DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

CHILDREN ELDERLY

Regardless of age
WOMEN MEN

Regardless of gender
BUDDHISTS CHRISTIANS

Regardless of religion
WHITES BLACKS

Regardless of Color
POOR RICH

Regardless of Economic Background

FUNDAMENTALLY EQUAL BUT
UNIQUE
There is a fundamental equality
among human persons by virtue of
our common dignity as persons.

Equality allows us to take an interest

in everything that is human and to
understand the moral obligations
which inform our common humanity.

However, human persons are

sufficiently diverse so that we must
also take into account the originality
and uniqueness of each person.

This means that while everyone

shares certain common features of
humanity, each one does so
differently and to different degrees.
I.NOTIONS ABOUT HUMAN DIGNITY

I. Human dignity = Persons possession of

basic rights:
the essential rights to clothing and
shelter;
the right to free self-expression within
the context of social cooperation;
the right to basic equality before the
law.
2. Human Dignity = Basic respect of
persons
the respect that will allow them to
develop their own potential
to make some personal contribution to
common goals and to feel a home in an
environment within which they are
known and acknowledged.
3.Human Dignity= Human being has a
personal worth
the task of society is to acknowledge and
develop that worth.
4. Human dignity = emphasizes that social
or biological handicaps affecting an
individual do not lessen his or her
personal worth.
5.Human Dignity= does not admit degrees
and is universal regardless of gender, age,
religion, creed, race or color.
6.Human Dignity= man possessing
freedom and reason, therefore, cannot
be used as an object or as a means for an
end.
II.Human Dignity according to our
Christian Faith

God created man in his image, in the

divine image he created him, male and
female, he created them.

Genesis 1:27
Implications
Humans share in the Divine image of
God
We participate in Gods divine Trinitarian
nature and called to belong in the
community of the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit.
We are called to be in communion with the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit as children of
God.
2. Humans are called to live in community.
We are communitarian at our core.
We are called to live as brothers and
sisters.
We are called to live in justice and
respect/abide the laws of the
community .
III.BIBLICAL SOURCES OF HUMAN
DIGNITY
Old Testament
2. Exodus story
I have seen the misery of my people who are in Egypt.
I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters.
Indeed, I know their sufferings and I have come down
to deliver the from the Egyptians and to bring them up
out of that land to a good and broad land, a land
flowing with milk and honey.

Exodus 3:4-8
Implications
God has pity for human suffering, who wishes people to
be liberated and so live a life of dignity.
All forms of enslavement and oppression are a mockery
of Gods will as creator of humanity in his own image.
Human suffering is not the will of God, but rather
something which must be abolished.
Gods will is done on earth when the conditions for
truly humane existence are created.
2. Story of the Prophets

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the

evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do
evil, learn to do good: seek justice, rescue the
oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.

Isaiah 1:15-17
Consequences of the Monarchy

Power became centralized in the monarchy

Increasing gap between the rich and the poor, as fortunes were
amassed in large economic projects of the monarchy and more
and more people became the labouring poor, subject to the whims
of political and economic masters.
This situation gave ample opportunity for the abuse of power and
privilege for the elimination of human rights.
Religion was more centered around the temple cult and its
elaborate liturgical and sacrificial rites, ignoring the moral
demands of the covenant.
 The above situation provoked a response from the
prophets:
For, Isaiah, the sacrificial liturgy could only be
authentically offered by those who showed their fidelity
to the covenant by respecting the dignity of the
downtrodden and marginalized.
The abuses of human dignity, in the various forms of
exploitation characteristic of the Israelite state and
society were a rejection of the covenant and a betrayal
of Israels true identity.
Implications
True worship of Yahweh is to help unburden
the poor from their oppression.
Goods of creation is for the use of everyone,
not only for the few.
Power is for the benefit of promoting justice
and the common good.
New Testament

1.Gospels
The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has
anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has
sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of
sight to the blind, and to let the oppressed go free and
to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Luke 4:18-19
 Jesus anchored the proclamation of the Gospel for the
liberation of the poor... (slaves, laborers, sinners,
women, children)
His proclamation of the Kingdom is not about an
authoritarian and tyrannical authority.
He draws on the prophetic hopes of a just king who
could mediate the justice of God.
The image of the Kingdom of God implies an
environment in which good can flourish and in which
every human being can find peace, justice and freedom.
 He proclaimed a blessing for those who are deprived:
Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God
is yours.
Blessed are you, who are now hungry, for you will be
satisfied.
Blessed are you, who are now weeping for you will
laugh... (Luke 6:20-22)
He sacrificed his life for our salvation which only shows
our worth as children of God.
 The ultimate meaning of human dignity is that
all human beings are destined for eternal life,
since they share their humanity with the One
who rose from the dead.
All human beings can share in the resurrection
of Jesus.
IV.HUMAN RIGHTS AND
DIGNITY
Human rights may be defined as those
fundamental rights of man essential for the
exercise of human dignity.

The rights are to things, powers or priveleges to

which individuals have a just claim or are
entitled to under the natural law as a
consequence of being human
 They are inalienable patrimony of all
irrespective of nationality, color, language or
creed.
They are inviolable in the sense that they
cannot be suppressed without moral
responsibility.
Respect for these rights becomes the test
whether human dignity is being respected or
not.
 Human rights belong to human beings not
because any government grant these to them.

Two kinds of Rights:

Natural- rights that human nature confer to the

person.
Legal- rights spelled out by positive national and
international laws.
V.HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIMENSIONS OF
THE HUMAN PERSON
ACTIVITY
How are these rights violated?

Give examples of human rights violation

in the Philippines.

Looking at the prophets and Jesus as

examples, how can we promote human
rights in your community? 3 feasible
actions...
 Thank you and God Bless You!

Prepared by:
CONCEPCION LIZA V. COROTAN
Institute of Religion
University of Sto. Tomas