Liberty and Responsibility: John Paul II, Ethics, and the Law

John Paul II is an enigma to many of his contemporaries, who have received their intellectual formation from the Western liberal tradition. On the one hand, he is an ardent supporter of the religious, political and economic freedoms championed by liberal democracies, and a vigorous opponent of communism and socialism. Recent papal documents celebrate democracy’s role in protecting human rights, limited government, and the institution of private property. Prior to his election as Pope, he was instrumental in producing important Vatican II documents, including declarations concerning the right to religious freedom and the essential dignity of the human person. Over the years he has also been a supporter of ecumenism and a patron of the sciences. Under his direction, the Vatican has sponsored dialogues between theologians and scientists, revisiting the question of the Church’s handling of the Galileo affair, and even acknowledging evidence for the theory of evolution. Without a doubt, he has sought to bring the Church into a vigorous dialogue with modern science and culture.