Archbishop Chaput on How Christians Can Rebuild Our Culture

"In the beginning, Genesis tells us, 'the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep' (Gen 1:2). Creation begins in chaos. On each day of creation, God brings new things into being and orders them according to a plan. God makes things for a purpose. He creates the world out of love. As Aquinas teaches, God orders the universe as a whole, and that order reflects his glory.

"The world works better when it follows God’s design. We see this in our own moral lives. God gives us the law and the beatitudes because they lead us to joy. Jesus shows us the plan God writes into human nature so that, by his help, we can flourish. Too often we think of rules as things that keep us from being happy. But rules, understood as God’s order, are good for us because they show us how to live in a way that shares in his glory. They lead us to embody what God intended human beings to be and do. This is one of the things Scripture means when it says Jesus came 'so that we would have life, and have it abundantly' (Jn 10:10).

"If creation has a moral order, then how should we think about our human laws?

"Since we’re made in the image of God, human beings can order their actions and communities just as God orders his creation. . . ."

In a recent commentary (adapted from an address he presented at a recent Archdiocese of Toronto “Faith in the Public Square” symposium), Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia, reflected on how Christians influence culture by seeking Christ: "It’s in seeking Jesus Christ with all our hearts that culture is built and society is renewed. It’s in prayer, the sacraments, changing diapers, balancing budgets, preaching homilies, loving a spouse, forgiving and seeking forgiveness - all in the spirit of charity - that, brick by brick, we bring about the kingdom of God."

To access Archbishop Chaput's complete reflection, please visit:

Public Discourse: Law and Morality in Public Discourse: How Christians Can Rebuild Our Culture (7 AUG 14)