‘Human dignity’ as the foundation of social life (I)

The publication of Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, on safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence, once again places a momentous question at the centre: what do we mean when we speak of human dignity? It is a concept we use naturally and one that appears to belong to humanity’s common heritage; at the same time, it constitutes the foundation upon which human rights, social life and the pursuit of the common good rest. Yet it is not always understood.

It is therefore worth pausing to consider three fundamental questions: what we mean by human dignity, what distinctive contribution the Christian tradition makes to our understanding of it, and why this vision has decisive consequences for social life, especially in this age of artificial intelligence.

What do we mean by ‘dignity’?
Beyond the various philosophical, religious and cultural traditions, there is a global consensus that every person possesses a value that demands respect and protection. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights expresses this conviction by affirming the inherent and equal dignity of all members of the human family (cf. MH 54–58). The Church embraces this important development in humanity’s moral awareness while also finding in it a fruitful space for dialogue between faith, philosophy, the human sciences and ethics, convinced that truth never fears an encounter with reason and that every sincere pursuit of the good contributes to the building of a more just society: «From the Christian perspective, human rights are not something added externally to the person, but rather a historical expression of the person’s intrinsic dignity, which the international community is called to safeguard and promote» (MH 54).

A person may live in undignified conditions or even perform morally undignified actions, but never loses their ontological dignity.

However, precisely because the word ‘dignity’ is frequently used in very different contexts, its meaning needs to be clarified. The declaration Dignitas infinita of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (2024) offers a particularly valuable clarification by distinguishing four complementary meanings of dignity, also taken up in Magnifica Humanitas: «First, ontological dignity, which belongs to every person by the mere fact of existing and can never be lost. Second, moral dignity, linked to the responsible exercise of freedom and to personal decisions. Third, social dignity, which refers to concrete living conditions and makes it possible to speak of ‘undignified’ situations when a person lacks the conditions necessary to develop their life fully. Finally, existential dignity, which refers to those personal circumstances in which someone experiences suffering, hopelessness or a loss of meaning in life» (MH 52).

This distinction prevents a common misunderstanding. A person may live in undignified conditions or even perform morally undignified actions, but never loses their ontological dignity. Their value does not depend on their behaviour, their social usefulness, their health, their intellectual or physical abilities, their age, their public recognition or any other circumstance. Moreover, dignity is not a reward bestowed by society or a right granted by others; it is a reality inherent in the person. Precisely for this reason, it constitutes the foundation of all human rights and demands unconditional respect for every human being, even when their dignity is ignored or violated by others.

What does the Christian vision contribute to our understanding of human ‘dignity’?
Sacred Scripture teaches that the human being was created in the image and likeness of God. This image expresses every person’s vocation to represent God’s love in the world and to live in communion with Him and with others, integrating and transcending their spiritual and rational qualities. From this perspective, every man and every woman possesses a sacred dignity, founded on God’s creative love and independent of personal merit or social conditions. Jesus Christ brings this truth to its fullest expression by identifying himself with the little ones, the poor, the sick and those who are cast aside, revealing that love of God is always measured by recognition of the dignity of one’s neighbour.

This conviction, present from the beginnings of Revelation and developed throughout the Church’s Tradition, is taken up by the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, which recalls, in continuity with the Second Vatican Council, that the human person can be fully understood only in the light of the mystery of Christ, in whom the fullness of humanity is revealed. The human being is the image of the Triune God and is called to a life of communion, responsible freedom and openness to others. The Church therefore proposes an anthropology that enters into dialogue with the human sciences and philosophy without renouncing the light of Revelation. Faith does not replace reason, but illuminates and guides it, enabling a deeper understanding of the person and of the person’s historical vocation.

By way of conclusion on ‘human dignity’
Human dignity constitutes a meeting point between reason and faith, philosophy and theology, human rights and the Gospel. It is a truth that can be recognised by every person of good will and which, for Christians, finds its ultimate foundation in the God who creates every human being out of love and reveals in Jesus Christ the greatness of their vocation.

Msgr. Lucio Adrián Ruiz.
Secretary of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity.

Photo: www.magnific.com