Godność przekazywania życia: nauczanie Jana Pawła II w kontekście Instrukcji Dignitas personae

Abstract

Medicine, as written by John Paul II, is a specific form of serving humanity. Human rights, that international organisations fight for, must also be respected at the level of biology, medical research and modem medical technology. The right to health after all, as underlined by John Paul II, is said to be a consequence of the right to live, which are guaranteed by all national constitutions and international declarations. Every state legislation stems from certain general and permanent moral norms, and medical ethics, as stated by the pope, should always be considered by practitioners as a norm deserving the greatest attention. The rejection of relativism as a proposed standard for medical decisions is a particularly important voice of the Church. The Pope repeatedly stated that moral relativism is not so much opposed to the light of faith, but the logic of the mind, which itself recognises fixed and unchanging values. One of which is human life. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith used the voice of John Paul II and at the outset the Instruction Dignitas personae, points out that research is to serve such medical progress, which serves the integral good of life and dignity of every human being. In fact, the whole introduction of the Instruction discusses issues related to the physical side of procreation, is built on the teachings of John Paul II. Contained in the Instruction is the contemporary discussion of emerging issues related to the transmission of life, are nothing but an echo of the teachings of John Paul II on human integrity. At the end of the Instruction Dignitas personae it is written that allegations are made against the Church that it preaches too many prohibitions, that it is opposed to progress of civilisation and as in the case of issues of fertilisation, that it opposes the happiness of spouses and their desire to have offspring. Allegations of this type are often attributed to the teaching of John Paul II. Contemporary culture clearly shows that the concerns of John Paul II, regarding the progressive civilisation of death were correct. So his appeals for keeping progress of civilisation in line with the progress of ethics are still highly relevant. The history of humanity needs real progress, not so much in the technique, but progress in understanding and recognition of the value of life and human dignity.