George Weigel reminds us of His achievement.
George Weigel provides an excellent concise overview of the ministry of Pope John Paul II in his article, “St. John Paul II: Centenary Reflection” (First Things, August/September, 2020).
Weigel highlights nine aspects of the pope’s work that have abiding significance and are important benchmarks of his papacy:
- The West represents the forging of Jerusalem and Athens, of faith and reason.
- Humanity is theotropic: In the depths of our being, what all people most desire is to know God.
- God is not a rival to other religions or worldviews, since He seeks only the best for all.
- “Choice” is not everything, but must be coupled with reason and responsibility, for truth and goodness.
- Jesus Christ is the answer to the question that is every human life.
- Salvation is fundamentally a matter of love.
- Love is self-gift.
- Evangelization is in every generation a Christian priority.
- The Church is a public Church for influencing all aspects of life.
These are important components of a Christian and Biblical worldview, and they remind us why many people refer to St. John Paul as John Paul the Great.