Podstawy oceny moralnej życia społecznego w świetle encykliki „Veritatis splendor” Jana Pawła II

Abstract

In his new encyclical the Pope discusses the fundamental problems of social and moral teaching of the Roman Catholic Church in the context of the current social situation in the world. He observes the spreading of „grave forms of social and economical injustice as well as political corruption” Simultaneously, he perceives growing „resentment of the huge mass of people, whose rights have been trampled on”. This situation, which calls for a prompt remedial action, poses ‒ says John Paul II ‒ the contemporary social question. The Pope sees the effective solution to that question on moral ground; therefore, he stresses the need of renewal ‒ for individuals as well as for societies ‒ through which justice, solidarity, honesty and openness might reign in the world. Evaluating the phenomena of the social, economic and political life John Paul II points to the necessity of connecting them with the evangelical concept of freedom. Human freedom, according to the Pontiff, should always be subordinated to the transcendent truth of the man, since only then it can lead to the authentic good of a human person. Considering current threats to the social order and politics, the Author pays special attention to the new kind of totalitarianism originating from the alliance forged between the ethical relativism and democracy. The Pope refers also to the last edition of the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church. He lists social virtues as well as the acts, which are contrary to human dignity. In the detailed catalogue of the latter one can find such acts as tax fraud, posessions overdue or exploiting someone else’s being in an extremity. Obviously, this is a new interpretation of the commandment „You shall not steal” ‒ an interpretation stressing the personalistic basis the commandment had been established on. One cannot possibly ignore the fact, that it is the Decalogue ‒ especially the commandments from its second table - that provides for the Author of the encyclical the basis for moral evaluations of social, economical and political life. Obedience to this law is only then possible, when the mankind realizes the meaning of the fundamental relation between Truth, Good and Freedom. The decline of this awareness poses the painful social question of our time.