Humani generis
The encyclical Humani generis was instituted by Pope Pius XII. published on 12 August 1950. It is considered a last of the four major theological encyclicals of the pontificate, according to Mystici corporis on the Church, Divino Afflante Spiritu about the Bible (both 1943) and Mediator Dei on the Liturgy (1947 ), which are often cited by Vatican II. The four major constitutions of the Council reflect all doctrinal statements Pius XII. resist and lead continued: Lumen Gentium, Dei Verbum, Sacrosanctum Concilium and also Gaudium et Spes, the latter, the Pastoral Constitution of 1965, a change of style away from the cautionary statement (as in Humani generis ) toward the positive positioning tried. This experiment was many become necessary, a claim because the warning doctrinal statements of the Papacy appeared as a voice for the vulnerable to the presence of limited scope.
History
The encyclical Humani generis is sometimes seen in the context of modernism dispute within the Catholic Church. The Pope Pius XII. impugned doctrines are, as far as they are linked to modernism, essentially already by Pope Pius X in his encyclical Pascendi and in the instruction of the Holy Office Lamentabili, both been in 1907, condemned. However speaks Pius XII. no explicit condemnations of more. In this respect, Humani Generis called at the same time a turning point: condemnations by the papal office since the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) only rarely. The encyclical uses the term " modernism " is not, as the magisterium so exclusively referred to the crisis of the years around 1907. Also, the Pius XII. 1954 sainted predecessor Pius X at any point explicitly cited. This was demonstrated by the authors of Humani generis, that it deals with new phenomena that can not be occupied with the term " modernism" without further ado.
Content
Humani generis deals with modern philosophical theses, and rejects, for example, the doctrine of the origin of species (evolution) from, as far as it leaves the ground exact science and is elevated to ideology. Existentialism, historicism, rationalism, irenicism, immanentism, idealism ( as a philosophical system) and relativism as expressions of a revelation hostile attitude and therefore a threat to the Catholic. Rated dogmatics. Pius XII. defends the general councils and reaffirmed the Catholic claim to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ. The above teachings he presents as a religious origin, the ' divine revelation ' counter, also known as the origin of the Church's Magisterium.
The encyclical does not judge the scientific aspects of evolution, but is concerned with the monistic and pantheistic tendency of evolutionary ideology. Against the existentialism holds Humani generis, as well as the Second Vatican Council and the subsequent popes, it finds that eternal truths to the people of reason can be reliably detected. Against the systematic idealism asserts the Church's teaching that knowledge is more than receiving producing. The Pope also criticized the ethical pragmatism of the present.
Assessment
The encyclical was not unexpected and " not directed primarily against individual deviations, but against basic attitudes; Humani generis provides many positive things about the natural and the supernatural, revelation, ratio of positive and speculative theology, value of reason and Christian philosophy, nature of the Magisterium, exegesis. Even today, humani generis is up to date, "wrote the dogmatists and Jesuit Sebastian Tromp in the 1960s. A final classification of the encyclical, which marked the final end point of modernism dispute the first half of the 20th century from today's perspective, is still pending.
All in all, the markings, the Humani generis has set for the subsequent teaching of the Church (Council and Popes ) have remained relevant. Pope John Paul II builds concerning the relationship between faith and reason with the encyclical Fides et Ratio, inter alia, Humani generis in to.