gospel of life

8/16/2019 Gospel of Life

1/33

ENCYCLICAL LETTER:

EVANGELIUM VITAE

• ON THE VALUE ANDINVIOLABILITY OFHUMAN LIFE

• POPE JOHN PAUL II

• Given in Rome, ataint Pete!"#, on $%Ma!&', t'e o(emnit)o* t'e Ann+n&iation o*

t'e Lo!, -..%/


2/33

The Gospel of Life, n.1

• The ‘Gospel of Life’ is at the heart of

Jesus’ message.

•It is “good news” to all people.

• It is the irth of a !hild "Jesus# whi!h

heralds sal$ation.


3/33


• %hen he presents the heart of his redempti$emission, Jesus sa&s' (I !ame that the& ma& ha$elife, and ha$e it aundantl&( "John 1)'1)#.

• In truth, he is referring to that (new( and(eternal( life whi!h !onsists in !ommunion withthe *ather, to whi!h e$er& person is freel& !alledin the +on & the power of the +an!tif&ing +pirit.

• It is pre!isel& in this (life( that all the aspe!tsand stages of human life a!hie$e their fullsignifi!an!e.


4/33

The Gospel of Life, n.

• -uman eings are !alled to a fullness of life

whi!h far e!eeds the dimensions of earthl&

eisten!e, e!ause it !onsists in sharing the

$er& life of God.• Life on earth remains a #a&!e !ea(it) entrusted

to us, to e preser$ed with a sense of

responsiilit& and rought to perfe!tion in lo$e

and in the gift of oursel$es to God and to our

rothers and sisters.


5/33


• The Gospel of life has a profound and persuasi$e e!hoin the heart of e$er& person//elie$er and non/elie$erali0e.

• $en in the midst of diffi!ulties and un!ertainties, e$er&

person sin!erel& open to truth and goodness !an, & thelight of reason and the hidden a!tion of gra!e, !ome tore!ogni2e in the natural law written in the heart "!f.3omans '14/15# the sa!red $alue of human life from its$er& eginning until its end, and !an affirm the right ofe$er& human eing to ha$e this primar& good respe!ted

to the highest degree.• 6pon the re!ognition of this right, e$er& human

!ommunit& and the politi!al !ommunit& itself arefounded.


6/33


• In a spe!ial wa&, elie$ers in 7hrist must defendand promote this right, e!ause'

• (8& his in!arnation the +on of God has united

himself in some fashion with e$er& humaneing(. 9G:+ ;

• The In!arnation re$eals to humanit& not onl& theoundless lo$e of God who (so lo$ed the world

that he ga$e his onl& +on( "John


7/33

The Gospel of Life, n.<There are new threats to human life'

%hate$er is opposed to lifeitself, su!h as'

• an& t&pe of murder

• Geno!ide

• >ortion• uthanasia

• willful self/destru!tion

%hate$er $iolates the integrit&of the human person, su!h as'

• ?utilation• torments infli!ted on od& ormind

• attempts to !oer!e the will itself

%hate$er insults humandignit&, su!h as'

• suhuman li$ing !onditions

• aritrar& imprisonment

• @eportation• +la$er&

• Arostitution

• the selling of women and!hildren

• disgra!eful wor0ing !onditions,where people are treated asmere instruments of gainrather than as free andresponsile persons


8/33


• > new !ultural !limate is de$eloping andta0ing hold, 9in; whi!h B road se!tors ofpuli! opinion Custif& !ertain !rimes

against life in the name of the rights ofindi$idual freedom.

• >ll this is !ausing a profound !hange in

the wa& in whi!h life and relationshipsetween people are !onsidered, espe!iall&in regard to the medi!al profession.


9/33


The end result of this is tragi!'

• not onl& is the fa!t of the destru!tion of so man&

human li$es still to e orn or in their final stage

etremel& gra$e and disturing• !ons!ien!e itself, dar0ened as it were & su!h

widespread !onditioning, is finding it in!reasingl&

diffi!ult to distinguish etween good and e$il in

what !on!erns the asi! $alue of human life.


10/33


(Just as a !entur& ago it was the wor0ing !lasses whi!hwere oppressed in their fundamental rights, and the7hur!h $er& !ourageousl& !ame to their defense &pro!laiming the sa!rosan!t rights of the wor0er as a

person 9in 3erum Do$arum;, so now, when another!ategor& of persons is eing oppressed in thefundamental right to life, the 7hur!h feels in dut& oundto spea0 out with the same !ourage on ehalf of thosewho ha$e no $oi!e. -ers is alwa&s the e$angeli!al !r& in

defense of the worldEs poor, those who are threatenedand despised and whose human rights are $iolated(.


11/33

The Gospel of Life, n.=

To all the memers of the 7hur!h, t'e 0eo0(e o*

(i*e an *o! (i*e, I ma0e this most urgent appeal'

• that together we ma& offer this world of ours new

signs of hope• wor0 to ensure that Custi!e and solidarit& will

in!rease

• and that a new !ulture of human life will eaffirmed, for the uilding of an authenti!

!i$ili2ation of truth and lo$e.


12/33

The Gospel of Life, 7hapter 1

• (7ain rose up against his rother >el, and 0illed him("Genesis 4'F#' the roots of $iolen!e against life

• (%hat ha$e &ou done( "Genesis 4'1)#'

the e!lipse of the $alue of life

• (>m I m& rotherEs 0eeper( "Genesis 4'H#'

a per$erse idea of freedom

• (>nd from &our fa!e I shall e hidden( "Genesis 4'14#'the e!lipse of the sense of God and of man

• (ou ha$e !ome to the sprin0led lood( "!f.-erews1', 4#'

signs of hope and in$itation to !ommitment


13/33


Threats to Life'

%hat are the&


14/33


• +ome threats !ome from nature itself, ut

the& are made worse & the !ulpale

indifferen!e and negligen!e of those who

!ould in some !ases remed& them.

• thers are the result of situations of

$iolen!e, hatred and !onfli!ting interests,

whi!h lead people to atta!0 others throughmurder, war, slaughter and geno!ide.


15/33


Threats to Life• $iolen!e espe!iall& against !hildren

• po$ert&, malnutrition and hunger e!ause of an unCustdistriution of resour!es etween peoples and etweenso!ial !lasses

• the $iolen!e inherent not onl& in wars as su!h ut in thes!andalous arms trade

• re!0less tampering with the worldEs e!ologi!al alan!e

• the !riminal spread of drugs

• the promotion of !ertain 0inds of seual a!ti$it& whi!h,esides eing morall& una!!eptale, also in$ol$e gra$eris0s to life


16/33


Threats to Life• -ere though we shall !on!entrate parti!ular attention on

another !ategor& of atta!0s, affe!ting life in its earliestand in its final stages

• These atta!0s tend no longer to e !onsidered as

(!rimes(K paradoi!all& the& assume the nature of(rights(,

• +u!h atta!0s stri0e human life at the time of its greatestfrailt&, when it la!0s an& means of self/defense.

• Those atta!0s are !arried out in the $er& heart of andwith the !ompli!it& of the famil&//the famil& whi!h & itsnature is !alled to e the (san!tuar& of life(.


17/33


?an& 0inds of diffi!ulties

• indi$iduals, !ouples and families are often left

alone with their prolems

• situations of a!ute po$ert&, aniet& or frustration

• the struggle to ma0e ends meet

• the presen!e of unearale pain

• instan!es of $iolen!e, espe!iall& against women

B ma0e the !hoi!e to defend and promote lifeso demanding as sometimes to rea!h the point

of heroism.


18/33


> “+tru!ture of +in”


19/33

The Gospel of Life

> “+tru!ture of +in”This realit& is !hara!teri2ed & the emergen!e of a !ulture whi!h'

• denies solidarit&• e!essi$el& !on!erned with effi!ien!&• a war of the powerful against the wea0• a life whi!h would reuire greater a!!eptan!e, lo$e and !are is

!onsidered useless, or held to e an intolerale urden• > person who, e!ause of illness or handi!ap !ompromises the

well/eing or life/st&le of those who are more fa$ored tends to eloo0ed upon as an enem& to e resisted or eliminated.

> 0ind of (!onspira!& against life( is unleashed. This !onspira!&in$ol$es not onl& inivi+a(# in their personal, famil& or grouprelationships, ut goes far e&ond, to the point of damaging anddistorting, at the international le$el, !e(ation# etween peoples and+tates.


20/33

The Gospel of Life, 7hapter 1 >ortion !onne!ted to the

“7ontra!epti$e ?entalit&”

7ontra!eption and aortion are often !losel& !onne!ted,as fruits of the same tree.

+u!h pra!ti!es are rooted in a hedonisti! mentalit&'

• unwilling to a!!ept responsiilit& in matters of seualit&

• a self/!entered !on!ept of freedom

• regards pro!reation as an osta!le to personalfulfillment.

• The life whi!h !ould result from a seual en!ounter thus

e!omes an enem& to e a$oided at all !osts• >ortion e!omes the onl& possile de!isi$e response to

failed !ontra!eption.


21/33

The Gospel of LifeTe!hniues of >rtifi!ial 3eprodu!tion

Marious te!hniues of artifi!ial reprodu!tion are morall& una!!eptale, e!ause'• The& separate pro!reation from the full& human !ontet of the !onCugal a!t• The emr&o is eposed to the ris0 of death• +o/!alled (spare emr&os( are destro&ed or used for resear!h

Arenatal diagnosis'

• >!!eptale if !arried out in order to identif& the medi!al treatment whi!h ma& eneeded & the !hild in the wom

• Dot a!!eptale if it is !onne!ted to a de!ision to pro!ure an aortion

Deonatal 7are• +ometimes the most asi! !are, e$en nourishment, is denied to aies orn with

serious handi!aps or illnesses.

uthanasia• Threats to the @&ing or terminall& ill, or elderl&


22/33

The Gospel of LifeThe “7ulture of @eath” and -uman 3ights

There are man& de!larations of human rights, and a growing moralsensiti$it& to the $alue and dignit& of e$er& human eing, ut on theother hand, widespread atta!0s on human life

• These atta!0s represent a i!e&t t'!eat to t'e enti!e &+(t+!e o*

'+man !i2't#.• It is a threat !apale of Ceopardi2ing the $er& meaning of demo!rati!!oeisten!e.

• %e need to unmas0 the selfishness of the ri!h !ountries whi!he!lude poorer !ountries from a!!ess to de$elopment or ma0e su!ha!!ess dependent on aritrar& prohiitions against pro!reation

• %e need to uestion the $er& e!onomi! models often adopted &+tates whi!h !ause and aggra$ate situations of inCusti!e and$iolen!e in whi!h the life of whole peoples is degraded


23/33

The Gospel of Life%hat is at the root of this !ontradi!tion

> mentalit& whi!h !arries the !on!ept of suCe!ti$it& to anetreme'

• It re!ogni2es as a suCe!t of rights onl& the person whoenCo&s full or at least in!ipient autonom&

• uates personal dignit& with the !apa!it& for $eral andepli!it !ommuni!ation

• > notion of freedom whi!h ealts the isolated indi$idual inan asolute wa&, and gi$es no pla!e to solidarit&, to

openness to others and ser$i!e of them, whi!h ends up& e!oming the freedom of (the strong( against thewea0 who ha$e no !hoi!e ut to sumit.


24/33

The Gospel of Life

*reedom and Truth

• *reedom negates and destro&s itself, ande!omes a fa!tor leading to the destru!tion ofothers, when it no longer re!ogni2es its essentiallin0 with the truth.

• %hen freedom, out of a desire to eman!ipateitself from all forms of tradition and authorit&,shuts out e$iden!e of an oCe!ti$e and uni$ersaltruth, then the person ends up no longer ta0ing

as the point of referen!e for his own !hoi!es thetruth aout good and e$il, ut onl& his suCe!ti$eand !hangeale opinion or, indeed, his selfishinterest and whim.


25/33

The Gospel of Life > distorted idea of *reedom

This $iew of freedom seriousl& distorts life inso!iet&. If the promotion of the self is understoodin terms of asolute autonom&'

• Aeople rea!h the point of reCe!ting one another.$er&one else is !onsidered an enem& fromwhom one has to defend oneself.

• +o!iet& e!omes a mass of indi$iduals pla!edside & side, ut without an& mutual onds.

• a!h one wishes to assert himself independentl&of the other and in fa!t intends to ma0e his owninterests pre$ail


26/33

The Gospel of Life, n.<

• The e!lipse of the sense of God and of man ine$ital& leads to apra!ti!al materialism, whi!h reeds

• Indi$idualism• utilitarianism• hedonism.

The $alues of 1ein2 are repla!ed & those of 'avin2.

The so/!alled (ualit& of life( is interpreted as'• e!onomi! effi!ien!&

• inordinate !onsumerism• ph&si!al eaut&• pleasure


27/33

The Gospel of Life

The notion of “The 8od&”• %ithin this same !ultural !limate, the od& is no longer

per!ei$ed as a sign and pla!e of relations with others,with God and with the world. It is redu!ed to purematerialit&, to e used a!!ording to the !riteria of

pleasure and effi!ien!&.• +eualit& too is depersonali2ed and eploited' from eing

the sign, pla!e and language of lo$e, that is, of the gift ofself and a!!eptan!e of another, it e!omes theinstrument for self/assertion and the selfish satisfa!tion

of personal desires and instin!ts.• The two meanings, uniti$e and pro!reati$e, inherent in

the nature of the !onCugal a!t, are artifi!iall& separated.


28/33

The Gospel of Life

+igns of -ope, n.=• %e don’t want to gi$e a one/sided pi!ture, whi!h !ould lead to

dis!ouragement.• 6nfortunatel& it is often hard to see these positi$e signs, e!ause

the& are negle!ted in the media.• et, there are man& initiati$es to help and support people who are

wea0 and defenseless• There are man& married !ouples who are read& to a!!ept !hildrenas (the supreme gift of marriage“

• There are man& families willing to a!!ept aandoned !hildren, o&sand girls and teenagers in diffi!ult&, handi!apped persons, elderl&men and women who ha$e een left alone.

• ?an& institutions offer moral and material support to mothers whoare in diffi!ult& and are tempted to ha$e re!ourse to aortion.


29/33

The Gospel of Life+igns of -ope in -ealth 7are, n.=

• Treatments whi!h were on!e in!on!ei$ale aretoda& eing de$eloped for the unorn, thesuffering and those in terminal stage of si!0ness.

• Marious agen!ies are ringing the enefits ofad$an!ed medi!ine to !ountries most affli!ted &po$ert& and endemi! diseases.

• >sso!iations of ph&si!ians are eing organi2edto ring ui!0 relief to peoples affe!ted &

natural disasters, epidemi!s or wars.• There are signs of a growing solidarit& among

peoples


30/33

The Gospel of Life?ore +igns of -ope, n.N

• > a new sensiti$it& e$er more opposed to war • *inding effe!ti$e ut (non/$iolent( means to

!ounter the armed aggressor.•

> growing puli! opposition to the death penalt&• Growing attention eing paid to the ualit& of lifeand to e!olog&

• ?ore refle!tion and dialogue//etween elie$ersand non/elie$ers, as well as etween followersof different religions//on ethi!al prolems,in!luding fundamental issues pertaining tohuman life.


31/33

The Gospel of Life

“7hoose Life”, n.F• ?osesE in$itation rings out loud and !lear' (+ee, I ha$e

set efore &ou this da& life and good, death and e$il.... Iha$e set efore &ou life and death, lessing and !urseKtherefore !hoose life, that &ou and &our des!endants

ma& li$e( "@t


32/33

The Gospel of Life*urther 3eading

Re&ommenation# 1) Jim H)ne# *o! *+!t'e! !eain2

F!om Common D!eam#:

• 3T'e 4a! on Lan2+a2e3 & 7hris -edges, whi!h is !riti!al of the use of language inthe media,

• 'tt0:55666/&ommon!eam#/o!25vie65$77.57.5$8

• 3B+((et Ma9e!# Can"t ee0 U0 4it' Deman3 & ?ar& *oster,

• 'tt0:55666/&ommon!eam#/o!25'ea(ine5$77.57.5$;


33/33

The Gospel of Life*urther 3eading

• F!om Con#i#tent Li*e:

• T'e Im0a&t o* t'e A1o!tion De1ate on Pea&e Movement Goa(#

• http'OOwww.!onsistent/life.orgOaortionpa!ifist.pdf

• T'e Fai(e E=0e!iment < A1o!tion an 4omen"# Ri2't#, Pove!t)

an Ra&i#m

• http'OOwww.!onsistent/life.orgOfailedeperiment.pdf

• T'e Im0a&t o* t'e A1o!tion De1ate on Pea&e Movement Goa(#

• http'OOwww.!onsistent/life.orgOimpa!t.pdf

gospel of life

Documents