Anthropological lines of Evangelium Vitae

Abstract

The study points out the main elements of the Encyclical Evangelium Vitae's vision of man. In fact, before the question of ethics, the challenge regarding the respect of life is an anthropological one: "why is human life good? Why is it always good?" After indicating the suppositions of this limited anthropology which leads to the possibility of the total manipulation of the human being, the article describes the theological, but also purely rational foundations of the recognition of the sacred and personal character of the life of rnan. The theology of the image, in a clearly Christological interpretation, shows the particular dignity of thc human person, who is called to speak with God and with people too, and who cannot be brought down to the level of things, that are used and destroyed. The various dimensions of the value of life, organically structured in the light of Christian anthropology (biological, spiritual or supernatural life; temporal and eternal life), are necessary in arder to explain the connection between the respecf due to physical life and to the person, without confusion and without separation. In conclusion, the author examines the way the Gospel of life illuminates the originai human experiences that are involved (generation, sexuality, birth, disease, dying) and, as a consequence, the fundamental attitudes suggested.