Everything about Papal Encyclical totally explained
An
encyclical was originally a
circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Christian church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any
bishop. The word comes from
Latin encyclia (from the
Greek "en kyklo, ἐν κύκλῳ") meaning "general" or "encircling", which is also the origin of the word "
encyclopedia".
The
Roman Catholic Church generally only uses this term for
papal encyclicals, but the
Eastern Orthodox Church and the
Anglican Communion retain the older usage.
Roman Catholic usage
For the modern Roman Catholic Church a
Papal encyclical, in the strictest sense, is a letter sent by the
Pope which is explicitly addressed to Roman Catholic bishops of a particular area or to the world, usually treating some aspect of Catholic doctrine. However, the form of the address can vary widely, and often designates a wider audience. Papal encyclicals usually take the form of a
Papal brief due to their more personal nature as opposed to the formal
Papal bull. Papal encyclicals are so famous that the term
encyclical for Roman Catholics is used almost exclusively for those sent out by the Pope. The title of the encyclical is usually taken from its first few words.
Within
Catholicism in recent times, an encyclical is generally used for significant issues, and is second in importance only to the highest ranking document now issued by popes, an
Apostolic Constitution. However, the designation 'encyclical' doesn't always denote such a degree of significance. The archives at the Vatican website currently classify some encyclicals as "Apostolic Exhortations". This informal term generally indicates documents with a broader audience than the bishops alone.
Pope Pius XII held that Papal Encyclicals, even when they're not
ex cathedra, can nonetheless be sufficiently authoritative to end theological debate on a particular question:
Papal use of encyclicals
Encyclicals indicate high
Papal priority for a issue at a given time. Pontiffs define when, and under which circumstances encyclicals should be issued. They may choose to issue an
apostolic constitution,
bull, encyclical,
apostolic letter or give a papal
speech. Pontiffs differ on the use of encyclicals: On the issue of
birth control and
contraception,
Pope Pius XI issued the encyclical
Casti Connubii, while
Pope Pius XII spoke to
midwives and the
medical profession, when he clarified his position on the issue.
Pope Paul VI published an encyclical
Humanae Vitae on the same topic. On matters of
war and
peace, Pope Pius XII issued
ten encyclicals, most of them after 1945, three of them
Datis Nuperrime,
Sertum Laetitiae,
Luctuosissimi Eventus protesting the
Soviet invasion and crackdown of the
Hungarian revolution in 1956.
Pope Paul VI spoke about the war in
Vietnam and
Pope John Paul II, issued his protest against the war in
Iraq in speeches. On social issues,
Pope Leo XIII promulgated
Rerum Novarum, followed by
Quadragesimo Anno of Pius XI, and
Centesimus Annus by
John Paul II. Pius XII spoke on the same topic to a
consistory of
cardinals in his Christmas messages and to numerous academic and professional associations.
Anglican usage
Amongst Anglicans the term
encyclical was revived in the late 19th century. It is applied to circular letters issued by the English primates.
Important papal encyclicals
* Pope Saint Peter (30-67)
Important Eastern Orthodox encyclicals
Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs (1848)
Important Anglican encyclicals
Encyclical Saepius Officio (1897)
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Further Information
Get more info on 'Papal Encyclical'.
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