- Every human person possesses an infinite dignity, inalienably grounded in his or her very being, which prevails in and beyond every circumstance, state, or situation the person may ever encounter. Rather like the unalienable rights set forth in the Declaration.
- This ontological dignity and the unique and eminent value of every man and woman in the world was reaffirmed authoritatively in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, issued by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948. Bad move since the UN is constantly at loggerheads with the Church on moral issues, and has less moral authority than a bum sleeping it off on the sidewalk.
- From the start of her mission and propelled by the Gospel, the Church has striven to affirm human freedom and promote the rights of all people. Completely untrue as a matter of history. Modern notions of freedom and rights would have struck most of the Church Fathers as invitations to anarchy. More to the point, they simply were not concerned about such issues that were foreign to their times and to the Gospel they were preaching.
- A quote from John Paul II on human dignity. His view would have found little support among his predecessors prior to the end of the 19th century.
- A quote from Pope Benedict. Presentism may not be a sin, but it definitely detracts from the understanding of modern Catholics to the views of Catholics prior to the day before yesterday in historical terms. Not to say that one cannot find some discussion by the Popes of the need, for example, to treat Indians with fairness and love. But the questions that preoccupy us were barely on their radar screens, cherry picked papal pronouncements notwithstanding.
- Lots of quotes of Pope Francis on human dignity. Never hurts to butter up the boss, and quotations of Pope Francis seem to make up at least 80 percent of papal pronouncements in this Pontificate.
- Ambiguity of the phrase “dignity of the human person”. That is certainly correct.
- Social dignity and existential dignity. In this pontificate one has to try not to guffaw coming from a Vatican that cares not a whit if crimes against such dignity are committed by men on Team Francis.
- Finally, it is worth mentioning that the classical definition of a person as an “individual substance of a rational nature”[17] clarifies the foundation of human dignity.
- Nevertheless, a way of thinking that would be able to ground our respect for the dignity of every human person in every circumstance was still a long way away. Back hand recognition of the fact that this discussion would have been incomprehensible to most thinkers prior to the seventeenth century.
More tomorrow. Go here to read the passages summarized.
Only God has “infinite dignity”.
“This ontological dignity…was reaffirmed authoritatively in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights…”
Authoritatively? I am curious how such a body can make authoritative declarations on ontological realities.
“Finally, it is worth mentioning that the classical definition of a person as an “individual substance of a rational nature”[17] clarifies the foundation of human dignity.”
This seems to be non sequitur, or at least doesn’t seem to clarify anything, as Boethius’ definition (which I believe St Thomas expands) would equally apply to angels and demons who would not, be definition, have human dignity, which would entail that human dignity has to then be something superadded to “person”.
This would be related to mans nature as a “person” but wouldnt be exhaustive of it. Substances, after all, come in many kinds, and it doesn’t seem self-evident that a rational substance in and of itself is the grounding of dignity or that such theoretical dignity would infallibly perdure, unless demons also have infinite dignity grounded in their being “persons”. If there is going to be a metaphysical grounding for “human dignity,” it seems that it can only be found in man’s being created by God in God’s image, which excludes any concept of human dignity which does not have this necessary reference to God and His will and creative act, which would seem to belie the “authoritative” nature of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, unless I missed that part where it authoritatively grounds human rights in God’s creative act and bestowal of His image on man.
But if these two concepts (human dignity and man in God’s image) are- at least within the Christian conception- basically identical or at least used interchangeably, it raises the question as to the need for the terminology of “human dignity” at all, unless it is being used to try and smuggle a naturalistic conception in, a suspicion difficult to avoid since the term human dignity by its very formulation reorients the reference point to man, whereas man made in God’s image has God as the reference point.
Jason, I think you’re correct: they have–yet again–botched an easy definition. Person is defined as an individual substance of a spiritual nature.
(In the pure spirits, it is an intellectual spiritual nature; in men, it is a rational spiritual nature; in the divine Persons–although infinitely different and distinct from created persons–it is the divine nature.)
Thank you Jason. I have saved your every word.
The feminine form of “Infinite” hit me like a brick. Only God is infinite and God is male. The United Declaration on Human Rights excludes God and creation. The human soul is anathema to the likes of the writer.
Wisdom is called feminine in the Bible. Some like to call God “she” but wisdom is not human, nor God. Wisdom is a virtue, a gift from God given to man and woman. Eve was taken out of Adam and if Adam had obeyed God Eve would have been exhonorated and you and I would all be living in the Garden of Eden. No spider bites, nor death. Happy Easter would be enjoyed every day.
Woman is superfluous in the sanctuary for she does not have authentic authority to speak in the sanctuary. Making God feminine helps create an atmoshere of continuity that revolts against the teaching of Jesus Christ in the Bible and the Holy Spirit through God’s emissaries.
Thank you, Jason a thousand times and God bless.hank you Jason. I have saved your every word.
The feminine form of “Infinite” hit me like a brick. Only God is infinite and God is male. The United Declaration on Human Rights excludes God and creation. The human soul is anathema to the likes of the writer.
Wisdom is called feminine in the Bible. Some like to call God “she” but wisdom is not human, nor God. Wisdom is a virtue, a gift from God given to man and woman. Eve was taken out of Adam and if Adam had obeyed God Eve would have been exhonorated and you and I would all be living in the Garden of Eden. No spider bites, nor death. Happy Easter would be enjoyed every day.
Woman is superfluous in the sanctuary for she does not have authentic authority to speak in the sanctuary. Making God feminine helps create an atmoshere of continuity that revolts against the teaching of Jesus Christ in the Bible and the Holy Spirit through God’s emissaries.
Thank you, Jason a thousand times and God bless.