By LiCAS.news
JAPAN – The Catholic Church in Japan has stressed the role of “spiritual capital” in shaping education, highlighting its long-term impact on young people and society.
The call was made during the 49th National Conference of the Japan Catholic Education Association, organized by the Japan Society for the Study of Catholic Education.
More than 150 Catholic educators, researchers, and school staff gathered at the University of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo from Aug 29 to 31 to exchange views and present findings on Catholic education and values.
Professor Nobuhiko Maeda of Ritsumeikan University said that in the social sciences, spiritual capital is “intangible capital” that “imbues material capital such as wealth and power with special meaning and value.”
He added that while the concept overlaps with religion, “spiritual capital is not limited to any particular religion.”
Citing Pope Francis, who in 2022 told young people that “since humans, created in God’s image, seek meaning before pursuing material gain, spiritual capital is the primary capital of society, and that it is also necessary for the economy,” Maeda stressed the need to view Catholic education with “a fairly long-term perspective.”
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