Episode 1 of our new series: The Great Catholic Documents
Throughout this series on Under the Hood, we’ll explore the writings that have shaped Christian thought, Western civilization, and the Church’s understanding of the human person—from the Industrial Revolution to the age of artificial intelligence.
We begin with perhaps the most influential social encyclical ever written: Rerum Novarum.
More than 130 years ago, Pope Leo XIII looked out at a world transformed by the Industrial Revolution and asked a question that still echoes today:
How can technological progress serve the human person instead of replacing him?
In this special Under the Hood episode from Chesterton Radio, we take a deep dive into the landmark 1891 encyclical that laid the foundation for modern Catholic Social Teaching.
Together we’ll explore:
• Why Rerum Novarum was written
• The social and economic upheaval of the Industrial Revolution
• The dignity of work and the rights of workers
• The responsibilities of employers
• The meaning of a just wage
• Private property and the common good
• Why Pope Leo XIII rejected both unrestricted capitalism and socialism
• How these ideas inspired G. K. Chesterton, Hilaire Belloc, and the development of Distributism
• Why Pope Leo XIV has pointed back to Rerum Novarum as the Church reflects on artificial intelligence and the future of work.
Whether you’re interested in economics, history, philosophy, engineering, theology, or simply want to understand one of the most influential documents ever written on work and society, this conversation offers a thoughtful and accessible introduction.
Listen to Rerum Novarum complete:
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