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Ethics-Celebrating Human Dignity-Two Documents of Vatican II

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Ethics-Celebrating Human Dignity-Two Documents of Vatican II ETHICS CELEBRATING HUMAN DIGNITY Two Documents of Vatican II n the Catholic health care ministry’s “Shared Statement of Identity,” the first value com- mitment on the list is to “promote and defend human dignity.” The words “dignity” and I“respect” are so widespread in the value statements of Catholic Health Association sys- tems and facilities that I’m sure most of us believe human dignity always has been a founda- tional principle of the Catholic social tradition. This is not entirely wrong. Both documents also were considered contro- Since the beginning of the social versial at the time. Several of the council fathers, encyclical tradition, popes have out of fear that the documents were too conten- acknowledged the importance tious, continually asked that the council either of human dignity, but prior to abandon both documents or at least refer them to the 1960s, they rarely used the post-conciliar committees for completion, rather term. Leo XIII used the word than promulgate them at the council itself. “dignity” only three times in his FR. THOMAS encyclical “On the Condition of DECLARATION ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM NAIRN Labor” (Rerum Novarum), and The “Declaration on Religious Freedom” called Pope Pius XI mentioned the into question a position that the Catholic Church word seven times in the encyc- had held for more than a century, often para- lical “On Reconstruction of the Social Order” phrased in the statement “error has no rights.” (Quadragesimo Anno). More importantly, both Simply put, the teaching maintained that, since of these documents discuss human dignity not the Catholic Church is the one true church, all as a foundational element of the church’s social nations should recognize it as their established teaching, but, rather, within a natural law context of right order, which was the real To appreciate how human dignity foundation of these encyclicals. To appreciate how human dignity be- became so central to Catholic came so central to Catholic social teach- ing, one needs to look back 50 years to the social teaching, one needs to Second Vatican Council. On Dec. 7, 1965, look back 50 years to the Second the last day of the council’s last session, the assembled bishops conducted the Vatican Council. final vote on two important documents. The council approved, by a vote of 2,308-70, the religion. Because other faith traditions were in “Declaration on Religious Freedom” (Dignitas error, their members ought not to have the right Humanae), and, by a vote of 2,309-75, approved of public worship. In countries where Catholi- the “Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the cism remained in the minority, religious tolera- Modern World” (Gaudium et Spes). Both docu- tion could be accepted, since it was the best that ments have as their foundation the dignity of the could be achieved under the circumstances. Such human person, and both documents provided a toleration, however, was considered far from the new framework for understanding human dignity ideal. To hold otherwise would be to succumb to itself. the sin of “indifferentism,” condemned by several 72 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2015 www.chausa.org HEALTH PROGRESS popes in the 19th century.1 Ideas such as the sepa- PASTORAL CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH ration of church and state, or religious freedom, IN THE MODERN WORLD were considered absurd.2 Although the “Declaration on Religious Liberty” What became the “Declaration on Religious established human dignity as the foundation for Freedom” began as part of another document its analysis of religious liberty, it is the “Pastoral dedicated to ecumenism, a strong concern of Constitution on the Church in the Modern World” Pope John XXIII. Ecumenical cooperation would that provides the contemporary theological argu- be impossible without religious toleration and re- ment for the church’s emphasis on human dignity specting the freedom of religion of mem- bers of other faith traditions. In preparing for the Second Vatican Council, however, Human dignity is rooted in the fact there was no agreement regarding the ap- that the human person has been propriate framework in which to discuss religious freedom. created out of God’s love in the The council’s preparatory theological very image of God, is preserved by commission demanded that any discus- sion of religious freedom be linked to the God’s love, and is called to a noble objective truth of the Catholic Church and the fact that rights need to be con- destiny with God. nected to truth. The second group, led by the newly organized Secretariat for Christian as a pillar of its social teaching. The prominence Unity, proposed freedom of conscience as the ap- of respect for human dignity in Catholic health propriate starting point.3 These groups remained care today thus can be traced back to the Pastoral at an impasse. Constitution, in which the word “dignity’ is men- The declaration moves adeptly through the tioned 51 times. minefield this theological debate created. Very The Pastoral Constitution is divided into two early in the document, there is an acknowledge- parts, the first of which speaks of the dignity of the ment that the “one true religion subsists in the person “in the light of the Gospel,” and the second Catholic Church,”4 but the document emphasizes of which addresses specific issues of contempo- that “truth is to be sought after in a manner proper rary human life, from the family to economic life to the dignity of the human person.”5 As it explains and war and peace. Early in the document, the the manner of this search, the document articu- council explained that human dignity is rooted in lates an understanding of conscience as it relates the fact that the human person has been created to the search for truth: “All people are bound to out of God’s love in the very image of God, is pre- seek the truth … and to embrace the truth they served by God’s love, and is called to a noble des- come to know. … It is upon the human conscience tiny with God.9 This is the basis for human dignity. that these obligations fall and exert their binding Furthermore, in Christ, “human nature … has force.” 6 been raised up to a divine dignity … for by His The declaration grounds religious freedom in incarnation the Son of God has united Himself neither of these theological positions, but, rather, in some fashion with every person.”10 The docu- in human dignity, which subsumes both elements ment thus maintains that “dignity is rooted and of the previous debate into itself: “The Council perfected in God” and further acknowledges that … declares that the right to religious freedom is the church “is in harmony with the most secret based on the very dignity of the human person as desires of the human heart when she champions known through the revealed word of God and by the dignity of the human vocation.”11 reason itself. This right of the human person to Although secular accounts of dignity in the religious freedom must be given such recognition United States often equate dignity with an indi- in the constitutional order of society as will make vidualistic form of personal autonomy, the Pasto- it a civil right.”7 ral Constitution links human dignity with inter- The document links the growing awareness of dependence and the common good. It recognizes human dignity to the Gospel,8 but it does not re- that “God did not create the human person as ally spell out the theological basis. solitary.”12 Human dignity and the common good HEALTH PROGRESS www.chausa.org NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2015 73 are not contradictory but, rather, mutually depen- NOTES dent. The council explains that our “social nature 1. See, for example, Gregory XVI’s encyclical, “On Liberal- makes it evident that the progress of the human ism and Religious Indifferentism” (Mirari Vos, 1832), person and the advance of society itself hinge on or Pope Pius IX’s “Syllabus of Errors” (1864), especially one another.”13 Number 15, condemning the proposition, “Every man is Using the framework of human dignity, the free to embrace and profess that religion which, guided council was able to speak of the religious signifi- by the light of reason, he shall consider true.” cance of secular progress: “While earthly prog- 2. This was the term used by Pope Leo XIII. See “On the ress must be distinguished from the growth of Church and State in France” (Au Milieu des Sollicitudes, Christ’s kingdom, to the extent that the former 1892), no. 28. can contribute to the better ordering of human 3. For a brief description of this controversy and how society, it is of vital concern to the Kingdom of it played out in the Second Vatican Council, see John God.”14 In a remarkable passage, the Pastoral Con- T. Noonan, The Lustre of Our Country: The American stitution goes even further, to state that the church Experience of Religious Freedom (Berkeley: University of must learn from the world.15 California Press, 1998), 337-48. With these two documents the church moved 4. Dignitatis Humanae, no. 1. Since the council, there has to a very different place from the one it occupied been an ongoing debate about the meaning of the term in the 19th century. Its reflection on human dignity “subsists in.” was a major element effecting this move. 5. Dignitatis Humanae, no. 3. 6. Dignitatis Humanae, no. 1. LOOKING BACK AFTER 50 YEARS 7. Dignitatis Humanae, no. 2. As we look back over the past 50 years, the words 8. Dignitatis Humanae, no. 12. of Fr. John Courtney Murray an American Jesuit 9.
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