But really, as a challenge to civilisation, is "miniscule" not even smaller than minuscule?
Only time will reveal the true impact of the encyclical on the greatest long-term challenge facing civilisation.
"It's about any period that thinks it's cock-of-the-walk and that there is nothing to challenge its civilisation," he said.
In the kind of speaking double act beloved of the event's organisers, Al Gore, the former US vice-president, who has described climate change as "the biggest challenge our civilisation faces", will discuss the subject alongside Pharrell Williams.
It was a gathering of chairmen and CEOs of major European and global companies, titans from the energy, mining and retail sectors, all there to discuss the greatest challenge facing civilisation - climate change.
"In terms of challenges to civilisation, climate change is the biggest diplomatic challenge of all time," said King.
"The right to life, or as some insist, the right to an abortion, is an important moral challenge for our civilisation, our western civilisation," Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski told RMF FM radio.
Isis may indeed pose a radical challenge, but the "civilisation" it challenges is a global civilisation rather than a uniquely western phenomenon.
Finally, to look ancient Greece in a wider context find Key themes ancient history in which students can explore the similar challenges different civilisations including ancient Greece faced, such as the development of technology, governments and religions which run through many civilisations and link together with continuous strands.
Ongoing climate changes are among the greatest challenges to human civilisation.
