Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!rex!ukma!seismo!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: conan@twinkies.berkeley.edu (David Cruz-Uribe) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: RCC on contraception Message-ID: Date: 27 Feb 91 08:51:17 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: U.C. Berkeley Math. Department. Lines: 32 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article bjstaff@zds-ux.zds.com (Brad Staff) writes: >I am interested in understanding the Roman Catholic Church's >positions on contraception. I assume the RCC has published >official documents outlining these positions. Does anyone know >the titles of these documents, and where one might buy/borrow >them? The principle statement by the Catholic Church on contraception is an encyclical by Pope Paul VI entitled "Humani Vitae". This was issued in the mid-sixties. However, be warned that this document is quite difficult to follow without placing it in the context of the debate which preceded it. A good, though admittedly biased source for this is a book published by the National Catholic Reporter (entitled, I believe, "The Birth Control Debate"). This book contains the minority and majority reports of the papal commission established to re-evaluate the birth control question. Of relevance is a prior encyclical by Pius XI entitled "Costa Connubi", which was issued in the 1920's (I believe) in response to the the decision by the Anglican church permiting artificial birth control. An exhaustive history of the Church's teaching on birth control is contained in a book entitled "Contraception" by someone named Noonan. (Title and name may both be incorrect, but they are in the ballpark.) Pope John Paul II has also written extensively on this issue, setting it into the broader context of a theology of marriage. I'm afraid I can't give any specific references beyond this. I hope this helps. If you have any specific questions, let me know. Yours in Christ, David Cruz-Uribe, SFO