Meaning and Nature of Moral Theology Flashcards
Why study Christian Morality? In this morally complex world, the whole community of the human persons is now facing many forms of social, cultural, political, and economic problems that affect the spiritual and moral life of individuals. Although; these dehumanizing complications in the human community were addressed to by the different sectors of the society, most of the approaches that they used are based on (4)
utilitarianism, relativism, consequentialism, proportionalism, or any other similar secular theory.’
It is evident that what actually the society is really facing is (4)? Hence, each individual must not only know the right thing to do but also to be submissive to the objective moral truth according to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
As________ said, “people today need to turn to Christ once again in order to receive from him the answer to their questions about what is good and what is evil.”
“the crisis of truth
“the crisis of faith,”
“the crisis of culture of civilization of life and love,”
“the crisis of morality”
Pope John Paul II
Etymologically, there is no difference between ethics and morality.
The word “ethics” is derived from the Greek word “____” which means ____.
On the other hand, the word “morality” comes from the Latin word “_____ or ______” which also means______.
ethos = custom
mos” or “moris = customs
refers to theories while morality refers to praxis or practice.
Ethics
is the actualization of ethics.
Morality
According to the classic definition of____________ ,_______ is “faith seeking understanding” (fides quaerens intellectum).
It is a critical reflection on the faith.” Theology’s object is the divine revelation that is received and grasped in faith.
Its task is to articulate the Christian faith experience of the community in language and concepts. Hence, theology, which requires faith, attempts to give expression to one’s faith from a particular religious tradition.
St. Anselm of Canterbury
theology
______, in his encyclical letter_______, says that the great medieval theologians and teachers rightly held that theology, as a science of faith, is a participation in God’s own knowledge of Himself.
It is not just our discourse about God, but first and foremost the acceptance and the pursuit of a deeper understanding of the word which God speaks to us, the word which God speaks about Himself, for He is an eternal dialogue of communion, and He allows us to enter into this dialogue (no. 36).
Pope Francis
Lumen Fidei
______ acc. to ______ thus demands the humility to be “touched” by God, admitting its own limitations before the mystery, while striving to investigate, with the discipline proper to reason, the inexhaustible riches of this mystery.
Theology
Pope Francis
also shares in the ecclesial form of faith, which must therefore be at the service of the Christians.
It considers the______ of the Pope and the bishops in communion with him to ensure our contact with the certainty of attaining to the word of Christ in primordial source and thus provides the certainty of attaining to the word of Christ in all its integrity (Ibid.).
Theology
magisterium
______is an_______ because it grows in the Church and works on the Church.
It is a service to the Church and therefore ought to feel itself actively involved in the mission of the church, particularly in its prophetic mission.
By its very nature and procedures, authentic theology can flourish and develop on through a committed and responsible participation in and “belonging” to the Church as a community of faith.”
theology
ecclesial science
is a science which accepts Divine Revelation while at the same time responding to the demands of human reason.
It is a reflection concerned with “_____”, with the good and the evil of human acts and of the person who performs them.
Moral Theology
morality
It acknowledges that the origin and end of moral action are found in the One who “alone Is good” and who, by giving himself to man in “Christ,” offers him the happiness of divine life (no. 29).
VERITATIS SPLENDOR
VERITATIS SPLENDOR
Elements:
○ ______ Is a science.
○ It is guided by_____
○ It is concerned with____.
○ It is rooted in_____.
○ It is a_____.
○ There Is a process of_____ as well as an acknowledgment of Christ.
○________ is the ultimate goal.
Moral Theology
Divine Revelation
morality
Jesus Christ
response
reflection
Happiness of divine life
FOUR-SECTOR METHODOLOGY OF MT (SOURCES OF MORAL THEOLOGY)
● Holy Scriptures
● Sacred Tradition
● Magisterium
● Signs of the times
● “All ______ is inspired by God and can profitably be used for teaching, for refuting error, for guiding people’s lives and teaching them to be holy. This is how the man who is dedicated to God becomes fully equipped and ready for any good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
HOLY SCRIPTURES
Vatican II teaches that the _________ should be the soul, as it were, of all theology.”
Further, the_____ is the source of all saving truth and moral teaching.”
Holy Scripture
Gospel
“The_____ has faithfully preserved what the word of God teaches, not only about truths which must be believed but also about moral action, action pleasing to God.”
Hence, these sacred texts in the biblical writings are consulted when addressing moral issues. They have always been granted a prominent place in theological argumentation.
Church
______ writes, “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).
St. Paul
Sacred traditions
(2), then are bound closely together, and communicate one with the other. For both of them, flowing out from the same divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing, and move towards the same goal.
Sacred Tradition and the Sacred Scripture
is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit.
Sacred Scripture
____ transmits its entirety the Word of which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit.
It transmits it to the successors of the apostles so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth, they may faithfully preserve, expound and spread it abroad by their preaching
Thus it comes about that the Church does not draw her certainty about all revealed truths from the Holy Scriptures alone.
Tradition
both(2) must be accepted and honored with equal feelings of devotion and reverence.
Scripture and Tradition
It should be recalled that the first generation did not yet have a written New Testament, and the New Testament itself demonstrates the process of living_____
Tradition
_______is to be distinguished from the various theological, disciplinary, liturgical or devotional traditions, born in the local churches over time.
These are the particular forms, adapted to different places and times, in which the great______ is expressed.
In the light of_____, these ______ can be retained, modified or even abandoned under the guidance of the Church’s Magisterium.
Tradition
The historical development of a_____ or ______ is examined in which the history within Christianity is specifically given importance.
In a word, historical events or socio cultural practices outside Christian community are not part of the_____
doctrine or moral norm
Sacred Tradition
This is the teaching authority of the Church
Magisterium
The Church_______ intervenes not only in the sphere of faith, but also, and inseparably so, in the sphere of morals.
magisterium
It has the task of discerning, by means of normative for the consciences of believers, those acts which in themselves conform to the demands of faith and foster their expression in life and those which, on the contrary, because intrinsically evil, are incompatible with such demands…
Magisterium
It teaches the faithful specific particular precepts and requires that they consider them in conscience as morally binding.
magisterium
the_______ carries out an important work of vigilance, warning the faithful of the presence of possible errors, even merely implicit one, when their consciences fail to acknowledge the correctness and the truth of the moral norms.
Magisterium
This should not be understood in the context of the Pharisees and Sadducees’ demand on Jesus for ‘sign’ (Matthew. 16:1-4) or of the frightening events forecasted by the ‘prophets of gloom’ about the end of the world but rather this is the argument of reason or rational reflection on the human experiences of the human community in light of a true human flourishing
Signs of the times
This form of argument should always be associated with the Gospel values and the natural law doctrine.
The Church has always had the duty of scrutinizing the ___________ and of interpreting them in the light to the Gospel…
Signs of the times
According to__________, “God may be summoning us to recognize new challenges and to devise new ways of meeting these challenges. God may be calling us to conversion in its deepest meaning, a change of mind and heart (Mark 1:15).
Richard McBrien
_____________, as described by the________, as those events or phenomena in human history which, in a sense, because of their impact or extent, define the face of a period, and bring to expression particular needs and aspirations of humanity at that time.
Signs of the times
International Theological Commission
● It focuses on one foundational event of Divine Revelation in Jesus Christ who Is the perfect revelation of God as well as in the Sacred Scripture, the Church, Sacred Tradition, and in Sacraments.
Moral theology
It deals with the supernatural goal of man, which is the glory of God and eternal life
Moral theology
It reflects and thematizes personal experiences in relation to the reality of Christian and Gospel values
Moral theology
It focuses only on the insights of human reason which Is grounded on the very nature of man
Moral philosophy
It deals with a merely natural goal of man
Moral philosophy
It criticizes only human acts in relation to subjective goodness and values
Moral philosophy
cannot be reduced to a body of knowledge worked out purely in the context of the so-called behavioral sciences.
Moral theology
The latter are concerned with the phenomenon of morality as a historical and social fact, moral theology, however, while needing to make use of the behavioral and natural sciences, does not rely on the results of formal empirical observation or phenomenological understanding alone.
behavioral sciences
the relevance of the______ for moral theology must always be measured against the primordial question: What
is good or evil? What must be done to have eternal life?” (Veritatis Splendor, no. 111)
behavioral sciences
Behavioral sciences, despite the great value of the information which they provide, cannot be considered decisive indications of moral norms.
It is the_____ which reveals the full truth about man and his moral journey, and thus enlightens and admonishes sinners (Veritatis Splendor, no. 112)”
Gospel
seeks to discover, in the light of revelation, the kind of person Christians are called to become and the norms which should guide their lives.
______, therefore, is a more specific field within the broader “field-encompassing” range of spirituality.
Moral theology
But to separate these two subjects Is a mistake.
_____ and _____have a common goal.
Spirituality and moral theology
They are ultimately directed to bring persons in a transforming relationship with God in Jesus Christ.
They come together in the original experience of conversion and come together in the concrete choices people make.
Spirituality and moral theology
Self
Material belonging
Others
Interpersonal belonging
Nature
Collective belonging
God
Transcendental belonging
● This means that pleasure and happiness is the only thing good in itself, while evil is what causes pain and sorrow.
Thus, consequence determines the goodness or badness of an action.
TEMPORAL HAPPINESS AND WELFARE
This view, therefore, is a kind of consequentialism, eudaemonism, and utilitarianism.
Temporal happiness and welfare
Psychologically, this refers to self actualization and self-realization and promotes as the all-encompassing goal of human life.
But the morality of self-perfection is man-centered and, if promoted within the context of religion, leads to an anthropocentric orientation of religion.
ETHICS OF SELF-PERFECTION AND TEMPORAL PROGRESS
Thus, it seems to be an individualistic type which is contrary to the views of the Church which is communitarian and fellowship with God.
ETHICS OF SELF-PERFECTION AND TEMPORAL PROGRESS
● Actions are valued as good or evil according to their contribution to the realization of the values of happiness, self-perfection or temporal progress.
MORALITY FOR ITS OWN SAKE
This is actually an approach of relativism in which moral goodness depends on individuals and groups holding them
MORALITY FOR ITS OWN SAKE
● The ultimate purpose of man and all creation is the glory of God.
GOD’S GLORY AND KINGDOM
Biblical texts in the_______ say:
“Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare his praise” (Isaiah 42:12; Jeremiah 13:16; Malachi 2:2);
“Everyone | who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:7).
Old Testament
In the_______, it was also the concern of Jesus Christ about glorification of the Father in heaven. (John 8:49; 15:8; 17:4; Luke 2:14). St. Paul earnestly urge the Christians,
“Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31; Ephesians 1:12; Colossians 3:17);
“To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever” (Philippians 4:20; Ephesians 3:20 1 Timothy 1:17; Judge 25).
New Testament
● The motive of obeying God’s commandment is man’s _______.
In the Old Testament, _____ is often
understood as a liberation from temporal afflictions, but it also constitutes an eschatological promise.
In the New Testament, Christ has come into the world for the _____ of all. He has come to save the lost (Luke 19:9f; John 5:34; 6:39f), to save the world and not to condemn it (John 3:17; 12:47). Christ “will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
SALVATION
MODELS OF CHRISTIAN MORAL LIFE
A. The teleological
B. The deontological
C. The relational
The________ views the Christian moral life in terms of the goal or end to be achieved, namely, eternal union with God.
teleological model
Something is good if it leads to the achievement of the goal, and evil if it prevents one from achieving it. In the complexity of human historical existence, however, one must distinguish the ultimate goal from immediate and subordinate goals.
Teleological model
is a classic exponent of the teleological model of the Christian life.
Thomas Aquinas
The________ views the Christian moral life primarily in terms of duty
deontological model
(Greek - “____’ which means duty), law, or obligation.
deon
(Greek -_____’ which means goal)
telos
The categorical imperative of Immanuel Kant is an example of that approach ( “Acts as if the maxim from which you act were to become through your will a universal law”).
Deontological
Popular Christian piety, in effect, adopts this approach also when it makes the Ten Commandments the basis of the moral life.
Deontological
Although the traditional manuals of moral theology assumed they were in the tradition of Thomas Aquinas (whose approach was teleological), they were really operating within the_______, with their heavy emphasis on law as the objective norm of morality and on conscience as the subjective norm
deontological model
The_______, developed especially in the writings of Bernard Haring, views the Christian moral lite primarily in terms of the Christians multiple relations with God, neighbor, world, and self.
relational model
Although preferable to the teleological and deontological models, the ______ model does not exclude some place for them in moral theology.
deontological models
