Moral Relativism, The Moral Code, and Human Freedom

In modern times it has been increasing popular to say that truth may vary by person.  One person may say that murder is wrong, while another may say it is wrong depending on the scenario.  Though the example given may seem outlandish is denotes a trend of moral relativism among our culture.  The power to decide what is truth, and what is right of wrong is the domain of God.  In the great encyclical, Veritatis Splendor, Saint Pope John Paul II writes, “Revelation teaches that the power to decide what is good and what is evil does not belong to man, but to God alone” (Veritatis Splendor para 35).  The ideas taught within nominalism have manifested themselves twofold within moral relativism.  Furthermore, God has revealed through reason and natural law certain moral principles that man is to uphold.  Sin undermines this by destroying what God had established, and in a sense, man has become their own god.

As previously stated God has revealed in natural law, and the scriptures the moral code in which man is supposed to act.  Concerning morality, or the moral order, natural law helps us discern universal and binding moral principles and precepts.  God gave this gift to man to show us how to love him and how to love each other.  Natural law implies that there is a moral realism, or a defined moral order that we called to uphold.  When we follow natural law, seek to know the truth about God, and seek to do good we echo the words of scripture “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39 NRSV).  These appetites worked together to help man have happiness.

However, man wanted to be happy at all costs, and that would eventually mean transgressing moral law.  Man wanted freedom, but what man does not understand is that the moral code leads to freedom.  Saint Pope John Paul II writes, “God’s law does not reduce, much less do away with human freedom; rather, it protects and promotes that freedom” (Veritatis Splendor para 35).  Sin destroys that freedom, and man becomes a slave to sin.  Man tried to change morality was, and in the 14^th century William Ockham said that universal ideas like truth and love were ideas and not reality .  This would eventually give way to moral relativism which says that there is no objective truth.  Truth is in the eye of the beholder and can change from one person to another.  Through sin, man lost sight of what truth is and what would make him happy.  Regarding this Servais Pinckaers writes, “With the advent of nominalism we witness the formation of the first morality obligation:  The moral life will henceforth be circumscribed to obligations.  The desire for happiness will be systematically set aside” (Pinckaers 72).  Truth is not a concept or an abstract idea.  Truth is embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.

Works Cited

Pinckaers, Servais.  Morality:  The Catholic View.  St. Augustine’s Press.  South Bend, IN:  2001.  Print.

Pope John Paul II.  Veritatis Splendor.  http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_06081993_veritatis-splendor.html.  Accessed February 27, 2018.

Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version