Word: humanity
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...controversy over specific ecclesiastical policies may overshadow the overarching theme of John Paul's pontificate thus far: the Christian belief in social justice, based on the absolute value of each human life, on which there is little dispute in the American church. Such a philosophy underlies not only the Pope's stance on abortion but his attack, often in the same speeches, on racial discrimination, economic disparities, war, terrorism and "national security" as an excuse for oppression. Though a supposed contradiction between the "liberal" and "conservative" aspects of John Paul perplexed some observers last week, there...
...special commission to examine the matter. Its confidential, but later leaked, majority report to Paul VI in 1966 warned against avoiding childbearing for selfish reasons. Going beyond Pius XII's position, however, the report called for collaboration with "men of learning and science" to find "decent and human means" of birth control (by implication, the Pill). Morality depends on the good of the child, the couple and the family, not "the direct fecundity of each and every particular act," the report concluded. But in 1968 Paul's encyclical Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life) totally rejected this theory...
...Abortion did not become much of an issue among Catholics, or members of other religions, until the 20th century, when some governments began to legalize it. Modern Popes have opposed abortion for any reason "from the moment of conception," and John Paul links it to such assorted violations of human rights as mercy killing...
...American context, the fierce dispute over abortion now concerns whether traditional Jewish and Christian teaching should be incorporated into secular law. Catholics themselves are divided. Many Catholic Congressmen oppose abortion personally but want no constitutional amendment to control it. But for John Paul, activism is essential on human rights. "If a person's right to life is violated at the moment in which he is first conceived in his mother's womb," he has said, "an indirect blow is struck also at the whole of the moral order." He urged the cheering crowd in Washington to "demand that...
...opulent score has long attracted a cult following. It is justifiable in such numbers as Standing on the Corner, Big D and Don 't Cry. The evening's choicest prize is the marvel of the human voice - unamplified. Opera star Tozzi sings with the richness of burnished bronze and Daniels complements him with her pellucid soprano. They and their colleagues practice vocal witchcraft. -T.E.K...