Deus caritas est

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For other uses, see Deus caritas est (disambiguation).
For other uses, see God is Love.

Deus caritas est
Latin
for 'God is Love'
Spe Salvi
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Deus caritas est (English: "God is Love"), subtitled De Christiano Amore (Of Christian Love), is a 2005

Spe Salvi) and one written substantially by him but signed by his successor Pope Francis (Lumen fidei).[1]
This text begins with a reflection on the
eros (possessive, often sexual, love), agape (unconditional, self-sacrificing love), philia (friendship)—and their relationship with the teachings of Jesus
.

The encyclical contains almost 16,000 words in 42 paragraphs. The first half is said to have been written by Benedict in

mother tongue, in the summer of 2005; the second half is derived from uncompleted writings left by John Paul II.[2] The document was signed by Pope Benedict on Christmas Day, 25 December 2005.[3] Some reports attribute the delay to problems in translating the original German text into Latin, others to disputes within the Vatican over the precise wording of the document.[4][5]

The encyclical was promulgated on 25 January 2006, in Latin and officially translated into seven other languages (English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish). It is the first encyclical to be published since the Vatican decided to assert copyright in the official writings of the Pope.[6]

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The

Douai Bible translates this into English as "God is charity", while in most contemporary English translations it reads "God is love" (even if "charity" is the most accurate translation of "caritas".).[8] The Latin version of the First Epistle of John uses the same formulation, Deus caritas est, at the end of chapter 4, verse 8 translating the same phrase in Greek.[9] This second biblical reference is not mentioned in the encyclical.[10][11]

Summary

In this encyclical, Benedict reflects on the concepts of eros, agape, and philia, and their relationship with the teachings of Jesus. Eros and agape are two of the various

eros is ascending, possessive love which seeks to receive from another; philia
is the mutual love between friends.

The first half of the encyclical is more philosophical, tracing the meaning of the Greek words for "love". In considering eros, Benedict refers to a line from Virgil's Eclogues, Book X, line 69, "Omnia vincit amor, et nos cedamus amori" ("Love conquers all, let us also yield to love"), and the opinion of Friedrich Nietzsche that Christianity has poisoned eros, turning it into a vice. He refers to the conjugal love exhibited in the Song of Songs, and analyzes passages from the First Letter of St. John which inspired the title. The encyclical argues that eros and agape are not distinct kinds of love, but are separate halves of complete love, unified as both a giving and receiving.

Dante and Beatrice gaze upon the highest Heaven; from Gustave Doré's illustrations to the Divine Comedy, Paradiso, Canto XXXI.

The second half, based on a report prepared by the

charity
(diakonia).

The encyclical says that social justice is the primary responsibility of politics and the laity; the church itself should inform the debate on social justice with reason guided by faith, but its main social activity should be directed towards charity. Charity workers should have a deep prayer life, and be uninfluenced by party and ideology. Benedict rejects both "particular insistence by Marxism" that "the poor... do not need charity but justice", and the merger of church and state functions (theocracy); rather, he encourages cooperation between the church, the state, and other Christian charitable organizations.

Paragraph 39 appears to be inspired by

Giuseppe B. Cottolengo, John Bosco, and Luigi Orione
.

Deus caritas est, like the encyclicals of many previous popes, including Pope John Paul II, uses the Royal we in the official Latin text ("cupimus loqui de amore"). This is the text that appears promulgated in the Vatican's official gazette of record, "Acta Apostolicae Sedis". However, in accordance with a practice initiated in the pontificate of John Paul II, the unofficial versions prepared by the Vatican in 7 other languages use the singular ("I wish to speak of love").

Analysis

Writers in The Oxford Handbook of Catholic Theology state that for Benedict, agape purifies eros.

Reformed theologian Karl Barth while the Caritas position was supported by the liberal Protestant theologian Paul Tillich.[15]

Other events

On 25 December 2005, on the occasion of the first Christmas Urbi et Orbi Message of his Pontificate and of the encyclical's signature, Pope Benedict XIV talked about the New World Order, pandemy, and green conversion.[16]

At an audience on 18 January 2006, Pope Benedict said that Deus caritas est would discuss the concept of love "in its various dimensions, from the love between man and woman to the love that the Catholic Church has for others in its expression of charity". The Vatican, through the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, sponsored a conference in Rome to discuss the themes of the encyclical on 23 January and 24 January 2006.[17]

The encyclical was published on the

ecumenical prayer service at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, a traditional site for such celebrations, on the evening after the encyclical was published. Presiding at vespers, he said in his homily: "God is love. On this solid rock the entire faith of the church is based."[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ Speciale, Alessandro (4 July 2013). "The light of faith: origin, history and horizon of the christianism". La Stampa. Turin. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  2. ^ Pope's first encyclical is disquisition on love and sex (The Times, 25 January 2006)
  3. ^ The pope needs a theologian? Former papal adviser reveals why (Free Republic, 1 January 2006, from Thavis, John, Catholic News Service, 30 December 2005)
  4. ^ Love should not be confused with lust, says Pope (The Telegraph, 18 January 2006)
  5. ^ Pope's first encyclical on love and sex is lost in translation (The Times, 19 January 2006)
  6. ^ Vatican 'cashes in' by putting price on the Pope's copyright (The Times, 23 January 2006)
  7. ^ 1 John 4:16 Multilingual at Bible Hub.
  8. ^ "Definition of CARITAS".
  9. ^ 1 John 4:8 Multilingual at Bible Hub.
  10. ^ Latin. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  11. ^ English. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  12. ZENIT
    , 23 January 2006)
  13. ISBN 9780191612145
    .
  14. ^ Pope on divine love vs. erotic love (Chicago Sun-Times, 4 January 2006, https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1551692/posts https://web.archive.org/web/20221203200345/https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1551692/posts Reposted by Free Republic)
  15. ^ Werner Jeanrond, A Theology of Love, (T&T Clark, 2010), p. 135 ff.
  16. ^ "Christmas Urbi et Orbi Message of 25 December 2005" (in Italian). 2 January 2023. (at minute 8:00: [la sua luce] "ti incoraggi a impegnarti nell'edificazione di un Nuovo Ordine Mondiale, fondato su giusti rapporti etici ed economici" ([His light] encourages you to commit yourself to building a New World Order, based on just ethical and economic relations).
  17. ^ Press release from Pontifical Council Cor Unum
  18. ^ Pope says faith that God is love should help Christian unity work (Catholic News Service, 25 January 2006)

External links

Further reading

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