Pope Benedict XVI’s critique of legal positivism with special regards to the role of tradition in contemporary legal systems

Žepič, Vid (author)

Pope Benedict XVI’s 2011 address to the Bundestag can be interpreted as a comprehensive synthesis of his perspective on the foundations of law as a subsystem within society. He underscored the paramount importance of constitutional democracy and the state, governed by an implementation of the rule of law that is both free and dedicated to upholding human dignity. Furthermore, he exhorted politicians and citizens alike to persistently pursue justice, to critically assess the law as responsible individuals, and to aspire to higher moral standards. In addition to this, he cast doubt on the adequacy of scientific legal positivism and scientism in comprehending law and the realm of reason. Stemming from his scepticism concerning the sufficiency of positivism in the formulation and interpretation of law, he emphasized the significance of European “legal heritage”. According to Benedict, this tradition originated from the cultural triangle of Jerusalem, Athens, and Rome, and serves as an indicator of a “rational legal order”. As Pope Benedict XVI’s address was directed towards scholars in the field of jurisprudence and legal historians, my analysis of the speech is accompanied by a brief examination of the role of the notion of “legal tradition” within the selected European contemporary legal systems.

• Language: English
• Keywords: legal tradition, constitutional democracy, human rights, criticism of legal positivism, natural law, Bundestag speech, European cultural triangle
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: TEOF - Theological Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2023
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: Str. 623-635
• Numbering: Letn. 83, [št.] 3
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-164207
• UDC: 342.7:27-1
• ISSN on article: 0006-5722
• DOI: 10.34291/BV2023/03/Zepic
• COBISS.SI-ID: 178839555
• Publication date in RUL: 17.10.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Bogoslovni vestnik : glasilo Teološke fakultete v Ljubljani
• Shortened title: Bogosl. vestn.
• Publisher: Teološka fakulteta
• ISSN: 0006-5722
• COBISS.SI-ID: 8745472

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Kritika pravnega pozitivizma papeža Benedikta XVI. s posebnim ozirom na vlogo tradicije v sodobnih pravnih sistemih

Abstract

Nagovor papeža Benedikta XVI., ki ga je imel v nemškem zveznem parlamentu leta 2011, lahko razumemo kot sintezo njegovega razumevanja temeljev prava kot družbenega podsistema. V njem ni orisal le pomena ustavne demokracije in svobodne pravne države, ki naj bi bila zavezana predvsem spoštovanju človekovega dostojanstva, temveč je politike in državljane pozval k doslednemu iskanju in prevpraševanju pravičnosti ter k odgovorni kritičnosti posameznika do pozitivnega prava. Podvomil je v zadostnost znanstvenega pozitivizma na področju prava in scientizma v sferi znanosti. Izhajajoč iz dvoma o zadostnosti pozitivizma pri postavljanju in razumevanju prava je kot enega od kazalcev ‚razumne‘ pravne ureditve omenil tudi ‚evropsko pravno dediščino‘. Ta se je po prepričanju Benedikta napajala iz izkušenj kulturnega trikotnika s topografskimi oglišči v Jeruzalemu, Atenah in Rimu. Ker je z opisano mislijo nagovoril tudi pravne teoretike in zgodovinarje, poleg analize papeževega govora v prispevku prikazujem sodobni pomen pojma ‚pravno izročilo‘ v izbranih evropskih pravnih sistemih.

• Keywords: pravno izročilo, ustavna demokracija, človekove pravice, kritika pravnega pozitivizma, naravno pravo, govor v Bundestagu, evropski kulturni trikotnik