The current integralist thesis sees a necessary subordination of the state to the Church because the Church has a vested interest in man’s eternal salvation whereas the state has concern merely for his temporal goods. This paper will argue that the integralist position is indeed correct based upon the substantial unity of man’s nature as body and soul, but needs to be developed and understood according to two principles: the Strong Integralist Principle (SIP) and the Weak Integralist Principle (…
Read moreThe current integralist thesis sees a necessary subordination of the state to the Church because the Church has a vested interest in man’s eternal salvation whereas the state has concern merely for his temporal goods. This paper will argue that the integralist position is indeed correct based upon the substantial unity of man’s nature as body and soul, but needs to be developed and understood according to two principles: the Strong Integralist Principle (SIP) and the Weak Integralist Principle (WIP). The SIP will be applied within the Church, and the WIP will be that principle of action lived out in societal involvement and can be broken down into uncompromising and compromising subsections. The application of the WIP provides for the protection of personal development in both the family and society, while allowing for the freedom necessary for genuine religious conversion lacking in the original integralist thesis.
