Encyclical Essays

  • The Wholeness of the Individual in Society

    640 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Wholeness of the Individual in Society Certain statements made by Pope John Paul II in his commentary on the lasting significance of the papal encyclical “Rerum Novarum,” resonate in a highly spiritual plane, others a highly earthly one, and others in both at once. I would posit that this integrated place is of utmost significance to a sound doctrine of social justice in society, with which both documents are highly concerned. The current pope most clearly states the intertwining of the

  • The Eucharist

    846 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Eucharist (Otherwise known as the Holy Communion or the Blessed Sacrament) is a Catholic sacrament considered to be the apex of Christianity. While some Catholics and different branches of the English Church believe that this bread and wine are transformed into the literal blood and body of Christ, others believe that it is a simple expression of faith. It is considered to be the very essence of love that binds us to the savior; and it is this teaching of love that inspires the Catholic view

  • The Compatibility of Faith and Reason

    1234 Words  | 3 Pages

    There have been many Catholic thinkers who have addressed this topic, most notably John Paul II in his 1998 encyclical Fides et Ratio, or Faith and Reason in English. In it, he attempted to point out that faith and reason are not opposed to each other and that faith does not contradict reason. Rather, they actually complement each other. This is clear from the very beginning of the encyclical, which states: “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of

  • Fair and Unjust Wages During The Victorian Period

    1068 Words  | 3 Pages

    "A fair day's wage for a fair day's work" (Carlyle). Thomas Carlyle once said this quote during the Victorian period. The quote refers to how one should have the ability to receive, in return, what they put forth. Therefore, if a person works all day, then that person should be able to receive enough money to be able to live comfortably. However, that is not the case. There are many people in this world that live pay check to pay check, if they are lucky. This is a distinct problem that has been

  • Fides et Ratio

    1235 Words  | 3 Pages

    The encyclical issued by Blessed John Paul II has a tremendous value for a person to completely understand, not only about the Social Doctrine of the Church, but in fact about the thought of the Church. The Pope states that “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth

  • rerum norvarum

    908 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1891, Pope Leo XIII had published his encyclical Rerum Novarum. It was released during a time of vast change in Europe. He was very concerned about the social change and communism that was spreading. In the encyclical, Pope Leo talked about many important topics. The main themes were the common good, role of state, and labor and capitol. The beginning of the encyclical is about how revolutionary regulations refocused from politics to finances. The outcome of this is corruption of morals. It examines

  • Analysis Of The Papal Encyclical, Laudato Si '

    727 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Papal Encyclical, Laudato Si, establishes a comprehensive analysis of the current situation of our environment. Accordingly, Pope Francis did not fail to succinctly summarize the condition of our common home and even found it necessary to identify the probable causes of the recurring destruction and exploitation of the environment. Likewise, Pope Francis also conferred significant points with regard to the repercussions that came along with humanity’s liking for scientific and technological advancement

  • The Pope's View of Birth Control

    1234 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the Encyclical on Birth Control by Pope Paul VI, Natural Law Theory is used to argue against the use of birth control. The Encyclical, according to the Pope, assumes that humans are free and responsible, possessing a free will that makes us responsible moral agents. One of the thoughtful duties that lies in humans is the transmission of human life, “for which married persons are the free and responsible collaborators of God the Creator” (174). Along with the duty that lies in humans there are

  • Ecclesia De Eucharistia Description

    1688 Words  | 4 Pages

    17th, 2003, Pope John Paul II presented to the world his 14th and last encyclical letter as the Supreme Pontiff. In his Ecclesia de Eucharistia, presented on Holy Thursday, Pope John Paul II discusses in depth the Eucharist, its importance in history and future, the magnitude it had on the Church and faith as well as the significance of its continuation for the church and mankind. This essay will begin to summarize this encyclical as well as shed light on what inspired and influenced its creation and

  • Natural Family Planning

    1052 Words  | 3 Pages

    draws between “natural” methods of family planning and the “immoral” methods of modern technology. After close review of Catholic doctrines, it is clear that this line does not exist. The intentions behind the actions are what matters. Therefore the encyclical of Paul VI , while maintaining good intentions, cannot give Catholics and non-Catholics alike complete guidance in complete humanness when it comes to contraception. The major problem for the married believers in the Catholic faith is that Human

  • Vatican Council 2 Essay

    706 Words  | 2 Pages

    The encyclical is the most debated Church document of the twentieth century. The document sparked a wide range of debates for it was issued at a turbulent epoch of moral relativism in the history of humanity. It reaffirms the traditional teaching of the Church on abortion, sterilization, and artificial means of birth control. The encyclical relies to a greater extent upon the dictates of natural law. In this vain therefore

  • Macalia God's Justice And Ours Analysis

    672 Words  | 2 Pages

    contradicts two thousand years of Christian tradition—Scalia believes the papal encyclical Evangelium Vitae denies that the death penalty can be justified by retribution. But Scalia argues that the death penalty is not fundamentally immoral, precisely because retribution is a sufficiently moral reason to implement such a punishment. After consulting experts on canonical law, Scalia says he determined that the Pope’s encyclical and the latest version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church did not make

  • The Church: An Analysis of The Rerum Novarum Publication

    1884 Words  | 4 Pages

    which brought about this papal encyclical in 1891, specifically the social conditions of people, resulting from industrialisation and the church’s Christological role in declaring human dignity in terms of God’s plan for mankind. I will set out the historical position in Britain in this late Victorian era within the context of European radical political upheaval, as part of the need for reform and a response from the Church. These issues will be compared with the encyclical one hundred years later, to

  • Jospeh Aloisius Ratzinger´s Steps as Pope Benedict XVI

    773 Words  | 2 Pages

    Pope Benedict XVI’s birth name was Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger. He was born on April 16th, 1927. His homeland is Bavaria, Germany and he was born in his parents’ home at 8:30 in the morning. Benedict served as pope from 2005 until his resignation in 2013. He was elected pope following the death of Pope John Paul II. Joseph was ordained into the priesthood in 1951. He was considered a highly knowledgeable theologian and was appointed a professor in 1958. His writings defended the Catholic doctrine

  • Speech on Religion

    2194 Words  | 5 Pages

    Speech on Religion Good morning/afternoon. The ethical issue I will be discussing is IVF, in relation to the Christian religions Catholic and Anglican. IVF is used in cases of infertility –where the woman’s fallopian tubes are absent or blocked, the men’s sperm count is low, or the couple’s infertility is unexplained. It is an assisted reproductive technology in which one or more eggs are fertilized outside a female’s body. To do this, eggs are collected from the ovaries and placed in

  • Pope Francis's Chapter Summary: Response To Laudato Si

    1152 Words  | 3 Pages

    Response to Laudato Si’ At the beginning of the Pope’s encyclical he states that he “would like to enter into dialogue with all people about our common home.” He means to address the whole world, not just the bishops of the church, and not just people of religious affiliations, but to all good people of this world. The goal of the dialogue that is brought up by Pope Francis is to bring about conversation about the environmental challenges that face us ahead; he states that “We need a conversation

  • Pope Francis's Ethical Argument

    1190 Words  | 3 Pages

    The ethical argument at the core of Pope Francis’ most recent encyclical insists on the protection, preservation, and just treatment of the environment. The Pope’s argument is centred around the intrinsic worth of all life, and its implications are very relevant to our current situation and its complexity. In Laudato Si’: On care for our common home, Francis provides context, explanation, and suggested action as he discusses the social, cultural, spiritual and physical causes and symptoms of the

  • Pope Francis's Argument Essay

    1071 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to Pope Francis, author of the well-known papal encyclical letter Laudato Si’, mankind has a tendency to think of the environment as an unlimited, ever-evolving aspect of our world that is simply to say not so. Hurricanes, droughts, the rise in sea levels, earthquakes, the rise in temperatures, melting ice caps, and thunderstorms are all currently ongoing all over the world, yet in our hierarchy of government we have barely begun to take the initiative to stop such events from happening

  • Key Themes Of Catholic Social Teaching

    888 Words  | 2 Pages

    | BENEDICT XVI, w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est.html “Marriage: The Issue.” Focus on the Family, 1 Sept. 2008, www.focusonthefamily.com/socialissues/marriage/marriage/marriage-issue Pennock, Michael. Your life in Christ: foundations of Catholic morality. Ave Maria Press, 2008. Redemptor Hominis (4 March 1979) | John Paul II, w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_04031979_redemptor-hominis.html

  • Pope Benedict Research Paper

    856 Words  | 2 Pages

    When we think of the word “church” were usually thinking of the Roman Catholic Church because that is the most common and well known religion worldwide. However such a well-established religion must have someone who’s in control, that’s where our pope steps in and executes the role. The title of pope comes from the Greek word “papas”, which means father. That’s what our pope is and with this title comes one of the biggest responsibilities of them all, keeping the church stable and non-corrupt. Throughout