Abstract

The live discussion which absorbs many influential theological circles, as well as being manifest in official declarations of the Roman Catholic Magisterium is evidence that the concept of the fundamental option still remains an essential and current element in contemporary moral theology. It provides not only a suitable context, which allows demonstrating the rich topics associated with issues of human action, but also reflects the progressive renewal in moral theology, reaching to its deepest fundamental assumptions. It has to be admitted, that this fundamental choice enables the demonstration of issues associated with the Christian concept of human action in the wider perspective of responsible freedom understood as a gift and task. Thanks to this individual decisions and moral choices do not have the characteristic of “isolated wholes” understood in individual and autonomic categories, but are written into a whole life plan directed at realising the vocation of the human person in a complex creation- salvation perspective. As an integral part of the concept of moral action, the fundamental option is rooted in a personalist understanding of moral norms. This allows the demonstration of a fuller truth about man both in natural and supernatural perspectives. In relation to contemporary theological-moral issues, the fundamental option is a reflection of deep changes leading to the renewal of the theological tradition of the Neo-Scholastic school of thought. By contact with other currents in contemporary thinking – in particular by contact with transcendental philosophy – neo-scholastic theology uncovers new fundamentals freed from the static and constrained essentialist categories that held sway over it. Awareness of this fact shows that the critical evaluation of the concept of fundamental option does not so much focus on doubts as to its appropriateness and theological correctness, but it underlines the need – directed equally to its greatest critics as also to its supporters – of a critical evaluation, metaphysical justification and scientific deepening of the problems discussed.