a legacy of the Pope

I was teaching at a conference in Pennsylvania this weekend and so had little time or access to news. With the death of Pope John Paul II, there is much tribute to his legacy that will be expressed. Having lived through the oppression of Nazi and then Communist dictatorships, I think the most important lesson he may have left us with is the danger of moral relativism.

The idea that “there is no absolute truth, but only that you have your truth and I have my truth, and what is truth after all?” has swept through large parts of the world. Certainly this relativism is alive and well today. This is why it was so refreshing to hear from someone who had lived through two of the most destructive defining “truths” of human history, with his message intact. Pope John Paul outlived the Nazism and Communism of Poland to give another message to the world.

A message of respectful debate about the issues of our time. Making a case for the good- that which benefits lifting your fellow humans up rather than tearing them down. You could call this message, “Seeking the truth at all possible cost, with courage and consideration.” The benchmark of true tolerance (I disagree with you but I respect you as a fellow human being and will attend to what you are saying) is a rare legacy indeed in this age of “anything goes” or ad hominem (name-calling) attacks where the truth is off on the side of the stage somewhere.

I thank God for working through John Paul II. I pray for all who are mourning throughout the world.