One of the oldest ways of showing the practical realization of a call to holiness is the imitation of Christ. In the past this idea, with additional role models included, was also used in the moral theological refection on human development and sanctifcation. However, those attempts found it diffcult to defne the subject of imitation as well as imitation itself. Also today, with some reservations, the idea of imitation can be used for a methodical presentation of the Christian vocation to holiness and of concrete ways how this vocation can be realized. When taken together with the biblical category of the vocation and of the gift, this idea allows to present Christian moral life in a synthetic way and can be the reference point for specifc moral obligations. However, when using the category of imitation in the correct presentation of a call to holiness, correct terms are needed as well as an understanding of the vocation as found in Revelation and in particular and modern behavioural sciences. Such a presentation would emphasize important features of Christian morality, especially its religious, personalistic and social character, and would manifest misconceptions of both extreme autonomy and extreme heteronomy.

For many ethicists, natural law no longer seems to be relevant as a model for the motivation of norms. At the same time, moral theology after Vatican II strives for renewal which, on the one hand, distances itself from radical autonomous thinking and, on the other hand, overcomes certain narrownesses of the past. It happens in the context of a cultural upheaval between modernity and postmodernity, in which universalistic ethical concepts are regarded critically anyway. Nevertheless, the increasing ethical challenges of the present, especially those in the bioethical field, call for universally valid solutions in the globalized world. In this context, natural law thinking can and should be used again. However, it would have to be suitably presented. An ethical understanding beyond cultural and temporal boundaries is possible, but requires an agreement on the binding character of human nature.

25 years after the political transformation in Poland the time has come to assess the reforms and attitudes of entrepreneurs . The role of business leaders turns out to be particularly important in the creation of common good, inclusive of workplaces created by them and an active fight against poverty. On the basis of the most recent social documents of the Catholic Church, the author of the article considers an influence of the globalization and financialisation on the conditions in which Polish entrepreneurs function. For Christian business leaders particularly important are those fundamental and practical principles of business which emerge from the human dignity, common good as well as from such principles as justice and subsidiarity. In the current context knowledge should be combined with spirituality so that those principles can be put into practice. The spirituality of St . Ignatius has always been open to this. The author then points to the activity of those young Christian business leaders in Poland who search for an inspiration in the books of Chris Lowney.

The issue of tenderness has never been the major topic of moral theology. It is enough to have a quick look at the most popular dictionaries of moral theology to see the total absence, or only a marginal presence, of this issue both in the doctrinal teaching and the catalogue of virtues. The article presents specific 20th-century philosophical and theological attempts to tackle the issue of tenderness that were introductory to the theology of tenderness suggested by Pope Francis. The article presents different approaches to tenderness in Pope’s theology and its existing examples. Pope Francis seems to understand tenderness as a mode of existence and relations with other people that correlates with the mode of being a Christian in the world, because this is the way of showing God to the world. This way of life is characterized by empathic closeness, life focused on the gift of self, a real participation in the life of other people with their joys and sufferings, and, last but not least, paternal and maternal care. If we assume that the goal of moral theology is to show authentic human existence in specific places of human life, it has to be said that, following Pope Francis’ teaching, it is impossible to contribute to moral theology and ignore tenderness as the central virtue vital for living the Christian calling.

Observing current trends in moral theology, especially in the field of bioethics, has long raised both the methodological and meritorious problem of obscuring or even removing the boundaries between good and evil. Divergence and contradiction have become a strange scientific standard in theological-moral discourse in the derivation of Hegel’s synthesis on fundamental moral questions. Depositum fidei morale, which is based on the Decalogue, Lex aeterna, and lex naturalis, seems to be giving way to post-Christian Wittgenstein language-games, in which the clear line between good and evil (including truth and falsehood), determined by the transcendent Authority of God, has been relativized. The reflection of the relationship between the norm and conscience, as well as the relationship between good and evil, in the light of the Thomistic philosophical-theological patrimony, seeks to point to the need of accepting an adequate logical re-examination of the ethical analysis of a human act. Without this, it is impossible to continue not only in Traditio, but also in finding a universal reference point for distinguishing between good and evil in the complicated world of contemporary bioethics, which responds to revolutionary biotechnologies in the field of biomedicine.

The notion of free will, which supports moral responsibility in various accounts of Catholic moral theology, is in a particular way situated at the intersection of theological and non-theological disciplines. Early studies on volition in cognitive neuroscience, inspired by Libet’s experiment (1983), suggested that free will is an illusion because our conscious intentions do not cause corresponding actions: these are initiated beforehand by unconscious brain processes. Although this seems to contradict basic anthropological and ethical assumptions, a closer look at this thesis renders it immature. At the same time, new developments in the multidisciplinary science of human volition draw attention to several aspects of freedom and agency that may be central to the way people take action and control their lives. The implications of this research may provoke some reformulations on the side of theological ethics. They may also point to certain schools and traditions, such as Christian virtue ethics, as theologically preferable.

The paper explores shifts and turns that over the centuries have influenced moral thinking and instructing on moral matters within the Roman Catholic tradition. The purpose of this exploration is to shed light on the current status of moral theology and identify areas for future developments. The paper proposes ‘ecclesial ethics’ as one of such areas. It views moral theology as a dynamic discipline, shaped by the pressures, invitations and demands of the day. It claims that for moral theology to be relevant today, some fundamental questions (including the purpose of the discipline) must be revisited. It argues that practical realities in the lives of individuals, communities and the Church as well as the Planet must be at the forefront of moral theological considerations. Contemporary moral theologians and/or theological ethicists (the paper considers this distinction) are a diverse and, we dare to add, divided group. The paper argues that building bridges in a polarised world (including the world of moral theology) needs to be a priority. The overall aim of this study is to respond positively to the call for the renewal of moral theology as voiced in the ‘Decree on Priestly Formation’ of the Second Vatican Council and in several statements made by Pope Francis.