Divini Redemptoris
Encyclopedia
Divini Redemptoris is an anti-communist encyclical
issued by Pope Pius XI
. It was published on 19 March 1937. In this encyclical, the pope sets out to "expose once more in a brief synthesis the principles of atheistic
Communism
as they are manifested chiefly in bolshevism". He describes communism as "a system full of errors and sophisms" that "subverts the social order, because it means the destruction of its foundations" as well as removing women from their rightful place in the home.
It was published 5 (9) days after the publication of the more controversial Mit brennender Sorge
encyclical that condemned the German Nazi regime and ideology. The timing may have been chosen to try reduce the indignation of the Nazi government against the Catholics in Germany.
Encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop...
issued by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
. It was published on 19 March 1937. In this encyclical, the pope sets out to "expose once more in a brief synthesis the principles of atheistic
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
as they are manifested chiefly in bolshevism". He describes communism as "a system full of errors and sophisms" that "subverts the social order, because it means the destruction of its foundations" as well as removing women from their rightful place in the home.
It was published 5 (9) days after the publication of the more controversial Mit brennender Sorge
Mit Brennender Sorge
Mit brennender Sorge is a Catholic Church encyclical of Pope Pius XI, published on 10 March 1937 . Written in German, not the usual Latin, it was read from the pulpits of all German Catholic churches on one of the Church's busiest Sundays,...
encyclical that condemned the German Nazi regime and ideology. The timing may have been chosen to try reduce the indignation of the Nazi government against the Catholics in Germany.
External links
- Divini Redemptoris, complete text of the encyclical in on Vatican.va