The Human Person and his

Dignity

ENRIQUE M JAMILLA

THY3– Christian Vision of the Society

UST Institute of Religion

The Human Person

Man is an inviolable

reality, unique and

irreplaceable,

deserving respect,

service and devotion.

He is the fundamental

norm, center and

crown, author and

subject of all social

institutions. (RH 14)

Man is more precious for what he is than for what

he has.

Nature and Root of Human Dignity

1. Being created in the image and likeness of God underlies the freedom and dignity of the human person.

Man can never be considered

as an instrument of others.

2. Man is lord of all creation and he

has the responsibility to develop

created things.

He is the center of

creation around

whom all creatures

revolve.

3. Man is destined to be with his creator.

Because man is

destined for God, he

is not subordinate to

terrestrial things. He

is above and over

machine, money and

technical progress.

4. Man is an embodied spirit

He has needs both material and spiritual. His earthly actions are intimately tied up with his spiritual life.

5. Man has the innate capacity to do what is good and just.

Though he has the

tendency to commit

injustice and is capable

of evil, he is at the same

time redeemed by God

by virtue of Christ’s

death on the cross.

6. Man is endowed with reason and intellect.

Man’s rationality gives him the capacity to know, understand, and comprehend what is true, what is good and what is beautiful.

7. Man has free will.

This faculty enables man to pursue what is perceived as good and true. His freedom to behave according to his conscience constitutes the most forceful expression of his inalienable dignity.

8. Man is both individual and social by nature.

His social nature stems from his inherent

faculty which orients man to communicate and commune with others in unity and

brotherhood.

Man’s Dignity Demands Reverence

Understanding man’s inherent dignity demands reverence. Reverence for man’s dignity resists all actions that manipulate

man, violate him, make inconsiderate use of him as a means in achieving economic,

social, or political goals.

The purpose of all social activities and institutions should be reviewed in the light of man’s supreme dignity.

“The

glory of

God is

man fully

alive.”

- St. Irenaeus

PREPARED BY:

ENRIQUE M. JAMILLAemjamilla@ust.edu.phUST Institute of Religion