The Holy See and the UDHR: Towards a Legal Anthropology of Human Rights and the Family

Abstract:     
Alfonso Cardinal López Trujillo, President of the Pontifical Council on the Family (“Pontifical Council”), speaks directly to the legal community with an important and timely message. In his article, "The Nature of Marriage and Its Various Aspects," Cardinal Trujillo calls for the development of an anthropology on sexuality, marriage, and the family based on natural law, which would include an analysis regarding the nature of the family, its link to the human person, and the proper role of the state.

The purpose of this article is to give an overview of the Holy See’s perspective on the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) with the aspiration of promoting further study and development of an authentic perspective of international human rights and the family. While looking at human rights through an anthropological lens, the article will explore how the UDHR remains an important touchstone for international dialogue.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 42

Keywords: Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Marriage, Natural Law, Family Law

Accepted Paper Series