Paul’s Moral Doctrine

Polazeći od zahtjeva Drugoga vatikanskog koncila da se znanstveno izlaganje moralne teologije mora više temeljiti na Svetome pismu, u članku se istražuje što bi u tome pogledu mogle ponuditi Pavlove poslanice. Budući da je Apostol u svojim poslanicama uvijek nastojao braniti i ponovno utvrditi poljuljano evanđelje, u taj kontekst su smještene i njegove moralne pouke, i to gotovo isključivo u obliku apostolskoga opominjanja (parakleze). Prava svrha apostolskih opomena nije samo upozoriti na pogreške u moralnom ponašanju i njih ispraviti, nego omogućiti kršćanskim zajednicama rast u vjeri u trajnim opasnostima svijeta. Ako je evanđelje temelj i perspektiva Pavlova moralnoga učenja, tada se postavlja pitanje odnosa toga učenja prema helenističkoj filozofskoj etici, na jednoj strani i židovskoj etici utemeljenoj na teologiji stvaranja i starozavjetnoj mudrosti, na drugoj strani. Zanimljivo je vidjeti kako je Pavao, stvarajući prepoznatljiv moral svojih kršćanskih zajednica, te zajednice smještao u životni prostor poganskoga i židovskoga okruženja. Koji su bili motivi i ciljevi njegova apostolskoga opominjanja? O tome ovisi u kolikoj mjeri Pavlovo moralno učenje može teološki obogatiti današnju moralnu teologiju koja će biti razumljiva i prihvatljiva, ne samo današnjim kršćanima nego i današnjem sekulariziranom svijetu.Paul’s ethical doctrine is closely related to the Gospel and founded on Christology. It is contained almost exclusively in the Apostle’s cautionary sentences. The motive behind his caution is a new life that is given to Christians by the mercy of God in Baptism. The Apostle reminds the people of the greatness of that gift so that they may not fall into a life of sin. The true aim of the warning is not just to warn the people of their faults in their moral behaviour or to correct already established Christian communities faced with the constant threats of the world, but to enable them to grow in faith. Even though the threats of the world are sufficient reason for Paul to call Roman Christians not to adapt to the world he does not tell them to withdraw from that world but to accept it with love and to give themselves to God in sacrifice in order to save the world (cf. Rm 12). He describes this as Christian servitude in the world in which a Christian life unfolds. That sort of behaviour could be comprehended and accepted even by non-Christian thinking. In today’s atheistic and secularised world this is the only way for Christians. Perhaps this could be seen as the only possible and acceptable form of New Evangelisation so often referred to in the modern world. In the situation when Christian proclamation has lost its power, can help only the example of a successful life according the Gospel