Pope Leo calls for ‘civilization of love’ and ‘peace through justice’ in his first encyclical
In preventing war, he sees roles for individual efforts as well as diplomacy
Obviously alarmed by a world that seems to see armed conflict as a normal fact of life, Pope Leo XIV today issued an encyclical calling on world leaders as well as ordinary citizens to build a “civilization of love” and “peace through justice.” Without ever mentioning the military policies of the United States nor any other country by name, the encyclical offers a sharp contrast to the “peace through strength” American mindset and other attitudes that seek to justify continual wars and other types of violence.
Although the document, Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence, was designed primarily to call attention to the moral questions raised by the use of AI, at the heart of its philosophy is a view of humankind that sees the human person as “created in the image of God” and worthy of being treated with dignity. Although the document doesn’t reject a right to self-defense, it offers an alternative to the long-standing Catholic view of “just war,” calling it outdated, partly because of the way in “which has all too often been used to justify any kind of war.”
The encyclical was the first for Pope Leo, the first pope from the United States. An encyclical is a type of pastoral letter to the entire Catholic church. While an encyclical is sometimes considered to be a source of doctrine and seen as having apostolic authority, it is not treated as infallible.
Part of the problem, the encyclical says, is that military might has become part of the economic core of many countries:
The growth of the military-industrial complex has become a defining feature of the current political landscape and has become a key sector in the economy of various countries. The close link between economic interests, the military apparatus and political decisions produces an “armed nation,” in which war appears as a natural extension of politics, and the arms market becomes an autonomous driving force behind military decisions. Nor can we ignore the enormous economic interests behind war. The armaments industry, and countries that supply weapons, profit from a market that thrives precisely on conflicts. In this sense, there are also financial interests that contribute to fueling tensions in various regions of the world.1
In contrast, the document calls for “building the civilization of love,” and the pope sees that as beginning with individuals:
The first contribution we can make toward a more humane civilization is to be mindful of our words. “Let us disarm words and we will help to disarm the world.” 2 Words have enormous power, something we experience in our daily interactions; for example, spoken words can change our mood for better or for worse. “Peace begins with each one of us: in the way we look at others, listen to others and speak about others. In this sense, the way we communicate is of fundamental importance: we must say ‘no’ to the war of words and images, we must reject the paradigm of war.” 3 We must all, therefore, examine our conscience regarding the words we use, the prejudices we have and the explicit or implicit aggression that lies within them. We have a real opportunity to contribute to the common good each time we speak the truth, offer wise advice, support those in need of comfort, denounce injustice and give a voice to the voiceless.
The document suggests different ways in which that civilization of love can be built:
🟪 Following the counsel of the late Pope Francis to “‘touch the wounded flesh’ of those who suffer, look at their faces, listen to their stories and acknowledge their wounds.”
🟪 Adopting an attitude of “healthy realism” that avoids the type of idealism that distorts the facts and also avoids the type of cynicism that gives up on changing the world.
🟪 At the individual level, engaging in a dialogue that “involves acquiring an attitude that seeks to forge bonds of fraternity built on listening, an open demeanor, making time for each other and even wasting time together. For if we experience authentic encounters with others, with those who are different, strangers and migrants, it becomes much more difficult even to imagine war.”
🟪 At the political level, shifting “from the ‘culture of power’ to a genuine ‘culture of negotiation,’ in which dialogue and diplomacy become the standard means of resolving conflicts.”
🟪 Recognizing that “international organizations, particularly the United Nations, are essential instruments for promoting a civilization of love, for they can foster dialogue among nations and promote the peaceful resolution of conflicts, the integral development of peoples, the protection of the most vulnerable, disarmament and the care of creation.”
The document calls on the world’s Christians to elevate human dignity in the way they lift the marginalized:
For the Christian community, social justice is a concrete way of following Jesus and remaining faithful to the Gospel. In the New Testament, Jesus proclaims the “good news to the poor” and identifies himself with the lowly, the sick, the imprisoned and strangers. He thus teaches us that justice is born from, and fulfilled in, fraternity, because the way we approach and relate to the least among us becomes, in concrete terms, the measure of our relationship with God and with our brothers and sisters. Justice, however, concerns not only the behavior of individuals, but also the way in which the structures of society are conceived and organized. In this regard, the Second Vatican Council reminds us that every institution is called to serve the human person and his or her dignity. Social justice is, therefore, characterized by the capacity of a social, economic and political order to allow everyone — particularly the weakest — to live a truly dignified life, without leaving anyone behind.
For ease of reading, footnote notations and citations for Biblical references have been omitted.
The pope here is quoting his own remarks from last year.
The pope here is quoting his own remarks from last year.