What it means to be a human being is neither simple nor obvious. For this reason, I was not that surprised by the responses to Dignitas Infinita in 2024. Traditional-minded critics pointed out the oddity of applying “infinite” dignity to the finite creature of man, and the lack of clarity on intrinsic versus other types of evils. Progressive-minded critics were nonplussed by the inclusion of gender ideology as a threat to human dignity.
Only one sentence genuinely surprised me: “There is widespread agreement today,” the document reads, “on the importance and normative scope of human dignity and on the unique and transcendent value of the human being” (DI 7). This has not been the case in Western society for some time, and the Church would do well to take stock of the “signs of the times” in this respect. Christmastime, when we celebrate God’s taking on human flesh to “dignify” our fallen nature, is an appropriate season to do so. We must first understand what goes into a concept of human dignity; and then take greater cognisance of the complex and dynamic picture of human nature that Scripture and Catholic tradition present.
