Cardinal Georges Cottier was influential in drafting the encyclical,[1][a] as was Servais-Théodore Pinckaers, a professor of moral theology at the University of Fribourg.

[2] Veritatis splendor responds to questions of moral theology that had been raised during the postconciliar period of the Church (events after the Vatican II ecumenical council of 1962-65).

Veritatis splendor consists of three chapters: (I) Teacher, What Good Must I Do; (II) Do Not Be Conformed to this World; and (III) Lest the Cross of Christ be Emptied of its Power.

Pope John Paul teaches that no matter how separated someone is from God, "in the depths of his heart there always remains a yearning for absolute truth and a thirst to attain full knowledge of it.

The encyclical affirms that today's respect for human freedom "represents one of the positive achievements of modern culture."

Because God is the true author of good, it remains of critical importance to understand how the divine Law, as expressed by the authoritative magisterium of the Church, considers an issue before determining absolutely for oneself.

John Paul goes so far as to say that habitual sin enslaves man and so following a wrong judgment of conscience is in the end a step away from freedom.

"[5] John Paul firmly opposes the theological assertion that such a fundamental choice can be separated from particular actions, stating that it is contrary to Scripture as well as to long-held Catholic teaching on sin and salvation.

He also opposes it on philosophical grounds, writing, "To separate the fundamental option from concrete kinds of behaviour means to contradict the substantial integrity or personal unity of the moral agent in his body and in his soul."

Stated another way, this is a strong support for the long-held doctrine of Catholic moral theology that "the ends do not justify the means."

John Paul teaches that man can and must respect the norm of morality even in the most difficult situations: "Temptations can be overcome, sins can be avoided, because together with the commandments the Lord gives us the possibility of keeping them.