Veritatis Splendor

Veritatis Splendor is the first words of the Encyclique of the pope Jean-Paul II published on August 6th, 1993.

" the SPLENDOR OF the TRUTH is reflected in all works of the Creator and, in a particular way, in the man created with the image and the resemblance of God (cf Gn 1,26): the truth clarifies the intelligence and gives its form to the freedom of the man, who, in this way, is brought to know and love the Lord. It is in this direction which the psalmist requests: “Make raise on us the light of your face” (PS 4,7). "

Context of publication of the encyclical

The Encyclical of the Pope is published after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the end of the Communisme, in one time of material change at the political but so ideological level in which one sees stinging the apogee of individualistic capitalism. Nouvel Observateur will affirm even on October 21st, 1993, after the publication of Veritatis Splendor that “ After having carried the most terrible blows with communist totalitarianism, Jean-Paul II became the only serious adversary of the capitalo-individualist spirit of our time ”. The encyclical of the pope, criticized by some, thus tries to reconsider morals at the XX century old dawn. The Cardinal Ratzinger at the time of his presentation of the encyclical Veritatis Splendor on October 5th, 1993 summarizes the stake of this encyclical: “ the question Morale is obviously more than ever a question of life or of died for humanity. In civilization uniformly technicise which extended from now on to the entire world contemporary, the old certainty morals, which supported up to now the particular field crops, are largely destroyed ”. The Pope thus wanted to reformulate the concepts of Bien and Mal.

This encyclical tardily appears in the pontificate of Jean-Paul II, while at the same time the Encyclical was announced since August 1st, 1987, that Ci justifies it in the introduction of the Encyclical (§5): " If this encyclical, awaited for a long time, is published only now, it is in particular because it appeared convenient to make it precede by the Catéchisme of the Catholic church, which contains a complete and systematic talk of the moral doctrines chrétienne." (...) " the encyclical will be limited to develop some fundamental questions of the moral teaching of the Church, as a practitioner a necessary understanding on problems discussed between the specialists in ethics and theology morale." . The catechism of the Catholic church published in 1992 and the Encyclical Veritatis Splendor thus seem to enter the same logic.

The encyclical of Jean-Paul II is almost published day for day after its 15th birthday of pontificate and it is it tenth encyclical of the pope. The encyclical obtains a great success with more than 200.000 specimens sold the first two weeks after publication in France.

Principal developed ideas

Plan of the encyclical

INTRODUCTION

Jesus Christ, true light which illuminates any man
the object of this encyclical

CHAPTER I - “MASTER, WHOM DO I HAVE TO MAKE OF GOOD?” (MT 19,16)

Christ and the answer to the moral question
“a man approached…” (MT 19,16)
“Main, which do I have to make of good to obtain the eternal life?” (MT 19,16)
“Only one is the Good” (MT 19,17)
“If you want to enter the life, observes the commands” (MT 19,17)
“If you want to be perfect” (MT 19,21)
“Come, am me” (MT 19,21)
“For God all is possible” (MT 19,26)
“And here that I am with you for always until the end of the world” (MT 28,20)

CHAPTER II - “YOU DO NOT MODEL ON LE MONDE PRESENT” (Rm 12,2) -

the Church and the understanding on certain tendencies of current theology moral
Enseigner what is in conformity with the healthy doctrines (cf Tt 2,1).
“You will know the truth and the truth will release you” (Jn 8,32)

I. freedom and the law

“Of the tree of the knowledge of the good and the evil, you will not eat” (Gn 2,17)
God wanted to leave the man “to his council” (If 15,14)
Heureux the man who likes in the Law of the Lord (cf PS 1,1-2)
“They show the reality of the Law registered in their heart” (Rm 2,15).
“But right from the start it was not thus” (MT 19,8)

II. Conscience and the truth

the sanctuary of the man
the judgment of the conscience
To seek the truth and the good

III. The concrete fundamental choice and behaviors

“That this freedom does not give pretext to satisfy the flesh” (Ga 5,13)
Mortal sin and venial sin

IV. The moral act

Teleology and teleologism
the object of the act deliberated
“intrinsic evil”: it is not licit to make the evil for good (cf Rm 3,8)

CHAPTER III - “SO THAT To NOTHING the CROSS OF CHRIST IS NOT REDUCED” (1 Co 1,17) - The moral good for the life of the Church and the world

“It is so that we remain free that Christ released us” (Ga 5,1)
Marcher in the light (cf 1 Jn 1,7)
martyrdom, exaltation of the holiness inviolable of the Law of God
the standards morals universal and immutable with the service of the person and the company
the morals and the revival of the social life and political
the grace and obedience with the Law of God
morals and the new evangelization
the service of the theologists moralists
Our responsibilities for pastors

CONCLUSION

See too

List of the encyclicals

Bonds external

Text in integral version on the site of the Vatican

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