Freiheit heißt Leben

Abstract

Liberty means to live. That is what Christian Jasper is convinced about regarding the understanding of liberty in German law and Christian faith. The author introduces the reader in the letter Samaritanus bonus on the care of persons in the critical and terminal phases of life which the roman catholic Congregation for the doctrine of the faith published on 14th July 2020. Therefore, the author compares theological and legal understandings of the idea of liberty. Whereas the German Constitutional Court puts much emphasis on the defence of autonomy the author highlights that human dignity implies more than the individual right to act arbitrarily. Modern societies require individuals who behave moral. The challenge is to avoid misunderstandings between the different faculties and to find wise compromises between moral expectations and legal rules in a liberal society. The lecture of Samaritanus bonus may help to improve the public discussion.