Novarum reshaped Catholic social teaching and influenced movements far beyond the Church:
- The foundation of modern Catholic Social Teaching
- Legitimization of labor unions and workers’ rights
- Christian democratic movements
- The Social Gospel movement
- A moral voice for justice in economic life
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It empowered faith communities to enter economic debates not as bystanders, but as advocates for dignity and fairness.
The Question for Us Today
The presentation ends with a challenge worth lingering over:
“What is the most audacious question of the condition of our time that must be solved?”
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This is the heart of prophetic imagination: daring to name the deepest moral crisis of the moment — and organizing people and resources to confront it.
Conclusion
Rerum Novarum is not a relic. It’s a blueprint.
As we navigate our own era of turbulence, inequality, and rapid transformation, this 134-year-old encyclical invites us to do three things:
- See our world clearly
- Imagine alternatives boldly
- Organize powerfully through institutions and relationships
Its legacy endures not because the world stayed the same, but because people of faith continue to rise to the challenges of their time — just as we are called to do today.
