Humanum Genus
Humanum Genus (on
Freemasonry) was a
papal encyclical promulgated on
April 20,
1884, by
Pope Leo XIII.
It starts by using the
Augustinian concept of the two cities, the City of Man and the
City of God. So the human race was "separated into two diverse and opposite parts, of which the one steadfastly contends for truth and virtue, the other of those things which are contrary to virtue and to truth. The one is the kingdom of God on earth, namely, the true Church of
Jesus Christ ... The other is the kingdom of Satan," which were "led on or assisted" by Freemasonry.
The fundamental erroneous doctrine of Masonry was seen as
naturalism, which leads to
Deism and
gnosticism. This was seen to lead them to a fundamental clash with Christianity as due to their beliefs Masons supported a radical
separation of church and state, with an attempt to impose legal obstacles to the church.
The encyclical argued that the late Nineteenth Century was a time of particular danger for Christians as the "partisans of evil" were now far more open, as evidenced by the new openness of Freemasonry. Freemasonry had been condemned by previous Popes as contrary to Christian doctrine, but the nature (if not beliefs) of Freemasonry was changing as Freemasons were now far more open in their practices and affiliations.
The encyclical specifically condemned certain practices of the Freemasons, such as: the admission of persons of every creed, which was equated to religious indifference
["Again, as all who offer themselves are received whatever may be their form of religion, they thereby teach the great error of this ageā"that a regard for religion should be held as an indifferent matter, and that all religions are alike." Paragraph 16, Humanum Genus]; the promotion of public education which denied the Church's role and where "the education of youth shall be exclusively in the hands of laymen";
["With the greatest unanimity the sect of the Freemasons also endeavors to take to itself the education of youth. They think that they can easily mold to their opinions that soft and pliant age, and bend it whither they will; and that nothing can be more fitted than this to enable them to bring up the youth of the State after their own plan. Therefore, in the education and instruction of children they allow no share, either of teaching or of discipline, to the ministers of the Church; and in many places they have procured that the education of youth shall be exclusively in the hands of laymen, and that nothing which treats of the most important and most holy duties of men to God shall be introduced into the instructions on morals." Paragraph 21, Humanum Genus] the approval of the notion that "the people are sovereign," and that "those who rule have no authority but by the commission and concession of the people." The encyclical went on to state that Freemasonry was condemned because it encourages the political power of the people,
[Paragraphs 22 and 23, Humanum Genus] and went on to state that "it is most untrue that the people have it in their power to cast aside their obedience whensoever they please."
[Paragraph 25, Humanum Genus] It had long been a practice of the church to forbid Catholics from becoming freemasons, often backed up by temporal governments. This did not stop Freemasonry growing into a position where it (in 1884), like the democratic governments that it encouraged, had considerable power.
Humanum Genus criticises many
Jeffersonian principles, which are today equated by most people with the founding principles of the
United States. For example, paragraph 22 condemns
popular sovereignty:
Then come their doctrines of politics, in which the naturalists lay down that all men have the same right, and are in every respect of equal and like condition; that each one is naturally free; that no one has the right to command another; that it is an act of violence to require men to obey any authority other than that which is obtained from themselves. [Paragraph 22, Humanum Genus]It also condemns the doctrine of perpetual
revolution:
According to this, therefore, all things belong to the free people; power is held by the command or permission of the people, so that, when the popular will changes, rulers may lawfully be deposed and the source of all rights and civil duties is either in the multitude or in the governing authority when this is constituted according to the latest doctrines. [Paragraph 22, Humanum Genus] Finally it condemns the Jeffersonian and Masonic idea of the "wall of separation" between
church and state:
It is held also that the State should be without God; that in the various forms of religion there is no reason why one should have precedence of another; and that they are all to occupy the same place.[Paragraph 22, Humanum Genus]Thomas Jefferson, in common with many other
Deist founding fathers, was strongly influenced by Masonic ideas on the place of religion in the state.
Previous Papal denouncers of Freemasonry were:
*
Clement XII -
In Eminenti*
Benedict XIV -
Providas Rominarum*
Pius VII -
Ecclesiam A Jesu Christo*
Leo XII -
Quo Graviora*
Pius VIII -
Traditi Humilitati*
Gregory XVI -
Mirari Vos*
Pius IX -
Qui PluribusLeo XIII's denunciation of Freemasonry should be seen in context of his examination of
socialism (
Quod Apostolici Muneris), his defence of Christian
marriage (Arcanum) and on the role of government (
Diuturnum). Because of the secrecy inherent in freemasonry, it was perceived to have an enormous amount of secret discipline of its members - which was seen by the Pope as enslavement. So although individual Masons were decent people, they were being led to do evil things.
*
Catholicism and Freemasonry*
Humanum Genus, from the Vatican*
Humanum Genus, from EWTN
