Natural Law: A legacy of Veritatis Splendor

The encyclical of Saint John Paul II constitutes a milestone in the history of the Church: it is the first time that the Magisterium dedicated a document to address the doctrinal foundations of moral theology. The central teaching of Veritatis Splendor focuses on moral autonomy, whose metaphysical-theological foundation is natural law. While Veritatis Splendor provides a profound explanation of these foundations, it leaves room for further theological reflection on the role natural law plays in moral knowledge, that is, how humans can discern the demands of natural law in the pursuit of moral goodness. This article outlines the key points of the metaphysical and theological foundation of natural law as participated theonomy, within the context of the controversy surrounding autonomous morality. It also delves deeper into understanding how natural law relates to moral knowledge, particularly by demonstrating the extent of participated theonomy.