A Reading of Aquinas in Support of Veritatis Splendor on the Moral Object

Abstract

I. Introduction On one hand, Pope John Paul II's 1993 encyclical Veritatis Splendor (VS) has broad scope, which includes reaffirmation of relatively undisputed--but perhaps neglected--matters from tradition. For example, first chapter is primarily exposition of central New Testament teachings about Christian life, including its beginnings in the encounter with Christ, call to discipleship, and responses of conversion, apostolic mission, and pursuit of holiness. As Fathers of Second Vatican Council rightly recognized, presentations of Catholic theology must be deeply rooted in these biblical sources and illumine lofty vocation of faithful in union with Christ. (1) full agreement, John Paul reminds us in VS that it is Christ who opens book of Scriptures for us, to teach us truth about (2) On other hand, encyclical is specific response to what it describes as the systematic calling into question of doctrine ([section] 4), phenomenon of revisionist theology that developed largely from reaction against 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae, with broader precedents including mid-twentieth-century situation ethics. (3) particular, VS insists that adequate theory must be able to uphold traditional teaching that certain kinds of human are and therefore always evil. This tradition is rooted in biblical texts such as Decalogue and Pauline vice catalogs, and it is reaffirmed in multitude of sources from subsequent tradition. Moreover, section 75 of encyclical judges that these revisionist theories go astray regarding evil acts or moral absolutes precisely because they have an inadequate understanding of of [a] action. (4) Given havoc wrought by postconciliar debate about theory and particular acts, we must not underestimate importance for contemporary Catholic theology of this diagnosis about danger of inadequate understanding of object. Because it addresses central matter of moral upon which subsequent discussion of intrinsically evil (in [section][section] 79-82) depends, section 78 is of decisive importance. It suggests way toward adequate approach to through series of six affirmations: (1) morality of human act depends primarily and fundamentally on 'object' rationally chosen by deliberate will ; (5) (2) In order to be able to grasp of act which specifies that act morally, it is therefore necessary to place oneself in perspective of acting person; (3) the is freely chosen kind of behavior; (4) is not a process or event of merely physical order; (5) object is proximate end of deliberate decision which determines act of willing on part of acting person; and (6) morality of depends upon its conformity with order of reason. (6) From these texts, from their role in structure and argument of encyclical, and from understanding of their historical context, we can reasonably conclude that John Paul thought that resolution to postconciliar crisis in Catholic theology requires more adequate account of with above characteristics. insisting that this must not be understood as a process or event of merely physical John Paul's primary target was revisionist theory, which inherited what might be called a physical understanding of from post-Tridentine casuist tradition. (7) The Pope's approach, however, also challenges many more traditional Thomists, who sometimes treat that determines morality of human act as something of merely physical order, or as what is caused physically. …