The Pastoral Conversion of Moral Theology and “The Perspective of the Acting Person” in Veritatis Splendor

This article considers the Second Vatican Council’s trajectory of pastoral renewal in the church, specifically in its application to moral theology. In particular, Part I summarizes Pope Francis’s reflections on moral theology throughout the first 11 years of his pontificate, attempting to articulate the contours of his vision of an “evangelical morality.” This analysis reveals how Francis’s vision represents a response to the Council’s call for renewal in moral theology, inasmuch as it engages the integration of theology and pastoral action by foregrounding mercy “as the most radiant manifestation of God’s truth.” After this work of serene analysis, Part II considers how Veritatis Splendor —especially its second chapter—relates to the Council’s pastoral trajectory. It is argued that John Paul II’s encyclical does not stand outside the aforementioned trajectory of pastoral renewal, but rather makes an essential contribution to it, not only (as is usually suggested) because it made great strides in recovering a Christological and biblical context for moral reflection, but also because its contributions to moral action theory reflect, with scientific accuracy, the foundation required for a pastoral conversion of moral theology to take root and bear fruit. Veritatis Splendor provides what might be called a pastoral action theory, driven by the trajectory of pastoral renewal and evangelization called for by the Second Vatican Council and constituting the account of moral action necessary for Francis’s vision of an “evangelical morality.”