POPE JOHN PAUL II AND THE LEGACY OF DECOLONIZATION

Abstract

Generally, decolonization is about cultural, psychological and economic freedom for indigenous people with the goal of achieving indigenous sovereignty, that is, the right and ability of indigenous peoples to practice self-determination over their land, cultures, political and economic systems. On the other hand, there is the possibility of seeing decolonization as a reversal of the process of European imperial expansion with all its political, economic, social, cultural and linguistic consequences. There is yet the third approach which could be regarded as a consequence of the second. It is expressed by the term, ‘decolonize your mind’. That is thinking and knowledge, the way you understand reality and relate with your fellows. It is more difficult both to understand and practice. Karol Wojtyla followed this approach but in a refined manner thereby uplifting it to universal relevance. His development of the approach applies to both the colonized and the colonizers. It is a global approach aimed at proper and correct understanding of man either as colonized or colonizer. The aim is to inculcate authentic peace and love into peoples of all nations and cultural groups. That is, to correct the conceptual mistakes that led to colonialism. The foundation for this is his philosophy of personalism. This position of this paper is that Wojtyla’s development of an ethical personalism was to be of great consequence, as it became fundamental to his work as Pope, thereby forming the philosophical basis for several decades of the Catholic Church’s influence on the world and on millions of people. This is his legacy.