Origin of the phrase, "Culture of Death"

[J.R]

I’ve recently heard the President use the term, “Culture of death”, phrase in regards to Terry Shiavo and abortion. Can anyone tell me when this term was first used and by whom? I have always thought it was the Pope who first coined the phrase in his stance for life. Thank you and God Bless all here.

 

[Scott_Lafrance]

J.R.:

I’ve recently heard the President use the term, “Culture of death”, phrase in regards to Terry Shiavo and abortion. Can anyone tell me when this term was first used and by whom? I have always thought it was the Pope who first coined the phrase in his stance for life. Thank you and God Bless all here.

It was first used (to my recollection) in a papal encyclical from Pope John Paul II, March 25, 1995, entitled Evangelium Vitae.

 

[rastell]

Scott_Lafrance:

It was first used (to my recollection) in a papal encyclical from Pope John Paul II, March 25, 1995, entitled Evangelium Vitae.

That’s right.

The Pope used the phrase several times in his encyclical “Evangelium Vitae” (The Gospel of Life). Other people may have used ther phrase before that but I believe it only came into widespread use after the Pope used it. See the full text on the Vatican website:

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25031995_evangelium-vitae_en.html

 

[J.R]

Scott and rastell thank you very much. If anyone else has more to offer feel free.

 

[tuopaolo]

It was used by the Pope John Paul II prior to that encyclical. For example he uses it here back in 1991:

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_01051991_centesimus-annus_en.html

and also here back in 1992:

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/messages/vocations/documents/hf_jp-ii_mes_08091992_world-day-for-vocations_en.html

I don’t know when he first started using it, but my sense is that he did not originate the term.