“Humanae Vitae” and Sacred Scripture: A Missed Opportunity

Humanae Vitae” and Sacred Scripture: A Missed Opportunity | Rev. Ray E. Atwood | HPR

While prophetic in many ways, the most controversial encyclical
of the twentieth century might have been better received had a stronger
biblical argument been made in its favor.

This July 2013 we commemorate the 45th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s encyclical, Humanae Vitae
(Of Human Life). The encyclical presented some important doctrinal
principles (e.g., a total vision of man, four characteristics of love,
responsible parenthood, respect for the nature and purpose of the
conjugal act, the unitive and procreative dimensions of human sexuality)
and offered some prophetic warnings to those who disregard the Church’s
teachings in this area. It also issued some helpful pastoral directives
to Church leaders, public authorities, married couples, doctors, and
medical personnel. There is no question that Paul VI was right in his
conclusion that artificial contraception is, and always has been,
morally unacceptable. At that time, however, a change in the Church’s
teaching regarding contraception was highly anticipated in many
quarters.

Pope Paul’s birth control commission had issued a memorandum, dubbed a
“Majority Report,” in 1966, which argued for the morality of
contraception. If, the authors argued, a married couple was open to
human life in the “totality” of their conjugal life, it was morally
acceptable for them to use chemical or surgical techniques to prevent
birth. This document was leaked the next year, causing widespread
anticipation of a change in the Church’s moral stance. On the 19th
centenary of the Apostle Paul’s death (1967), the Holy Father declared a
“Year of Faith” and appealed for patient reflection on the matter. The
outpouring of anger, scorn, and contempt when the encyclical was
released in the summer of 1968 was tremendous. Part of the reason for
the widespread rejection of the encyclical, especially in academic
circles, could be that the Holy Father failed to make a more convincing
case for the traditional teaching. This article presents some biblical
passages that, if incorporated into the encyclical, would have made a
stronger argument for natural fertility regulation.

There are two problems with the presentation of Humanae Vitae, in the author’s opinion.

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