The Splendor of Truth: Encyclical Letter of John Paul II [Paperback]

Pope John Paul II (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0819869643 | ISBN-13: 978-0819869647 | Publication Date: April 1, 1993

The Splendor Of Truth is addressed by the Supreme Pontiff Pope John Paul II to all the Bishops of the Catholic Church. The context contains the fundamental questions of the church's moral teaching.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Pauline Books & Media (April 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0819869643
• ISBN-13: 978-0819869647
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #360,247 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very deep book full of truth about life, April 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Splendor of Truth: Encyclical Letter of John Paul II (Paperback)

Pope John Paul is a brillian writer who brings us an excellent summary of truth as it has been discerned over the last 2000 years of Christianity. This book is true to Scripture, the tradition of the early Church Fathers and Catholic Doctrine. It speaks strongly against modern tendencies to deny the concept of absolute truth found in moral relativism. This is a must reading for all who are seeking the truth revealed to us by Christianity.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comments from a Graduate Student in Literature.., July 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Splendor of Truth: Encyclical Letter of John Paul II (Paperback)

The combination of the 'Catechism' and The Spendor of Truth are, perhaps, the most necessary tools for any and all Catholic thinkers/scholars; as well as anyone interested in discovering the authentic teachings of the Church - minus the broad-stroked misinformation of the mass media.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A moral and spiritual treatise, March 15, 2006

By 

Mark Schmittle (El Monte, CA.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Splendor of Truth: Encyclical Letter of John Paul II (Paperback)

In my opinion Veritatis Splendor is the finest of Pope John Paul's encyclicals. It is the best in terms of theological content as well as its ability to enrich one spiritually. This document addresses head on many of the abuses found in today's Catholic universities and seminaries; abuses ranging from a failure to recognize the Magisterium of Christ's Church to the preponderance of such philosophical schools as proportionalism, relativism, and pragmatism which tend to deny the existence of absolute norms and therefore lead to eventually to lawlessness.
It is the law that the Holy Father sets forth as the means of fulfilling the Christian faith. The natural law is the expression of the Divine Law within creation and can be known by men through right reason. The law, unable to be fulfilled by man without God's grace, is now capable of being fulfilled through the power of the Holy Spirit unleashed through the Gospel and made available to us through the sacraments. The Holy Father eloquently expresses how it is through living out the law, even in extremely difficult circumstances that the Christian manifests Christ's presence and power in the world today and proclaims His Kingdom most effectively.
Finally, the Holy Father firmly confirms the Church's constant teaching that there exist negative moral norms that can never be broken even with the intention of attaining some contingent good. For example, one may never rob in order to feed the poor. Yet Christ's mercy is ever present to forgive and strengthen anew those who fail to live the law and turn to Him for help.
Reading this encyclical made me want to live the law, to seek virtue, to know the power of Christ at work in me. Besides being an excellent work of moral theology and Magisterial teaching, it is above all in my estimation an uplifting spiritual treatise.