Abstract

Jolm Paul II has consistently addressed a set of core themes in his writing and preaching: a dialectic oflaw and grace; the irreducible dignity of the humanperson; and, the interweaving of freedom and responsibility. The Pope's thought is often misunderstood and misrepresented by those who are determined to force his ideas into standard political or ideological categories. His ethics are neither capitalist nor Marxist: they are Catholic and social.