Catholic Magisterium on euthanasia: from Pope Pius XII to Pope Francis

Abstract

The subject of this research is the so-called Magisterium of the Popes on the topic of euthanasia, i.e. a set of formal texts that have high authority and normativity in the Roman Catholic Church. The history of development of the Vatican doctrine in this field stretches from 1950s, undergoing substantial changes. The author traces the evolution of philosophical and religious-ethical grounds of the views of the Holy See on euthanasia and assisted suicide. The goal of this article consists in determination of continuity of the concept of Magisterium, as well as the level of adaptability to the challenges of time. The author reveals the moral concepts and categorical apparatus that are essential for the formation of the magisterial doctrine in its modern form. Within the Russian research practice, the materials of the Catholic Magisterium has not previously become the subject of a separate in-depth examination as special group of philosophical-religious texts. The set of papal doctrinal documents dedicated to euthanasia is studied in the chronological aspect, as well as in light of the development of the socio-philosophical value system of Catholicism. The article employs virtually all documents that are of key importance for studying the establishment of the Roman doctrine of euthanasia. Many text, namely of the last two decades, are introduced into the Russian-language scientific discourse for the first time. The conclusion is made that the social transformations become a serious challenge for the conceptual core of the Magisterium, and force the Vatican theology to reason out the renewed system of argumentation in the post-secular and anti-clerical space of the Western society.