By: Rev. Robert John Araujo, S.J.
This article concerns Pope John Paul II’s views on the law and
juridical institutions. In particular, the article focuses on
the Pope’s assertion that the underlying premises of the rule of
law must be the same for all legal cultures regardless of the type
of legal system. This article discusses the rule of law and
its meaning and examines the precedents upon which John Paul II
relied and refined. Further, it examines some of the
major writings issued during his pontificate in which John Paul
placed his own hallmark to the notion of the rule of law.
Finally, it considers the beneficial impact that his ideas can have
on the world and its legal institutions.