By Eric Martin
Saint John Paul II’s Evangelium Vitae (“The Gospel of Life”) has last weekcelebrated its 25th anniversary.
Published in 1995, it provides an in-depth discussion concerning the sanctity of life within the context of the modern world.
In recognition of the active role that Evangelium Vitae still plays in the teaching of the Church, The Record journalist Eric Martin spoke with Director of The Centre for Life, Marriage and Family, Derek Boylen, with the aim of – regarding JPII’s insights on the value of life at the beginning of the 21st century.
“Evangelium Vitae is a call to recognise and acknowledge the sacred character of life as it depends, in its entirety, on God, and an exhortation that we, as Christians, are called to act in defence of life within the context of the modern democratic world,” Mr Boylen said.
“It tackles some of the biggest issues that Catholics face in successfully navigating a moral path through the seemingly conflicting values that our society upholds.
“One aspect that is particularly informative is John Paul II’s exploration of our moral responsibilities in light of some of the laws passed in recent years; laws that are counterintuitive to the teachings of the Church.”
“Speaking about the democratic culture of our time, John Paul II explained that it is a commonly held view that the legal system of any society should limit itself to accepting the convictions of the majority as a valid foundation: it should be based solely upon what the majority considers moral and actually practises.”
“Consideration of each person’s innate dignity is not given a second thought; personal autonomy is prioritised instead.”
The Apostolic Exhortation points out that an objective truth shared by all is seen by our society as unattainable, and as such, when establishing those norms which are absolutely necessary for society, the will of the majority, whatever that may be, is now the only determining factor that should be considered.
Society is now driven by two seemingly opposed positions.
- On the one hand, individuals claim complete moral freedom of choice and demand that the State should limit itself to guaranteeing maximum space for the freedom of everyone, with the sole limitation of not infringing on the freedom and rights of any other citizen.
- On the other hand, in the public sphere, respect for other people’s freedom of choice requires that each person should set aside his or her own convictions in order to satisfy every demand of others (which is recognised and guaranteed by law); in carrying out one’s duties the only moral principal should be what is laid down by the law itself.
St John Paul II states that individual responsibility is turned over to civil law, renouncing personal conscience in the public sphere.
“His Holiness explained that a new ethical relativism characterises much of present-day culture and is often considered an essential condition of democracy: as it alone is held to guarantee tolerance, mutual respect between people and acceptance of the decisions of the majority,” Mr Boylen said.
“Traditional moral norms, considered to be objective and binding, are held to lead to authoritarianism and intolerance.”
Saint John Paul II points out that even though history has known cases where crimes have been committed in the name of ‘truth’, equally grave crimes and radical denials of freedom have also been committed and are still being committed in the name of ‘ethical relativism’: a ‘Culture of Death’, focussed on selfish understandings of autonomy, begins to take shape and is solidified in law.
He asks that when a parliamentary or social majority decrees that it is legal, at least under certain conditions, to kill unborn human life, “is it not really making a tyrannical decision with regard to the weakest and most defenceless of human beings?”
“Would the crimes committed during WWII cease to be crimes if, instead of being committed by unscrupulous tyrants, they were legitimated by popular consensus?” John Paul II asks.
“Democracy cannot be idolised to the point of making it a substitute for morality.”
Mr Boylen explained that for John Paul II, democracy is a system and as such is a means and not an end.
“Its moral value is not automatic but depends on conformity to the moral law to which it must be subject: in other words, its morality depends on the morality of the ends which it pursues and of the means which it employs,” he said.
“The value of democracy stands or falls with the values that it embodies and promotes.”
Saint John Paul II explains that the basis of these values cannot be changeable majority opinions, but only the recognition of an objective moral law which is the necessary point of reference for civil law itself.
“If an attitude of scepticism were to succeed in bringing into question even the fundamental principles of the moral law, the democratic system would be reduced to a mere mechanism for regulating different and opposing interests on a purely empirical basis.”
John Paul II writes that as a people of Life, we must rediscover those essential and innate human and moral values which flow from the very truth of the human being, and express and safeguard the dignity of the person; values which no individual, no majority and no State can ever create, modify or destroy, but must only acknowledge, respect and promote.
“A Culture of Life begins to take shape with small acts of what Pope Saint John Paul II refers to as ‘everyday heroism’ that support life, not death,” Mr Boylen said.