Humani generis unitas (Latin for On the Unity of the Human Race) was a planned encyclical of Pope Pius XI before his death on February 10, 1939, which condemned antisemitism, racism and the persecution of Jews. Because it was never promulgated, it is sometimes referred to as "The Hidden Encyclical" or "The Lost Encyclical."
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In June 1938, Pius XI summoned American Jesuit John LaFarge, who began to prepare a draft of Humani Generis Unitas, which LaFarge and two other Jesuits—Gustav Gundlach and Gustave Desbuquois[1]—worked on in Paris;[2] the draft was approximately 100 pages long.[3] Another Jesuit translated the draft encyclical into Latin, presenting it to Vladimir Ledochowski, then the General of the Society of Jesus[4]—who had chosen Gundlach and Desbuquois for the project.[1] The draft encyclical was delivered to the Vatican in September 1938.[1]
Some secondary sources—as well as Cardinal Tisserant the Dean of the College of Cardinals[5]—claim that Humani Generis Unitas was literally on Pius XI's desk when he died of a heart attack on February 10, 1939.[3]
Pope Pius XII, who succeeded Pius XI, did not promulgate the encyclical. Critics of Pius XII—notably John Cornwell in his controversial work Hitler's Pope—have cited his failure to promulgate the encyclical as evidence of his alleged silence toward anti-Semitism and The Holocaust,[1][2] and analysis of the encyclical figures prominently in most comparisons of the policies of Pius XII and his predecessor.[4]
Pope Benedict XVI decreed in June, 2006 that all documents from the reign of Pius XI in the Vatican Secret Archives should be opened,[6] and on September 18, 2006 over 30,000 documents were made available to researchers.[7]
The first 70 paragraphs, probably authored by Gundlach, are a critique of theological modernism, unorthodox re-interpretation of Sacred Scripture, nationalism, and racism; the remaining 108, likely authored by all three Jesuits, contextualized the first part of the encyclical with the social role of Catholic educational institutions and anti-Semitism.[1]
Although the draft encyclical clearly condemned racism and anti-Semitism, the document is deeply grounded in anti-Judaism[2]. The draft encyclical criticizes the majority of post-Messianic Jews for not acknowledging Jesus Christ as the true Jewish Messiah.[8]
The “encyclical” clearly condemns American racial segregation and Racism and Nazi German anti-Semitism [9] Racism is a denial of the unity of human society. [10], a denial of the human personality [11] and a denial of the true values of religion [12] There is no relation between race and religion [13] last not least because racism is destructive to any society [14] The text points out that racism is destructive not only for social relations within a society but also for international relations and relations between different races. [15]
The encyclical condemns the persecution of Jews as well. “These persecutions have been censured by the Holy See on more than one occasion, but especially when they have worn the mantle of Christianity". [16] “This unjust and pitiless campaign against the Jews has at least this advantage”, according to the “encyclical”, because the true nature, the authentic basis of the social separation of the Jews from the rest of humanity … is religious in character. …Essentially, the so-called Jewish question … is a question of religion and, since the coming of Christ, a question of Christianity. [17] The encyclical blames the Jews of the time of Christ for having brought their own Messiah Jesus Christ to death: "The very act by which the Jewish people put to death their Savior and King was, in the strong language of Saint Paul, the salvation of the world". [18] The encyclical continues by accusing Jews of blind materialism.
Pope Pius XII, who according to the authors, was not aware of the text before the death of his predecessor, [21] chose not to publish this encyclical. However, his first encyclical Summi Pontificatus (October 12, 1939), published after the beginning of WWII, has the identical title On the Unity of Human Society and uses many of the arguments of the text, avoiding most of the negative characterisation of the Jewish people and rabbinic religion still contained in the text of the original encyclical, planned and written before the invasion of Poland and the start of the Second World War.[22]
Summi Pontificatus sees Christianity being universalized and opposed to every form of racial hostility and against racial superiority. There are no real racial differences, because the human race forms a unity, because "one ancestor [God] made all nations to inhabit the whole earth".
This divine law of solidarity and charity assures that all men are truly brethren, without excluding the rich variety of persons, cultures and societies.[24]
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