In matters of doctrine and ethics, John Paul II represented the conservative view. He was the counterpoint to Pope John XXIII, who, through the Second Vatican Council of the 1960’s and in numerous other ways, tried to reconcile Catholics with the modern age.
这表明了约翰·保罗二世担任教皇一职带来的的另一方面的影响，比起教会外的人来说，这点与教徒更休戚相关。在教条和伦理方面，与约翰二十三世教皇恰恰相反，约翰·保罗二世代表了保守派的观点。约翰二十三世通过上世纪六十年代的第二次梵蒂冈会议和诸多其他渠道，曾试图使天主教与现代社会相为融合。