From a Catholic viewpoint, relativism—the belief that truth is subjective and varies by individual or culture—undermines the existence of objective moral and spiritual truths, posing a threat to faith, reason, and societal order as taught by the Church.
Relativism holds that truth, morality, and meaning are not absolute but depend on personal opinion, cultural context, or historical circumstances. From a Catholic perspective, this denies the universal truths revealed by God and upheld by the Church.
The Church teaches that truth is objective, rooted in God as the ultimate source, and accessible through faith and reason, as articulated in the Catechism (CCC 2465-2470). Relativism rejects this, leading to a fragmented worldview that erodes moral clarity and divine authority.
By making morality subjective, relativism undermines the Church’s belief in universal moral laws, such as the Ten Commandments, which guide human behavior toward the good. This can justify actions like abortion or euthanasia, which Catholicism deems intrinsically evil, destabilizing ethical foundations.
In Fides et Ratio (1998), John Paul II warned that relativism abandons the search for ultimate truth, leaving humanity adrift in a “crisis of meaning.” He saw it as a danger to faith and reason, urging a return to objective truth to counter its corrosive effects.
Before his 2005 election as pope, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger famously critiqued the “dictatorship of relativism,” where subjective opinions replace absolute truth, weakening moral and spiritual resolve. As Pope Benedict XVI, he argued in his 2006 Regensburg address that this mindset risks reducing faith to sentiment and reason to utilitarianism, threatening human dignity.
Relativism challenges the Catholic claim that Jesus Christ is the singular “way, truth, and life” (John 14:6), suggesting all beliefs are equally valid. This erodes the certainty of divine revelation, potentially leading to a faith detached from doctrine, which the Church sees as essential for salvation.
Without objective truth, societal norms become fluid, risking chaos as individuals or groups impose their own standards, a concern Benedict XVI highlighted in his critique of moral relativism. The Church believes this undermines the common good, fostering division and enabling tyranny under the guise of tolerance. It sees a shared moral framework as vital for justice and peace.
Catholicism holds that reason, guided by faith, can discern universal truths, as taught by Aquinas and reaffirmed in Fides et Ratio. Relativism denies this capacity, reducing reason to subjective preference, which John Paul II warned leads to intellectual despair and a loss of trust in human rationality.
Relativism weakens the Church’s authority to teach universal doctrine, as it invites skepticism about its claims on issues like marriage or the sanctity of life. This can fragment the faithful, dilute evangelization, and blur the Church’s identity in a pluralistic world. Benedict XVI saw it as a root cause of secularization, pushing religion to the margins.
The Church counters relativism by proclaiming Christ as the absolute truth and reinforcing the harmony of faith and reason, as in John Paul II’s Fides et Ratio and Benedict XVI’s writings. It educates the faithful through catechesis, emphasizing the Catechism’s objective moral teachings, and engages culture with apologetics to defend truth’s universality. This response aims to restore confidence in a shared reality grounded in God. The Church sees dialogue—rooted in conviction, not compromise—as key to overcoming relativism’s influence.