Pope Leo XIV's First Encyclical Letter

Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas," was published on Monday, May 25th, having been signed by the Pontiff on Friday, May 15th, marking the 135th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII's encyclical "Rerum Novarum," Vatican News reported.

On the occasion of the 135th anniversary of "Rerum Novarum," Pope Leo XIV, in his inaugural encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas," reflects on the Church's social doctrine in the age of artificial intelligence. He urges the preservation of "the magnificent humanity in which God dwells" by promoting truth, the dignity of labour, social justice, and peace. In the digital age, artificial intelligence must be disarmed, and the theory of "just war" overcome, by revitalizing dialogue and multilateralism.

"The magnificent humanity created by God now faces a decisive choice: to erect a new Tower of Babel or to build a city where God and humanity coexist." The introduction to Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas," "on the protection of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence," summarizes its fundamental reasons and purpose. Divided into five chapters, "Magnifica Humanitas" posits that technology is neither "a force opposed to the person" (4) nor "evil in itself" (9). However, it "is not neutral, for it takes on the face of those who design, finance, regulate, and use it." The Pope therefore encourages building for good and remaining human by following the logic of courageous co-responsibility and communion.

The first chapter, "Dynamic Thought Faithful to the Gospel," traces the Church's Social Doctrine (CSD) in recent teachings and in the Second Vatican Council, emphasizing its "dynamic character" (17). Far from being "a manual of principles and norms to be applied," the CSD is rather "a theology of communion in history" (27) that guides the interpretation of events in the light of the Gospel. In the second chapter, Pope Leo XIV outlines the Foundations and Principles of the Church's Social Doctrine: among the foremost are the dignity of the person, created in the image and likeness of God; the inviolability of human rights, including the right to life "from conception to its natural end"; and the recognition of the rights of minorities, with particular attention to women, so that they may be truly heard and valued (57).

Regarding the principles of the CSD, Pope Leo XIV enumerates five: the first is the common good, "the social form of dignity recognized in every person" (59). At one point, the Pope emphasizes: "The promotion of the common good can never be separated from respect for the right of peoples to exist, to preserve their own identity, and to contribute their originality to the family of nations." Consequently, "any attempt or plan to eliminate or subjugate a nation is gravely immoral and therefore unacceptable" (64).

The second principle concerns the universal destination of goods – here and elsewhere in the encyclical – Pope Leo XIV insists on the need for technologies not to be concentrated in the hands of a few, thereby deepening the gap between those included and those excluded from the digital revolution (67). From this derive the third and fourth principles: subsidiarity (68) – which demands overcoming paternalism and welfare in favour of shared responsibility – and solidarity (73), "a principle and a virtue," which stands in opposition to indifference.

The fifth principle of the CSD is social justice: in the digital age, it must guarantee equal access to opportunities for all, protect the most vulnerable, oppose hatred and disinformation, and subject the use of technology to public control. Pope Leo XIV sees a "decisive test" in this area in the relationship with migrants: the way society treats them shows "whether the idea of justice is guided by fear or by fraternity." He therefore urges the protection of the "right to hope" for those forced to leave, ensuring them safe and legal pathways, dignified reception, and integration; as well as promoting the "right to remain" for every person in their own country in peace and security, by addressing the "root causes" of migration (81). These five principles, according to the Pope's understanding, also apply to the Church, called to an "examination of conscience," to listen to the victims of spiritual, economic, institutional, sexual abuse, and the abuse of power and conscience, because this is "an integral part of the path of justice, which includes recognizing harm, just compensation, and prevention" (89).

The third chapter, "Technology and Domination. The Greatness of the Human Person Before the Promises of Artificial Intelligence," emphasizes that artificial intelligence must be approached with caution, maintaining clarity about accountability at all its stages and focusing on appropriate policies and legal frameworks, independent oversight, and user education. Above all, an ethical code subject to the criteria of common social justice is needed, because "a more moral artificial intelligence is not needed if that morality is decided by a few" (107). The impact of new technologies on the environment, which require large amounts of energy and water, thereby affecting the created world, must also not be overlooked (101).

Artificial intelligence must be disarmed – Pope Leo XIV continues – to free it from the logic of military, economic, and cognitive competition; to break the equivalence between technical power and the right to govern; to free it from monopolies and prevent it from dominating humanity. Much space is devoted to criticizing transhumanism and posthumanism, which interpret progress as overcoming human limitations. On the contrary, limitation is not a deficiency to be eliminated, but a constitutive dimension of the person, since in fragility and finitude, relationships and openness to God and others mature. To advance technology by removing human boundaries therefore means causing a regression of the heart. Indeed, magnificent, yet wounded, humanity "must neither be replaced nor surpassed." Technology can alleviate its suffering and open new possibilities, but it must not deny it what is inherent: "the capacity for relationships and for love" (126). The true alternative before artificial intelligence is not between enthusiasm and fear, but between two ways of building progress: in the service of the individual and peoples, or in the service of the logic of power (129).

In the fourth chapter, "Protecting Humanity in Transformation: Truth, Work, Freedom," the encyclical highlights an "ecology of communication" based on truth. The Pope encourages transparency in content selection algorithms, protection of personal data, serious journalism based on argumentation and verification, a new awareness of the "correct and critical" use of artificial intelligence, and the integration of knowledge. Transparent and honest communication is also required from the Church, especially in cases of injustice and abuse. Central is also the call for a renewed educational alliance so that in young people, the "desire to ask questions" is not extinguished by perfect machines that foster the impression that human thought is useless (140). Pope Leo XIV further encourages focusing attention on schools as places where one learns "to seek and love truth" (147).

In the "fourth industrial revolution" represented by the digital transition, the Successor of Peter then emphasizes the importance of protecting the dignity of labour by designing systems that are person-centred, and not solely work-centred. Technology can certainly free humanity from burdensome or repetitive tasks, but it must not lead to unemployment in the name of cost reduction and profit maximization. In this regard, he also encourages the renewal of trade unions.

The Holy Father then stresses the need to move beyond GDP as a measure of a country's development, focusing on the dignity of labour, common prosperity, the reduction of inequalities, and environmental protection. Finance for finance, in fact, differs from finance for development (159-160). Following in the footsteps of Saint Paul VI, the interdependence between peace and development is highlighted, encouraging international cooperation capable of defining common strategies, especially for the benefit of the most vulnerable countries and groups, because prosperity contributes to peace "only if it is widespread, inclusive, and sustainable" (163). The family, founded on the stable union of a man and a woman, is also strongly emphasized as "a primary social good," "the fundamental and irreplaceable cell of every social organization" (165), which needs to be supported through labour policies that promote stability and a human rhythm, thereby protecting society's ability to "build the future."

Finally, regarding the question of human freedom, in an age where digital platforms are designed to capture users' time and exploit their weaknesses, it is necessary to strengthen the inner freedom of each person, while resisting the risk of social control arising from mass data collection and the use of algorithmic systems. Profiling, predicting, and directing behaviour, in fact, is "a new power" (171) that exposes the most vulnerable to the danger of discrimination. The Pope particularly condemns the "architecture of visibility" that amplifies only what is visible, shaping opinions.

Artificial intelligence also creates new forms of slavery, such as the slavery of marked, "mutilated and worn-out bodies" (173) of those who work to extract "rare earths" necessary for technology. Therefore, the fight against new forms of slavery is another "decisive test for the ethical discernment" of the digital transformation. Leo XIV emphasizes that "the Church renews its firm condemnation of all forms of slavery, human trafficking, and the commodification of persons." At the same time, the Successor of Peter sincerely asks for forgiveness for the delay with which the Church in the past condemned "the scourge of slavery" (174-176). The encyclical also mentions the "new rare earths of power," namely key information – for example, on health and demographics – used to guide economic strategies: this is a new face of colonialism that transforms personal lives into exploitable information, making the digital environment "a space of predation" (178-179).

In the fifth chapter, "The Culture of Power and the Civilization of Love," Pope Leo XIV turns his attention to war: "The digital revolution changes the rules of conflict," and without an ethical approach, decisions about human life and death will become increasingly impersonal, and the use of force will be considered "an immediate and feasible option" (182-183). At the root of it all is a "culture of power" that normalizes war and rehabilitates it as "an instrument of international politics," encouraging rearmament. Public opinion today is also burdened by polarizing media narratives, as well as a "worrying loss of historical memory" that deprives us of a long-term vision (191). Consequently, peace is no longer understood as a task to be undertaken, but as an interval between conflicts. For this reason, the Pope reiterates that – while maintaining the right to legitimate defence in the strictest sense – it is necessary to overcome the theory of "just war" and to promote dialogue, diplomacy, and forgiveness (192).

The Holy Father does not fail to condemn the growth of the war industry, the nuclear arms race, and the emergence of new armed actors – among them jihadists – whose goal is to maintain conflicts as a source of power and profit. He then clearly warns against the use of weapons linked to artificial intelligence because "there is no algorithm that can make war morally acceptable." Strict ethical limitations, shared internationally, based on personal responsibility and the protection of civilians, are needed, since "any technology that facilitates attack without looking the other in the face lowers the moral threshold of conflict" (199).

The culture of power also stems from the crisis of multilateralism and the emergence of "a disordered and conflictual multipolarism" (201). The force of law is replaced by the right of the strongest, the logic of power prevails over the building of peace, and institutions created to protect the common destiny of peoples are now weakened. In this regard, the Pope hopes for "deep reforms" of the UN that will overcome the current crisis of values in favour of the common good (226).

Christians are called to respond to the culture of power by building a "civilization of love" and choosing whether to foster the logic of force or to preserve peace. The Pope lists five "paths of responsibility": disarming words by speaking the truth; building peace in justice; adopting the perspectives of victims by taking a stand, because there are conflicts in which "it is not right to remain neutral"; cultivating "healthy realism" that seeks paths to peace achievable through actions, not just words. And finally, rekindling dialogue by moving from a culture of power to a culture of negotiation. "Interreligious dialogue" is also crucial, as a bearer of a message of peace: "Whoever exploits the name of God to justify terrorism, violence, or war betrays His face," warns Pope Leo XIV (223).

At the end of the encyclical, the Pope encourages the faithful to engage with new technologies in the light of the Gospel, following "the prudent and demanding path of Christian life." So that even in the age of artificial intelligence, everyone may bear witness to "the beauty of the magnificent humanity in which God dwells."

Source: ika.hr