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The Catholic Church's Perspective of Human Dignity As the Basis Of start page: 221 Stellenbosch eological Journal 2017, Vol 3, No 2, 221–241 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17570/stj.2017.v3n2.a10 Online ISSN 2413-9467 | Print ISSN 2413-9459 2017 © Pieter de Waal Neethling Trust Th e Catholic Church’s perspective of human dignity as the basis of dialogue with the secular world Alva, Reginald Nanzan University, Japan [email protected] Abstract The Catholic Church maintains that the Imago Dei is the ground for human dignity. The secular world, too, endorses human dignity as the foundation for human rights without referring to Imago Dei. The Catholic Church and the secular world both agree on the importance of human dignity, even though they differ on their views about the source of human dignity. In this paper, we shall examine if human dignity can be the basis of a fruitful dialogue between the Catholic Church and the secular world in order to make our world a better place to live. The primary resources for our study are the Church documents on human dignity, and the opinions of distinguished thinkers on the need to promote a culture of dialogue between religions and secular world. Key words Catholic Church; Imago Dei; secular world; human dignity 1. Introduction The United Nations (UN) in its charter of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) gave a pivotal role to the concept of human dignity.1 Even though the charter does not refer to the transcendental nature of human person or Imago Dei (image of God) as the basis of human dignity, it maintains that all persons are born with equal and inherent dignity, irrespective of their class, caste, creed, religion, sex, and economical, political or social conditions. Glenn notes that the concept of dignity affirmed by the charter has universal appeal because it does not refer to 1 United Nations (1948), Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Available at http://www. un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html (accessed November 7, 2016). 222 Pieters • STJ 2017, Vol 3, No 2, 221–241 any metaphysical or theological thought.2 Most of the nations note in their constitutions, either directly or indirectly, the significant role of human dignity.3 Moreover, most of the advocates of human dignity and rights are secular nations.4 The Christian faith holds that God created humans. Further, all humans are bearers of Imago Dei (see Gen 1:27).5 Even though the reason to uphold human dignity differs, most of the people in the modern world would agree that humans have equal and inherent dignity.6 The Catholic Church advocates that all humans have inherent dignity. It promotes the right to life and peaceful coexistence. In spite of the doctrinal differences, the Catholic Church can play a great role to initiate a fruitful dialogue with other faiths and the secular world to promote human dignity. The rise of jingoism and fundamentalism is a threat to peaceful coexistence in the contemporary society. Conflicts and wars are forcing people to leave their homelands and seek refuge in other places. Immigrants and refugees often become soft targets in the hands of traffickers, who trample their human dignity. In such a situation, the Catholic Church needs to collaborate with all like-minded partners to safeguard the dignity of humans. A fruitful dialogue in action between the Catholic Church and the secular world has the potential to promote justice, peace and integral sustainable development in the world. Pope John Paul II noted the love of Christ as the driving force behind any genuine dialogue between the Church and the world. 2 See Glenn Hughes, ‘The Concept of Dignity in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,’ Journal of Religious Ethics 39, no. 1 (2011): 1–24. 3 See Erin Daly, Dignity Rights: Courts, Constitutions and the Worth of the Human Person (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013), 1–9. 4 See Kerri Woods, Human Rights & Environmental Sustainability (Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd., 2010), 31–32. The word secular has broad meaning. In this paper, we use the word ‘secular nations’ to refer to nations, which do not explicitly acknowledge God in their constitutions or subscribe to any particular religion as the state religion. Moreover, these nations do not deny the existence of God but grant freedom of religion to their citizens. 5 Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) no. 1702. The full text of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is available at http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM (accessed October 26, 2016). See also Ron Highfield, ‘Beyond the ‘Image of God’ Conundrum: A Relational View of Human Dignity,’ Christian Studies 24 (2010): 21–32. 6 See Patrick Lee & Robert George, ‘The Nature & Basis of Human Dignity,’ Ratio Juris 21, no.2 (2008): 173–193. See also Robert Osborn, ‘The Great Subversion: The Scandalous Origins of Human Rights,’ The Hedgehog Review 17, no. 2 (2015): 91–100. Pieters • STJ 2017, Vol 3, No 2, 221–241 223 Because of the radiant humanity of Christ, nothing genuinely human fails to touch the hearts of Christians. Faith in Christ does not impel us to intolerance. On the contrary, it obliges us to engage others in a respectful dialogue. Love of Christ does not distract us from interest in others, but rather invites us to responsibility for them, to the exclusion of no one and indeed, if anything, with a special concern for the weakest and the suffering.7 The Catholic Church needs to employ its perspective of human dignity as the basis of a meaningful dialogue with the secular world especially in the following key areas. 2. Promoting human life with dignity The Catholic Church holds human life as sacred gift of God, which all need to protect and respect.8 The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) notes, ‘Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception.’9 The Catholic Church has taken a principled stand on the sanctity of life. It maintains that the human embryo is a person with dignity. The contemporary world is debating about the use of biotechnological methods like cloning and embryonic stem cell research in influencing human life. Andorno notes that scientific methods are not above human dignity and therefore, people cannot become mere instruments of technologies.10 The Catholic Church, too, opposes any biotechnological methods, which overlook the dignity of a human being. Even though there may be differences of opinion, especially with regard to abortion and euthanasia between the Catholic Church and the secular world, both the entities can come together to support and promote human life with dignity. 7 John Paul II, Address to the Fiftieth General Assembly of the United Nations Organization, no. 17. Available at http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/speeches/1995/october/documents/ hf_jp-ii_spe_05101995_address-to-uno.html (accessed October 10, 2016). 8 CCC no. 2258. 9 CCC no. 2270. 10 See Roberto Andorno, ‘Human Dignity and Human Rights as a Common Ground for a Global Bioethics,’ Journal of Medicine & Philosophy 34, no. 3 (2009): 223–240. 224 Pieters • STJ 2017, Vol 3, No 2, 221–241 Human trafficking is on the rise because of large-scale migration and the refugee crisis in the world.11 The recent political turmoil in parts of African and Middle East nations is forcing people to leave their homelands and seek refuge in safer destinations. However, the host countries are reluctant to accept large number of migrants because it could trigger law and order problems in their societies. Thus, the migrants are vulnerable to human traffickers who take advantage of their helplessness and abuse them. The Catholic Church and the secular world need to join hands together to reach out to the migrants, who are facing innumerable difficulties and constant threats to life. The Catholic Church through its vast network of social agencies can make a great contribution by providing basic needs of living to refugees, who travel long distances to reach safer destinations. Further, Catholics and social agencies in host countries can also provide the much- needed moral and spiritual support to the refugees and migrants. The displacement from their homelands brings great sorrow to the hearts of migrants and refugees. However, when they reach their host countries, they have to face entirely new cultures and circumstances, which increase their stress and anxiety. Catholics need to make an appeal on the conscience of the host countries’ local authorities and citizens to treat the migrants and refugees as humans with dignity and not look upon them as liabilities.12 The Catholic Church through its agencies like Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has worked successfully with NGOs, governmental agencies and international agencies to rescue young girls and women from Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina from the hands of traffickers. Their efforts helped the poor and marginalized women to escape from forced prostitution to dignified human life.13 11 See Kevin Avruch, Context and Pretext in Conflict Resolution: Culture, Identity, Power and Practice (Abingdon: Paradigm Publisher, 2013), 51–62. See also Louise Shelley, Human Trafficking: A Global Perspective (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010), pp. 1–35. 12 See Victorina Cueto, ‘Out of Place: Exilic Existence in a HyperGlobalized World,’ in Faith on the Move: Toward a Theology of Migration in Asia, ed. Fabio Baggio and Agnes Brazal (Manila: Ateneo De Manila University Press, 2007), pp. 1–19. 13 See Monica Mueller, ‘A Case Study on Networking Against Gender Based Violence,’ in Pursuing Just Peace: An Overview and Case Studies for Faith-Based Peacebuilders, eds. Mark Rogers, Tom Bamat & Julie Ideh (Baltimore: Catholic Relief Services, 2008), pp. 85–97. Pieters • STJ 2017, Vol 3, No 2, 221–241 225 The Catholic Church runs many hospitals and medical centres to serve those who are in need of medical attention.
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