Veritatis Splendor

by Pope John Paul II · Veritatis Splendor

Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only

Written
1993
Language
Latin
Length
Medium · 180 pp120 to 300 pages
Difficulty
Demanding3 of 5 for a first-year reader

We recommendVeritatis SplendorPauline Books and Media, 1993The official English text; it is also free on the Vatican website.

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An encyclical letter on the foundations of Catholic moral teaching, addressed to the bishops. Chapter one meditates on the rich young man who asks Jesus what good he must do. Chapter two, the core, defends the existence of intrinsically evil acts and objective moral truth against theories of fundamental option, proportionalism and consequentialism, and argues that freedom depends on truth. Chapter three treats martyrdom, conscience and the Church's role in moral life.

No reading guide yet

The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns Veritatis Splendor are verified against each program's published list.

What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.

Browse the 48 works that do have a guide →

Veritatis Splendor, The Splendour of Truth, The Splendor of Truth, encyclical, natural law, conscience, intrinsically evil acts, proportionalism, freedom and truth, rich young man, moral theology, Karol Wojtyla, John Paul II, Saint John Paul II