ANALYSIS: In recent months, the Pope has returned several times to the themes of social doctrine. In Africa, however, he revealed his thoughts on these issues in greater depth.
During his trip to Africa, Pope Leo XIV gave us a glimpse into his interpretation of the Church’s social doctrine — with themes ranging from the societal impact of artificial intelligence to the role of the Church and peace. And everything suggests these will be the themes of the Pope’s first, highly anticipated encyclical.
For now, sources agree that the working title of the encyclical is Magnifica Humanitas, “Magnificent Humanity.” Expanding on Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum — translated as “New Things” — Leo XIV wants an encyclical that provides a Christian response to the world we live in, one that is rather more complex than a general analysis of social situations to which a vision of the Church can be given.
At the time of his election, Leo XIV emphasized that he had chosen his pontifical name with Leo XIII in mind, noting that humanity is currently facing another industrial revolution as sweeping as the one his predecessor confronted, this one brought about by artificial intelligence and other new challenges.
In recent months, the Pope has returned several times to the themes of social doctrine, related to various issues and with varying nuances. However, three of the Pope’s speeches in Africa seem to reveal something more about his thoughts on these topics.
In Algeria, Leo XIV highlighted the need for dialogue between religions on the major issues facing humanity. In Cameroon, he emphasized the themes of welcome and peace. In Angola, the Pontiff then called for the removal of obstacles to integral human development, a cornerstone of the Church’s social doctrine. In short, it was a path from dialogue to peace to the formation of a civilization based on the common good.
In Equatorial Guinea, in a speech to political and civil leaders on April 21, the Pope tied these themes together. He emphasized how the social doctrine of the Church “offers guidance to all who seek to address the ‘new things’ that destabilize our planet and human coexistence, while prioritizing, above all else, the Kingdom of God and his justice.”
“This is a fundamental dimension of the Church’s mission: to contribute to the formation of consciences through the proclamation of the Gospel, the provision of moral criteria and authentic ethical principles,” he said. The Pope added that “the aim of the Social Doctrine is to equip people to face ever-evolving problems; for every generation is unique, bringing with it new challenges, new dreams and new questions.”
The Pope then listed new problems: exclusion as “the new face of social injustice”; the paradox of widespread access to new technologies contrasting with the lack of land, food, housing and decent work.
He went on to urge civil authorities and politicians “to dismantle the obstacles to integral human development — a mission grounded in the fundamental principles of solidarity and the universal destination of goods.”
Leo XIV also addressed speculation regarding “raw materials” amid rapid technological evolution, underlining, “This shift seemingly overshadows fundamental imperatives such as the safeguarding of creation, the rights of local communities, the dignity of labor and the protection of public health.”
In that same speech, the Pope denounced how “the proliferation of armed conflicts is often driven by the exploitation of oil and mineral deposits, occurring with no regard for international law or the self-determination of peoples,” and he noted how they “often appear to be conceived and utilized primarily for warlike purposes, within contexts that fail to expand opportunities for all.”
Leo XIV, therefore, called for change: “On the contrary, the destiny of humanity risks being tragically compromised without a change of direction in the assumption of political responsibility and without respect for institutions and international agreements. God does not want this.”
In Cameroon, the meeting with the university community on April 17 was particularly significant. The Pope’s speech includes a key passage: “The greatness of a nation cannot be measured solely by the abundance of its natural resources, nor even by the material wealth of its institutions. No society, in fact, can flourish unless it is grounded in upright consciences, formed in the truth.”
The Pope cited “an erosion of the moral values that once guided community life” in contemporary societies, to the point that, “as a result, today there is a tendency to approve casually certain practices that were once considered unacceptable.”
Leo XIV therefore asked Christians not to be afraid of “new things,” but instead urged them to “form pioneers of a new humanism in the context of the digital revolution,” emphasizing that “this is a service to the truth and to all humanity. Without this demanding educational effort, passive adaptation to dominant paradigms will be mistaken for competence, and the loss of freedom for progress.”
Here, too, the theme of artificial intelligence is crucial. The Pope stressed that AI systems increasingly and pervasively organize our mental and social environments, where “interaction is optimized to the point of rendering a real encounter superfluous; the otherness of persons in the flesh is neutralized, and relationships are reduced to functional responses.”
The Pope recalled the reality principle, stating: “When simulation becomes the norm, it weakens the human capacity for discernment. As a result, our social bonds close in upon themselves, forming self-referential circuits that no longer expose us to reality. We thus come to live within bubbles, impermeable to one another.”
The third notable address by Pope Leo was during his April 21 meeting with the “World of Culture” in Malabo, at Equatorial Guinea National University’s León XIV Campus. The Pope made an appeal to Equatorial Guinea that was an appeal to the entire world: to offer “the fruits of intelligence and uprightness, of competence and wisdom, of excellence and service. If generations of men and women are profoundly shaped in this place by truth and are capable of transforming their own existence into a gift for others, then the ceiba [the national tree] will remain an eloquent symbol rooted in the best things of this land, elevated by wisdom and abounding in fruits that pay tribute to Equatorial Guinea and enrich the entire human family.”
These three speeches directly address “new things,” and they suggest the Pope’s stance: first, not to deny the new challenges; then, to approach the new challenges from the reality principle; finally, and this is the most crucial theme, to create a new humanism with God at its center.
The model, ultimately, is that of St. Augustine’s City of God, where the earthly and divine cities coexist. But Leo XIV demonstrated that he didn’t simply want to outline the problems, even though they are significant. He asked everyone for personal commitment. This is probably where the greatest reference to synodality lies, present since the beginning of his pontificate and materialized when, speaking to journalists on April 7, he asked people to make clear, by writing to their political representatives, their desire for peace in the Middle East. The Church provides principles but does not provide political guidance. It’s up to Catholics to make these principles concrete in their daily lives.
We don’t yet know what Leo XIV’s next encyclical will say. However, we can assume it won’t be just an encyclical on peace or artificial intelligence. Rather, it will likely present a model of daily life for Christians engaged in society.
This article was originally published by NCRegister.
