Roczniki Teologii Moralnej

Two Decades of Polish Transformations in the Ethical-Social Perspective

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The round anniversary of the turn of 1989 encourages encourages us to evaluate the past time in various aspects. This study is an attempt to reflect, with a view to moral theology, and inasmuch as it is possible on the two decades of political transformation in the dimension of social life with particular emphasis on the economy. This means that the principal discourse took place on the ethical level, to be precise the socio-ethical level, ignoring the ideological interpretation of the phenomena under study or their interpretation in a political sense.

This publication first and foremost has called to our mind the most important events which a quantum leap in the formation of a new social system. Then some dilemmas have been shown that accompanied the changes. Many of them were related with the fact that a choice of this or that political option of economy was linked with a concrete axiological option. The decades of transformation was dominated mainly by the debate about the shape of social and economic life in Poland, i.e. the choice between a solidary Poland and a liberal Poland. In a further part of the analyses still two more specific criteria of evaluation have been proposed, namely the questions about the place and role of family and human labour in the new reality. A definite family policy and problems of labour focus on the axiological dilemma in question. The questions signaled only in some places should become an object of further detailed and interdisciplinary studies in which an ethical and social view should be present.

Transformations in Ethics Patterns Against the Backdrop of Social Transformations in Poland. The Moral Theological Aspect

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Concrete ideals play an essential role in the functioning of each community; they arc patterns of conduct, behavioral models, and examples of desirable actions. They rule human life, direct its way to the truth and good under concrete circumstances defined by socio-cultural conditions. Over the ages there arc continuous transformations in the sphere of patterns of conduct and ideals of individual and social life. This is related to the changes of social systems and their hierarchies of value. Such changes can be observed in Poland and the social transformation that has lasted over twenty years. The general direction at freedom, self-realization, and a clear weakening of the sense of sacrum have affected the change in the approach to the role of authorities. Such phenomena as pluralism, individualism, and practical materialism have caused the establishment of new ethical models and new modes of their imitation. This situation is a challenge for the Church whose task is to show a proper measure of humanity and the ideal of social life.

Christians’ Attitude Toward Globalisation

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Christians, like all people, seek an answer to the question that trouble the present time. Globalisation today is an extremely important, and ambivalent, issue that calls for a moral interpretation on the part of the Church. The phenomena of globalisation cannot be stopped or even reduce. If, however, globalization is ambivalent for the Christian, it is important to critically analyse its effects, recognize its accomplishments, and notice its threats. Approving of the positive aspects of globalization, Christians should find some forms of involvement in it. The main mission of the Church at the moment is new evanglisation, its important part being the preaching of the Church’s social doctrine. If man is to be saved where he lives, one should be engaged in the forms of preaching and acting which serve the dignity of the human person and human rights, the common good, and interpersonal solidarity.

Transhumanism versus Christian Theology and Ethics

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Contemporary transformation and disintegration of man is manifested in many ways. One of the most compelling is transhumanism understood as a philosophy (ideology) based on a conviction that man can be enhanced using technological means. It is the modem progress of science and technology, particularly biotechnology, that for transhumanists makes the pursuit for human enhancement necessary. Thus, human beings are perceived as a transitional species in human history leading to the posthuman future when posthumans will become resistant to disease, to aging etc. From the Christian theological perspective transhumanism is criticized as a project entirely secular, promising a happy life and "ageless bodies” on earth. Not fewer criticisms come from the ethical perspective. In the posthuman world ethics seems to be entirely relativized and even disintegrated due to its subordination to utilitarianism and eugenic purposes. What is particularly troubling is the idea that "the genetically enhanced will take advantage of the unenhanced”. The whole transhumanist ideology is the concept in which the giftedness of human life is fundamentally denied and man aspires to be self-sufficient and in control of his future. Transcendence is entirely rejected and replaced by biotechnological future.

Human Sexuality - Donated or “Constructed”? Moral Anthropological Vision of Human Sexuality to the Gender Ideology

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The Divine Revelation is the point of reference for the antropology of moral theology, so from this perspective - from perspective of anthropology of moral theology - human sexuality is a gift and is a challenge. It is a specific vocation placed in God’s plan for man. However, femininity and masculinity as a “two ways of being a body” are not understood as clear as before in the contemporary world. Gender ideology, which has become increasingly popular, tries to redefine human sexuality, separating the biological from the cultural dimension. The article presents main ideas of gender ideology and compares them with the vision of anthropology of moral theology. The article also tries to show the impossibility of agreement between a two extreme positions and points to the importance of problem.

The Gender Revolution as Neomarxism

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This paper seeks to present the genesis and essence of the gender ideology and the contemporary cultural revolution that is based on it and was initiated in the 1950s. This revolution is a continuation and mutation of the Marxist Proletariat revolution whose theoretical foundation was established by Karl Marx’s socio-political and economic doctrine. The ultimate of the communist system based on it was to ensure the absolute power for its leaders. The author seeks to justify a thesis that the ultimate (although implicit) goal of the gender revolution is also to take control over man. Its means, however, to accomplish it is not take over the political authority but to sexualize man, beginning from the affirmation of his right to choose sex irrespective of his biological sex. It seems that sexual freedom is almost an imperceptible form of power over man.

The Ethics of a Care in Medicine

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The ethics of a care is relatively a new model of medical ethics being in intention of its representatives a reasonable compromise between a radical ethics of sancticity of life and a conformist ethics of quality of life. This conception creates its attraction appealing to humanistic values and relation to contemporary thought stream. Although a concern for the patient was always in medicine a positive and desired attitude, therefore the fact of giving it the status of a superior value may cause the acts posing a threat to health or life of the sick (for example: euthanasia in the name of care). This article brings closer the main theses of the presented model and contains an attempt of its moral evaluation.

Enforcement in Sexual Relations and Moral Responsibility of the Enforced

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Not infrequently marital life in its manifestations is far from its ideal. Mutual love and respect are repressed by egoism, individualism, and also by immoral demands concerning the sphere of intimate life. Such situations become a source of conflict of conscience of the person enforced to immoral intercourse. This paper focuses on two situations: 1) enforcement in the spousal intimate life and 2) defense against the results of rape on the one hand by a contraceptive (but not abortive) pill, and on the other by the „day after” pill (in the context of the discussion initiated by cardinal Joachim Meisner’s resolution in this question). Drawing on the teaching of the Church's Magisterium the author indicates a possibility to accept immoral intercourse (made infertile) in the case when a spousal is enforced, but regards acceptance of anal intercourse as unnatural for both parties. In the case of rape, the author indicates that it is morally permissible for the woman to defend herself by using a contraceptive pill (which is not abortive). At the same time he excludes the „day after” pill for reasons of its specific action.

The Influence of Socio-Economic Transformations on the Family Life

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The family life – like the whole of man’s existence – is affected by socio-economic conditions. There is an interdependence between the family and socio-economic life. Today attention in modern societies is first and foremost directed at the individual. Therefore the family is no longer supposed to play such an important role of a social institution. Consequently the family is forgotten by economists who are more willing to use the concept of the “resident individual” than the specific concept of the family. Meanwhile it is in the family that one should seek the first strategic source of resources for society, mainly by the reconstruction of society, balancing redistribution, creating human capital, and protection of weak individuals. The family as the basic community needs an appropriate organization of socio-economic life. We mean here especially such an organization of labor that would take into account the needs and the rhythm of family life. In order to properly function and fulfill its mission, the family should be provided with just wages for its labor. In the context of the family life just wages is thought to be such that suffices to establish and maintain one's family and safeguard its future. The family for its development does not need to be cared for from time to time, but its needs permanent solutions in the form of the state's active pro-family policy based on the principle of subsidiarity. The pro-family policy must transcend the concern about the family’s material situation, and tend to protect its subjectivity and identity. It is necessary to make families themselves better aware of their own role of coauthors of the pro-family socio-economic policy.

Selected Dimensions of Responsible Parenthood According to the Teaching of John Paul II in the Perspective of Third Millennium

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From the point of view of moral theology it seems necessary to study the essence of responsible parenthood in the spirit of the following dimensions. The religious aspect draws the spouses’ attention to their moral responsibility to see in each act of procreation the salvific plan of God the Creator. The moral aspect means that a responsible parental attitude is supposed to be realized through the spouses by way of a properly formed conscience, so that they could behave in conformity with the natural moral norms and with the calling that results from Divine Revelation. The cognitive dimension, concerning the biological dimension of human life, indicating as of primary importance man’s endowment by God with concrete biological capacities; he should use them in conformity with his nature. The volitive aspect indicates the indispensable task to control one’s own drives and passions by means of reason and will. Spouses (parents) are called to it as rational and free creatures. The social aspect stresses the dialogical dimension of life towards community in the context of the common good. Christian parents are obliged to take into consideration their unique conditions in which they experience the family community of persons, assuming that the conditions can have the character of a different kind.

Conscience Clause in a Democratic State. An Ethical and Theological Reflection

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Conscience clause permits not to perform professional actions or not to provide certain services for reasons of religion or conscience. The opponents of this law argue that there is a duty to fulfil one’s legal needs, regardless of one’s own ethical stances. In fact, in the democratic state this regulation protects not only subjective convictions but also the right hierarchy of values and the dignity of the person. The Christian religion urges believers to make spiritual and legal efforts to guarantee conscience clause. It needs also dialogue with secular ethicists and representatives of other religions.

Ks. Ireneusz Mroczkowski. Natura osoby ludzkiej. Podstawy tożsamości człowieka. Płock: Płocki Instytut Wydawniczy 2012 ss. 366

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W poszukiwaniu człowieka w człowieku: Chrześcijańskie korzenie nadziei. Red. S. Nowosad, A. Eckmann, T. Adamczyk. Lublin: TN KUL 2012 ss. 372

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Wojciech Giertych OP. „Odtruwanie łaski”. Kraków: Wydawnictwo „M” 2011 ss. 321

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Michael Banner. Christian Ethics: A Brief History. Chichester: WileyBlackwell 2009 ss. IX+150

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James F. Keenan. A History of Catholic Moral Theology in the Twentieth Century: From Confessing Sins to Liberating Consciences. London-New York: Continuum 2010 ss. VIII+248

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At the Roots of Christian Bioethics: Critical Essays on the Thought of H. Tristram Engelhardt. Red. A. S. Iltis, M. J. Cherry. Salem: M&M Scrivener Press 2010 ss. XVI+339

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John Milbank. The Future of Love: Essays in Political Theology. London: SCM Press 2009 ss. XXII+382

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Przemysław Solarski SDB. Wychowanie moralne w ujęciu Guido Gattiego SDB. Lublin: Poligrafia Inspektoratu Towarzystwa Salezjańskiego 2013 ss. 294

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Kronika Instytutu Teologii Moralnej KUL za rok akad. 2011/2012

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Wykaz publikacji teologicznomoralnych za rok 2011

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