Ad beatissimi apostolorum principis
Ad beatissimi Apostolorum principis is an encyclical of Pope Benedict XV. , with which he addressed the rulers of the world after the outbreak of the First World War . The encyclical was published on November 1, 1914.
Call for peace and condemnation of war
In his inaugural encyclical Ad beatissimi Apostolorum principis Pope Benedict XV. very clearly with his papal peace program: he called for peace in the world and called for an end to war, hatred and human contempt. He condemned nationalistic egoism, racial hatred and class struggle as well as the de-Christianization of society. As is clear from the text of the encyclical, the Pope's concern was to defend the existing order, which was acutely threatened by the tremors of the war. It was motivated by the fear of social upheavals and socialist upheavals that would actually break out in Russia, Germany, Hungary and other countries at the end of the war.
Against modernism
In his apostolic circular, which he published only a few months after his inauguration, Benedict XV turned. vehemently against all who trust only in their own insight and reason, and above all against theological modernism , which he calls a "pernicious plague". At the same time, the Pope ended the excessive persecution of the (sometimes supposed) modernists within the church by extremely integral forces. The unity of the church has priority.
Dangers of democracy
The encyclical condemned “the lack of respect for the authority of those who rule and wield power” and opposed any form of “democracy” in the church. Democracy separates divine power and undermines the authority of the superiors, so that the competencies would be so weakened and hardly exist anymore.
Turning away from belief and religion
Benedict XV viewed the crisis of civil society as the result of the abandonment of faith and religion . The current bloody conflict torments the nations and fills them with fear and worry. Another evil raged in the very heart of human society; This horrific war is the cause of further conflicts, because since the principles and practice of Christian wisdom, on which peace and stability of the institutions rested, were no longer observed in the governance of states, the result was that the foundations of the states would necessarily be shaken. The ideas and morals of the people have also changed in such a way that the end of civilization seems to be near.
literature
- Georg Schwaiger , Manfred Heim : Small Lexicon of the Popes. CH Beck, Munich 2005, ISBN 3-406-51134-1 ( Beck series 1615).
- Hanns Joachim Friedrichs (ed.): World history. A chronicle. Nutarilis Verlag, Munich et al. 1988, ISBN 3-88703-814-2 .
