“The Perspective of the Acting Person” and Moral Action: Reading Veritatis Splendor no. 78 with Servais Pinckaers, O.P.
This article addresses one of the most significant and memorable concepts in John Paul II’s encyclical on the Catholic Church’s moral teaching, _Veritatis Splendor_, namely, the necessity to place oneself in “the perspective of the acting person” for a proper understanding of moral action. Part One...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Journal of Moral Theology, Inc.
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Moral Theology |
| Online Access: | https://jmt.scholasticahq.com/article/18894-the-perspective-of-the-acting-person-and-moral-action-reading-veritatis-splendor-no-78-with-servais-pinckaers-o-p |
| Summary: | This article addresses one of the most significant and memorable concepts in John Paul II’s encyclical on the Catholic Church’s moral teaching, _Veritatis Splendor_, namely, the necessity to place oneself in “the perspective of the acting person” for a proper understanding of moral action. Part One of the paper examines an article by Servais Pinckaers, O.P. on Thomistic action theory. I argue that this rich contribution provides theological and moral bases for the concept of “the perspective of the acting person” and the importance of the end (finis) in the assessment in moral action. Part Two offers a line-by-line commentary on no. 78 of _Veritatis Splendor_, the very heart of the encyclical’s discussion of human action. In dialogue with other commentators, I propose a reading of the paragraph set against the landscape of action theory proposed by Pinckaers. In light of this commentary, I suggest that Pinckaers understanding of Thomistic action theory affords a hermeneutical key for “the perspective of the acting person” that cannot be set aside without cost. |
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| ISSN: | 2166-2851 2166-2118 |