Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Friday, July 25, 2014

25 July 1968 A.D. Pope Paul VI Issued Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life)


25 July 1968 A.D.  Pope Paul VI Issued Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life)

No author. “Humanae Vitae.”  Christianity.com.  Apr 2007.  http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1901-2000/humanae-vitae-11630825.html.  Accessed 13 May 2014.

The Roman Catholic church has consistently taken a stand against non-natural forms of birth control. Pope Paul VI took such a stand on this day July 25, 1968 in an encyclical known as Humanae vitae (Of Human Life). It was a public statement from an ecclesiastic body that reverberated immediately around the world and now, decades later, is still the source of great emotional controversy.

New problems, problems of overpopulation and economics had arisen, making it needful for him to address the issues of birth control. Appealing to a total vision of man, the pope reminded the faithful that birth control must be examined in light of eternity and its values. Transmitting life is a sacred duty, said the Pope. Married love "is a very special form of personal friendship in which husband and wife generously share everything, without undue reservations or selfish calculations. Whoever truly loves his marriage partner loves not only for what he receives, but for the partner's self, rejoicing that he can enrich his partner with the gift of himself."

The Pope went on to state a key point in his argument. "Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature ordained toward the begetting and educating of children. Children are really the supreme gift of marriage and contribute very substantially to the welfare of their parents."

Total love, such as a man and wife should share, is meant to be responsible love. Responsible love develops character and self-control. "To dominate instinct by means of one's reason and free will undoubtedly requires ascetical practices. . .Yet this discipline...far from harming conjugal love, rather confers on it a higher human value. It demands continual effort yet, thanks to its beneficent influence, husband and wife fully develop their personalities, being enriched with spiritual values. Such discipline bestows upon family life fruits of serenity and peace, and facilitates the solution of other problems; it favors attention for one's partner, helps both parties to drive out selfishness, the enemy of true love; and deepens their sense of responsibility." If held, these values are communicated to children who, therefore, grow up with similar values of their own.

The Pope realistically pointed out that society can weaken family values by permitting pornography, exotic dancing and the like. Governments must support the moral order by making wise provision for families and for the moral education of children. Husbands and wives have a duty to bring Christian virtues into the home. The life of Christ must be evident there. Each home should have an outreach, a witness. The husband should love his wife and the wife respect her husband. The total person, spiritual and physical is involved.

In summation the Pope called for the responsible use of natural birth control and avoidance of artificial control. He strongly opposed abortion.

Bibliography:

1.      Pope and pill; more documentation on the birth regulation debate. Edited and introduced by Leo Pyle. Baltimore, Helicon Press, 1968.

2.      Gross, Ernie. This Day in Religion. New York, New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, 1990.

3.      Various encyclopedia and internet articles.

Last updated April, 2007.

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