{"id":233732,"date":"2026-09-16T02:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/?p=233732"},"modified":"2026-09-09T14:26:49","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T12:26:49","slug":"enciclica-magnifica-humanitas-cinco-claves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/enciclica-magnifica-humanitas-cinco-claves\/","title":{"rendered":"An Invitation to Reread the Encyclical *Magnifica humanitas*"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the summer now behind us, enough time has passed to allow for a leisurely reading of Leo XIV\u2019s first encyclical: *Magnifica humanitas* (May 15, 2026). This text does not focus on artificial intelligence, but rather, as the subtitle states, \u201cthe protection of the human person in an age of artificial intelligence.\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, it outlines how Christians should contribute to building a more humane and fraternal city. The prelude and the finale frame the symphonies. It is worth paying special attention to the beginning and the end of the encyclical\u2014even though they are brief\u2014in order to fully grasp the content of its message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Prelude: Babel or Jerusalem?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

During the time of Leo XIII<\/a> What was new was the Industrial Revolution, with its advances and risks. Today, the Pope says, we need to engage in \u201cshared discernment\u201d that will help us, in this \u201cturning point in history,\u201d to answer some fundamental questions: \u201cWhere are we going? What goal do we wish to pursue? What direction should we choose as a human community and as nations?\u201d (no. 6).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To build responsibly in our time, the Pope proposes two biblical \u201cimages\u201d: the building of the Tower of Babel (cf. Gen 11:1\u20139) and the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem (cf. Neh 2:6) after the exile in Babylon (cf. nos. 7\u201310).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe first choice is not between a \u2018yes\u2019 or a \u2018no\u2019 to technology, but between building Babel or rebuilding Jerusalem: between a power that seeks to dominate the heavens and a people who, in God\u2019s presence, set to work together to rebuild the walls of fraternal coexistence\u201d (no. 9).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Le\u00f3n XIV asserts that it is precisely \u201cthis shared work\u201d that expresses the way Christians build together: \u201cTo orient our actions toward God, so that, in his light, pluralism does not dissolve into disorder but, through the practice of synodality, becomes the space in which humanity rediscovers its solid foundations and its ultimate purpose\u201d (n. 10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, one might say, a Christian anthropology of work takes shape, culminating in the gift of the definitive City of God: Heaven, the fulfilled Kingdom of God, the Church\u2014the communion of saints in a reconciled and transformed world. \u201cThis vision of grace is, for us Christians, a call to work together, cultivating a peaceful, just, and dignified common life in today\u2019s \u2018cities\u2019\u201d (Ibid.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Enc\u00edclica<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

5 Keys to Understanding *Magnifica Humanitas*<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To mark the 135th anniversary of Leo XIII\u2019s prophetic *Rerum novarum*, Pope Leo XIV has published his new encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas<\/a> (May 15, 2026). A document of profound theological and social significance that addresses the greatest challenge of our era: the protection of the human person in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and runaway digitization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drawing inspiration from the biblical image of God who became flesh to shed light on the mystery of humanity, the Holy Father proposes an interpretation of the res novae (the \u00abnew realities\u00bb) from the perspective of faith, reason, and shared responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. The Technocratic Paradigm Versus True Christian Humanism
    <\/strong>Le\u00f3n XIV warns of the risk of succumbing to a technocratic paradigm that elevates efficiency to an absolute, reduces human beings to a mere set of data, or promotes narratives such as transhumanism and posthumanism.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    In the face of the aspiration to achieve a \u00absuperhuman\u00bb state through technical and biological control, the Encyclical contrasts this with the greatness of grace and the Incarnation: true transcendence does not consist in overcoming our biological limits through technological force, but in embracing the transcendent dignity of every person as the image of the Triune God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. AI as a tool, not as a substitute for consciousness and governance
      <\/strong>Artificial Intelligence represents a \u00abvaluable aid\u00bb capable of bringing about major advances, but its ubiquity calls for ethical consideration, transparency, and governance. The Pope issues a warning about the unprecedented power wielded today by large private transnational actors, which often exceeds the regulatory capacity of states.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      The Pope emphasizes that technologies must always be oriented toward the common good and subordinate to human moral responsibility. Crucial decisions that affect life, justice, or peace cannot be blindly delegated to algorithms devoid of heart and conscience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      1. Truth, Work, and Freedom: The Three Pillars at Risk
        <\/strong>In Chapter 4, the encyclical details how the digital transition impacts three structural dimensions of social life:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Truth and Communication: In a hyperconnected ecosystem vulnerable to manipulation and misinformation, the truth must be safeguarded as a common good essential to the health of democracies. Leo XIV calls for a genuine \u00abecology of communication\u00bb and an educational alliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The Dignity of Work: In the face of the specter of technological unemployment and automation, the text reaffirms that work is not merely a factor of production, but an indispensable path to personal fulfillment and participation in creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Freedom vs. Control: The encyclical denounces \u00abnew forms of digital slavery,\u00bb screen addiction, and the dynamics of commodification and social control that ensnare young people and families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        1. Rebuilding Jerusalem vs. the Temptation of the Tower of Babel
          <\/strong>To illustrate this turning point in history, the Holy Father draws on two powerful biblical images:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          The Tower of Babel: It represents humanity\u2019s claim to self-sufficiency, the pursuit of ideological and technological uniformity, and the pride of wanting to reach heaven without God\u2014all of which inevitably lead to a breakdown in communication and social collapse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          The Reconstruction of Jerusalem (Nehemiah): It is a model of shared responsibility, communion in diversity, intergenerational dialogue, and mutual effort. Rather than imposing from above, it is about rebuilding \u00abbonds before stones,\u00bb placing God and our neighbors at the center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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          1. From the \u00abCulture of Power\u00bb to the \u00abCivilization of Love\u00bb
            <\/strong>Finally, Pope Leo XIV issues an urgent appeal to the global geopolitical community. In the face of a culture of power that normalizes war, develops autonomous AI-guided weapons systems, and undermines diplomatic multilateralism, the Church emphasizes the urgency of building the Civilization of Love.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            This involves \u00abdismantling the rhetoric,\u00bb realistically acknowledging the perspective and suffering of conflict victims, and promoting comprehensive disarmament guided by justice and peaceful dialogue among peoples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \"Firma
            Signing of the encyclical *Magnifica humanitas*<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

            A Song of Hope<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

            *Magnifica Humanitas* concludes by turning our gaze toward Mary\u2019s Magnificat and the contemplation of the Incarnate Word. Leo XIV reminds us that technology is meant to serve the person, and not for the person to submit to technology. The challenge facing our generation is to avoid losing our soul in the age of algorithms and to build, together, a genuinely human and fraternal society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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            Mr. Ramiro Pellitero Iglesias<\/strong>, professor emeritus of Pastoral Theology at the School of Theology at the University of Navarra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Published in Church and new evangelization<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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