„Veritatis splendor” w „The Tablet”

Abstract

In his aniele the author presents to the Polish reader several reviews of John Paul II’s encyclical letter on the Church’s moral teaching Veritatis splendor. All the texts the author refers to form a series which last year appeared in „The Tablet”. Most of its authors are well known moral theologians, not only Catholic. R. Mc Cormick’s, J. Fuchs, and B. Häring’s opinions are critical. According to McCormick the Pope has not been well advised about what is the theory of proportionalism. Fuchs’ text concerns the encyclical's understanding of the theory of the fundamental option. He thinks the Pope's advisers have not grasped the complexities of the theory which goes back to the thought-world of K. Rahner Häring’s text seems to be of a different kind and is a critical estimate of the present pontificate as a whole. N. Lash of Cambridge University finds “Veritatis splendor” authoritarian and mostly about sex. O. O’Donovan, a leading figure in today’s Anglican moral theology, is the author of a very favourable review of the encyclical. His opinion is that also Protestants find much to applaud in it. In his criticism o f some trends in the present moral theology John Paul II is right, says O’Donovan, as they all fail „to provide a developed account of the field of moral action" M. Tuck, a British criminologist and expert in social morality, finds “Veritatis splendor” „both refreshing and inspiring” in the Western relativist culture. She hopes that its message is heard and preached in schools and parishes because „many are hungry for the core message of the encyclical”.