Katolicki model cywilizacji uniwersalnej w listach pasterskich biskupa Perugii Gioacchimo Pecciego (1810‒1903)

Abstract

This paper is devoted to the universalistic model of civilization presented in the pastoral letters Gioacchimo Pecci, the bishop of Perugia that later became pope Leo XIII. It is an original type of universalism that we can call “catholic exclusivism” due to his belief that only Christianity created real civilization, which is based on love and human dignity. Pecci argued that the Catholic Church is the power of civilization and progress. He formulated his thesis in the opposition to antagonists of Catholicism that contrasted development with Christianity and the Catholic Church. Pecci emphasized that belief and progress are not two mutally exclusive concepts. Moreover, only the Church created conditions to a holistic development in its materialistic and spiritual aspects. His considerations lead him to excluding other cultural and religious traditions from the civilizational system. But it is still universalism, however in potential sense, thanks to the affirmation that absolutely every person can be a member of the Church. Even though, the Christianity is a source of universal values, especially love that concerns all humankind, also followers of other religions and non-believers. The thought of Pecci enriches philosophy of history as well as the theory of civilization. For their historiography the pastoral letters are a source that shows an interesting idea that is almost completely unknown and undescribed.