Duchowy i moralny wymiar naśladowania Jezusa Chrystusa − uzasadnienie teologiczne w kontekście dokumentu „Biblia a moralność”

Abstract

The present article attempts to show the moral and spiritual dimensions of the following of Jesus Christ and to emphasize their specific character and the relation that exists between them. It is based on the document issued by the Pontifical Biblical Commission entitled “The Bible and Morality” as well as on theological-moral and theological-spiritual literature. In order to justify “the Biblical roots of Christian conduct” to a modern man the analyzed document sets them on the idea of the gift of the Old and New Covenant as well as of other biblical ideas understood in the Christological and personalistic way. To do so it also stresses the importance of spiritual experience (of God, of Christ), owing to which it appreciates spirituality as prior to revealed morality. This spirituality is always assumed when the origin and the obligation to realize the revealed moral norms is meant. To what degree morality is inscribed in man’s spiritual development is then explained by a theological-spiritual reflection on the Christian experience that should always take into consideration moral obligations (commandments, blessings). The article takes this into consideration, making short references to some ethical-spiritual models and to stages in the development of the spiritual life.