Evangelium Vitae
Evangelium Vitæ (Latin: "The Gospel of Life") is the name of the encyclical written by Pope John Paul II which expresses the official position of the Catholic Church regarding the value and inviolability of human life. It was promulgated on March 25, 1995.
Summary
"Man is called to a fullness of life which far exceeds the dimensions of his earthly existence, because it consists in sharing the very life of God."
Beginning with an overview of threats to human life both past and present the encyclical chiefly condemns Abortion which it quotes Tertullian as calling "anticipated murder to prevent someone from being born" and euthanasia which it calls "a disturbing perversion of mercy", the encyclical also reiterates the positions of the Catholic Church with regards to contraception and suicide.
Although the above prohibitions are the main area of interest to most inquirers, Pope John Paul II himself devotes most of his words to social and ecological factors stressing the importance of a society which is built around the family rather than a wish to improve efficiency.
Before writing this encyclical, the pope surveyed every bishop in the entire Roman Catholic Church on the subjects of murder, direct abortion, and euthanasia. Receiving a unanimous response from these bishops, the pope stated in Evangelium Vitae that the immorality of murder, directly-willed abortion, and euthanasia had been taught infallibly by the "ordinary and universal magisterium" (the bishops teaching in unison, dispersed throughout the world).
See Also
External links
Categories: Papal Encyclicals