Znaki czasu jako locus theologicus w posoborowej teologii moralnej

Abstract

Man’s freedom is always a freedom with certain conditions, also because it is placed in a definite reality of the world. This fact imposes on the Church the obligation of showing God’s unchanging vocation in ever new situations of life. This conviction was confirmed in the theology of signs of the time that awoke again the Church’s consciousness that it always has “a duty to examine the signs of the time and explain them in the light of the Gospel, so that in a way suited to the mentality of every generation it could answer people’s age-long questions concerning the sense of the present and future lives and their mutual relation” It seems that an area in which a thorough knowledge of the contemporary context of man’s life proves necessary is moral theology, and especially the social problems contained in it. This is due to the fact that social reality is man’s most dynamically changing environment. Changes occurring in culture, economy, politics and social relations are the conditions moral theologians cannot be indifferent to if they want to be faithful to their mission which is to show the sense of moral life in an actual historical reality. If they don’t, they may be charged with ideologization and also they may lose the sense of reality. However, the whole complex social reality cannot be treated only as the objęci of theology’s and the Church’s immediate interest. It should become the locus theologicus in the full meaning of the term. This obliges moralists to work out such a conception of morality that ultimately would be a morality of signs of the time, that is an open morality, a morality of wakefulness and paying attention to the happening events. In the author’s intention the problems of signs of the time were connected with other important theological categories: kairos and history of salvation. It is the kairologic perspective of Christian life that leads one straight to all that is now defined as theology of signs of the time. Another important thing was also stressing the experience of time and place as some of the fundamental anthropological-ethical categories and drawing the reader’s attention to the situational reality in the structure of morality. The author paid attention to a certain evolution of the meaning of the term “signs of the time” It consists in departing from its definition suggested by John XXIII, where signs of the time were first of all signs of trust and hope as to the further history of the Church and the world. They played the role of positive connections (bridges) and means of positive communication between the Church and the world aiming at making God’s intentions come true. Departing from Pope John’s vision of signs of the time took place as early as in particular stages of preparation of Gaudium et spes which is confirmed by the next documents of the Church’s post-Council teaching. In the teaching of the Popes after the Council signs of the time ever more clearly assume the shape of phenomena characterizing the epoch: “they are a reality in itself, a reality in which we live in defined circumstances of time and place” They are not strict signs of hope any more, but rather they are a definite historical situation presented “as a mixture of good and bad sides” which always must be interpreted. Contrary to a simple sociological description, in a theological-moral discourse it is not enough to stop at the natural dimension of the events that are happening or of the existing conditions. A true recognition of contemporary “signs of the time” in the spirit of kairologic challenge must be accompanied by pointing to their supernatural meaning. First of all this will be connected with discovering a certain moral situation in the given reality, that becomes a task or even a call for responsibility and freedom - both of particular individuals and communities. This challenge on a natural plane is, however, connected with the religious dimension and should be recognized as a personal call from God. A situation including God’s call enters the conscience as the voice of personal God. This always happens in the spirit of evangelical recognition and through the Holy Spirit’s gift.