A Pontifical John Paul II Institute Partner Feature

released 4/23/2025

In this November 2023 lecture, D. C. Schindler examines the concept of self-gift which was central to Karol Wojtyła’s thought. Schindler explains certain theological and ontological objections to the idea that one can give oneself fully to another, and he reveals how Wojtyła thoughtfully engaged with these objections. By making a distinction between “self-gift” and “transaction,” he deepened and enriched the idea of giving oneself while arguing that such giving intensifies our belonging to ourselves, to others, and to God. 

This lecture is provided courtesy of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute. The full title of the lecture is “Can the Incommunicable Self Be Given? On Person, Love, and Ontological Generosity.”

39 minutes

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