From Humanistic to Theological Values. On Literary References in the Homilies and Pronouncements of John Paul II

Abstract

The author of this article shows two types of values that are present in those pronouncements when the Pope recalls examples from belles­lettres. First and foremost, he speaks of the humanistic values rooted in the philosophy of the essence, namely the truth, goodness and beauty that are widely found in works of both less and more well-known authors of different nations. The aforementioned values, having a transcendent backdrop, open up the theological world. Some of those references unveil the three theological virtues which actually represent Christian axiology. For the Pope, the belles­lettres works become locus theologicus. In his pronouncements, the Pope not only mentions various authors from the particular nations he visited (e.g. Rabindranath Tagore from India, Jon Svensson from Island), but also those authors whose works now belong to the whole world (such as Fyodor Dostoyevsky, mentioned in Australia, or St. Augustine in France and Brazil). Recalling those authors and their works, the Pope connected with those nations he visited, and created a special place in order to bring to those nations the greatest works of world literature. He was adamant that humanistic and theological values can be placed equally next to each other.