Humanae Vitae
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Humanae Vitae (Latin "Of Human Life") is an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI and promulgated on July 25, 1968. Subtitled "On the Regulation of Birth", it re-affirms the traditional teaching of the Roman Catholic Church regarding abortion, contraception, and other issues pertaining to human life. Mainly because of its prohibition of all forms of artificial contraception, the encyclical remains controversial even among Catholics.
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Summary
The encyclical opens with the observation that circumstances often dictate that married couples should limit the number of children, and that the sexual act between husband and wife is still worthy even if it can be foreseen not to result in procreation. Nevertheless, it is held that the sexual act must "retain its intrinsic relationship to the procreation of human life", and the "direct interruption of the generative process already begun" is unlawful.
Abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, is absolutely forbidden, as is sterilization, even if temporary. Similarly, every action specifically intended to prevent procreation is forbidden. This includes both chemical and barrier methods of contraception. All these are held to directly contradict the "moral order which was established by God".
Therapeutic means which induce infertility are allowed, if they are not specifically intended for that purpose (double effect). Natural family planning methods (abstaining from intercourse during certain parts of the women's cycle) are allowed, since they take advantage of "a faculty provided by nature."
The acceptance of artificial methods of contraception is then claimed to result in several negative consequences, among them a "general lowering of moral standards" resulting from sex without consequences, and the danger that men may reduce women "to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of [their] own desires".
The encyclical acknowledges that "perhaps not everyone will easily accept this particular teaching", but points out that the Church cannot "declare lawful what is in fact unlawful".
The encyclical closes with an appeal to public authorities to oppose laws which undermine the natural moral law (see natural law), an appeal to scientists to further study effective methods of natural birth control and appeals to doctors, nurses and priests to promote the method.
History
There had been a long-standing general Christian prohibition on contraception and abortion, with such Church Fathers as Clement of Alexandria and Saint Augustine condemning the practices. It was not until the 1930 Lambeth Conference that the Anglican Communion changed its long-standing position by allowing for contraception in limited circumstances. All other mainline Protestant denominations have since removed prohibitions against artificial contraception.
In a partial reaction, Pope Pius XI wrote the encyclical Casti Connubii (On Christian Marriage) in 1930, reaffirming the Catholic Church's belief in various traditional Christian teachings on marriage and sexuality, including the prohibition of artificial contraception even within marriage.
With the appearance of chemical oral contraceptives in the early 1960s, some voices in the Church argued for a reconsideration of these positions. In 1963 Pope John XXIII established a commission of theologians to study questions of birth control. After John's death in 1963, Pope Paul VI added laymen to this commission. The commission produced a report in 1966, stating that artificial birth control was not intrinsically evil and that Catholic couples should be allowed to decide for themselves about the methods to be employed. Two members of the commission produced a minority report stating that the Church should not and could not change its long-standing teaching. Even though intended for the Pope only, the commission's reports were leaked to the press in 1967, raising public expectations of liberalization. However, Paul VI explicitly rejected the majority's recommendations.
The role of Karol Wojtyła
The final language of the encyclical was heavily influenced by the Bishop of Kraków, Karol Wojtyła, who would later become Pope John Paul II. Bishop Wojtyła had earlier defended the traditional church position from a philosophical standpoint in his 1960 book Love and Responsibility.
As reported in George Weigel's biography of John Paul II, Wojtyła had in fact been named by Paul VI to the commission to study the question. However, the Communist authorities in Poland would not permit him to travel to Rome to take part in the key meeting of June 1966 in which the majority decision of the commission was made.
After he became pope in 1978, John Paul II gave a series of lectures, entitled the Theology of the Body, that further developed themes in Humanae Vitae and Love and Responsibility.
Reception
Many Catholics disagree with the prohibition on artificial birth control and continue to use these methods. The publication of the encyclical marks the first time in the twentieth century that open dissent about teachings of the church was voiced widely and publicly. The teaching has been criticized by development organizations and others who claim that it limits the methods available to fight world-wide population growth and struggle against AIDS.
Within two days of the encyclical's release, a group of dissident theologians, led by Rev. Charles Curran, then of the Catholic University of America, issued a statement affirming that Catholics' individual consciences should prevail in such a personal and private issue.
More recently, there has been a degree of resurgence of support for the teaching in the Church. Catholic writers, including Janet E. Smith, Kimberly Hahn, and Mary Shivanandan have all written extensively in support of the teaching, and on the reasons behind it. Also, the advent of high-speed digital basal thermometers, along with improved knowledge of a woman's menstrual cycle, have enhanced the success rate and acceptance of natural methods, namely Natural family planning.
External links
- Complete English text from the Vatican
- Original Latin text
- Karol Wojtyła: "The Truth of the Encyclical 'Humanae Vitae'", L'Osservatore Romano, 16 January 1969
- The Humanae Vitae controversy, chapter from George Weigel's biography of Karol Wojtyła
- Megan Hartman: "Humanae Vitae: Thirty Years of Discord and Dissent", Conscience, Autumn 1998
- [1] G. E. M. Anscombe: Contraception and Chastity
Further reading
- Wojtyła, Karol, Love and Responsibility, Ignatius Press, ISBN 0898704456, 1993.
- Smith, Janet, Why Humanae Vitae Was Right: A Reader, Ignatius Press, ISBN 0898704332, 1993.
- Shivanandan, Mary, Crossing the Threshold of Love: A New Vision of Marriage, Catholic University of America Press, ISBN 0813209412, 1999.
- Hahn, Kimberly, Life-Giving Love, Charis Books, ISBN 0813209412, 2002.de:Humanae Vitae