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Ancient Truths in New Light

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Ancient Truths in New Light

Picture of Father Paschal Corby

Father Paschal Corby

Fr Paschal is a priest of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual. He currently lectures in Moral Theology / Bioethics at the University of Notre Dame, Sydney. He is the author of The Hope and Despair of Human Bioenhancement (Pickwick, 2019).

Veritatis splendor and the eschatological projection of the moral life (Part III)

In Parts I and II of this essay, I outlined an approach to John Paul II’s encyclical Veritatis splendor from the perspective of the eschatological orientation of morality. From his presentation of a deeply Christological morality, the saintly Pope offers an enlightened and robust morality that is oriented towards eternal beatitude. It is only after having established this Christological/eschatological orientation of morality that John Paul then confronts certain neuralgic points within the moral theology of its time – points which do not seem to have disappeared of which have reemerged in the contemporary context. In this final part of the essay, I will consider how the eschatological focus of Veritatis splendor provides a hermeneutical key for interpreting such polemics, especially its response to questions of conscience, the immanentizing of moral theology and the so-called ‘teleological’ moralities.)

Veritatis splendor and the eschatological projection of the moral life (Part II)

In Part I of this essay, I considered the eschatological orientation of morality as contained within John Paul II’s encyclical Veritatis splendor. Following the Pope’s own outline, I drew on the encounter between Christ and the rich young man, and the latter’s question to the Lord, “Teacher, what good must I do to have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16). Now, in Part II, I will explore the necessity of this encounter for awakening the human subject to their moral agency, in orientating their lives toward their end in Christ.

Veritatis splendor and the eschatological projection of the moral life (Part I)

This is the first article in a three-part series dealing with St John Paul II’s encyclical: Veritatis splendor. This encyclical was published in 1993 and is one of the most comprehensive teachings in the Church against the tyranny of moral relativism. One of the principal ideas of the encyclical was the knowability of moral truth and its connection to our relationship with Almighty God. Fr Paschal in this article explores the intrinsic connection between moral truth and eternal life.

The orientation of hope

The virtue of hope, before it is a virtue is a passion. A passion that is guided by the intellect, but is only raised to the level of virtue by grace. As Christians, we are called to cultivate the virtue of hope in deepening our relationship with the Lord. 
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