Western Civ. `Pacem In Terris` John pope

Pacem In Terris

In his Encyclical Pacem In Terris ' of April 11 , 1963 , the Holy Father Pope John XXIII wrote of Peace as greatly desired , elusive , and can only be attained if man will faithfully adhere to the established by God . This papal letter discussed the natural of the universe , the prevailing conditions in the world that threatens such and what must be done to re-establish it . This encyclical was about the complex issue of Peace and as Vicar of Christ he urged men to come together and bring peace back into

the world

Peace , in Pacem In Terris , was presented in an entirely different way from the usual treatment of peace as the antithesis of war or conflict The Holy Father explained sub-issues like human rights , wisdom , duties and responsibilities , truth , justice , freedom , charity , equality individuals and public authorities or figures in power , international relations , minorities , armaments and arms race , economic conditions international organizations like the United Nations , science , technology and professions , inter-faith , education , moral obligations , sins and sinners , and generosity . These sub-issues all connect to his thoughts on the divine or the God-ordained peace

In the years that spanned the time of this encyclical , the world was marked with events like the advances in the space program , efforts to ban nuclear tests , armed political conflicts and the assassination of John F . Kennedy . On the space program the Holy Father wrote , Progress of scientific knowledge and the inventions of technology is the Infinite Greatness of God Himself (Pacem in Terris , 2

On armed conflicts the encyclical contained , A clash of interests and states . must be settled in a truly humane way , not by armed force or by deceit , or trickery (Pacem in Terris , 93

The pope was definite on nuclear weapons . He wrote , Nuclear weapons must be banned (Pacem in Terris , 112

The Kennedy assassination can be taken in the light of a very basic human right . According to the Holy Father , .we must first speak of man 's right . Man has the right to live . He has the right to bodily integrity (Pacem in Terris , 11

The encyclical was expansive as it was lengthy . It would be difficult for the reader to follow the Holy Father 's thoughts . There were parts when one can not tell the drift . The hook came at the 166th part and after finishing all of 172 , one can liken it to the sermon at the pulpit that at some point the preacher had lost his audience

However , an encyclical was not for ordinary and leisure reading . It was meant for the scholarly , the theologians and the elite group of the Catholic Church . Pacem in Terris was a very thorough and insightful papal letter . It was spiritually enriching as it was informative . It touched all aspects of peace , its origin , how it had been lost , and how it can be won back . There is promise in the words of Pope Pius XII nothing is lost by peace , everything may be lost in war (Pacem In Terris , 116

Pope John XXIII had added a new dimension and definition for peace as that of a divine established . Peace was so interestingly expounded by the Vicar of the Prince of Peace . After reading the encyclical , the Peace that we know as the absence of war and conflict will not be simply that . It will be the Peace that was seen through the heart and mind of a holy man Works Cited

Pope John XXIII . Pacem in Terris ' 11 May 1963 Encyclical of Pope John XXIII

22 June 2007 http /www .vatian .va /holy_father /john_xxiii /encyclicals /documents

hf_j-xxiii_enc_3_pacem_en .html

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