THEOLOGY

3 BASES OF CHRISTIAN MORALITY

 Praying
 Reading

 Scripture

6th – 12th CENTURY

 The Celtic monks, the abbots throughout Britain and continental Europe develop a book
called Penitenia’s
 The need for this was to help the priest in the determination of appreciation penances

various confessed sins

13th – 16th CENTURY

 A series of textbooks called “The summaries of confessional Manuals” appeared

 This theological literature was the result of Pope Innocent III’s edict that exhorted the need
to train confessors
 At this time, as told by the Pope, almost all Dominicans (the Order of Preachers) were
required to attend daily the lectures on confessional practice
 Hence, the original charism of the Dominicans, which is preaching the Gospel, as part of their

theological formation, became an instruction on hearing confession.

IN THE 16th CENTURY

 Textbooks on “Summaries of Cases” and “Moral Manuals” came out

 At this time, a theology that has Christian morality as its subject matter was developed within
the Catholic tradition
 This course of study in the seminary was outlined to prepare the priest in the administration
of the sacrament of penance, as declared by the council of Trent (1545-1563) requiring each
catholic to receive the sacrament of penance at least once a year.
 The council specified the nature of the seven sacraments of the church in which the
sacraments of penance, with its necessary elements: contrition, confession, absolution and
satisfaction, was given special emphasis
 This time, throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, the society of Jesus (the Jesuits) was the
center of this particular educational enterprise.
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 During this period, each priest must know the different kinds of sins, whether venial or
mortal. He must know how to apply the general moral norms to specific moral actions. The
confessor was also expected by the penitent to immediately and accurately provide

guidance.

SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL (1962 – 1965)

 The council urged for the renewal of moral theology which highlighted scriptural
foundations, the view on Christian vocation, the primacy of charity, the mystery of Christ and
the history of salvation
 While the “Penitentials” the “confessional Manuals” and the “Moral Manuals” in the pre-
Vatican council II were all about sin, intended for confessors in administering the sacrament
of penance, the second Vatican council offered a new paradigm of Christian morality that is
beyond adherence to the law and juridical norms.
 Here, the person, as member of the church, is called to holiness and to follow Jesus Christ
leading to the perfection of love.
 On the other hand, the very noteworthy feature of the council’s moral teaching is the
Catholic Social Doctrine that is based on the dignity of the human person and the common
good
 The Pastoral Constitution on the church in the Modern world, the 1971 Synod of Bishops
Justice in the World, and the encyclicals and apostolic exhortations of the popes emphasized

the wider social dimension of Christian moral life.

1983 CODE OF CANON LAW

 “Education must pay regard to the formation of the whole person, so that all may attain their
eternal destiny and at the same time promote the common good of society. Children and
young persons are therefore to be cared for in such a way that their physical, moral and
intellectual talents may develop in a harmonious manner, so that they may attain a greater
sense of responsibility and a right use of freedom and be formed to take an active part in
social life” (Can. 795)
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MORAL THEOLOGY IN THE LOCAL MAGISTERIUM

 Second Planetary Council of the Philippines (January 20 to February 17, 1991)

 Catechism for Filipino Catholics
 Pastoral Letter
 Finally, Moral Theology today is no longer limited to priests and seminarians. Many lay moral
theologians with university (civil) degrees rather than Pontifical or Church-licensed degrees
are now teaching in colleges and universities
 They also help the local church in giving formations to lay leaders and pashioners through
seminars, forums, recollections, retreats and be like
 Moral theology for the undergraduate students, on the other hand aims not anymore for the
administration of the sacrament pf penance but designed to educate and form them to

become good Catholic or Christian professionals in the future.

CHRISTIAN MORALITY (General Objective of the course)

 This subject moral theology or Christian morality addresses 4 basic reciprocal relationships of
the human self (material, interpersonal, collective, and transcendental) that form the norms
for human ethics and the process by which these norms are transformed into Catholic Moral
Theology through faith in the Crucified/Glorified Jesus as Transcendental Peace-Bringer
present in the church and in the world

2 PARTS OF MORAL THEOLOGY

1) General Moral Theology which treats of the general presuppositions of the moral act and the
qualities with which every action must be endowed in order that if may contribute to man’s
final goal
 This includes, first and foremost, the meaning and nature of Christian ethics,
discernment, natural moral law, conscience, sin, the ten commandments and
the Beatitude, and virtues.
2) Special or Specific Moral Theology which treats of the human behavior in the different
spheres and situations of human life as a moral problem that needs Christian Moral
guidelines and spiritual discernment
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 Issues like euthanasia, abortion, suicide, homosexuality, divorce, organ
transplant, fornication or pre-marital sex, birth control, etc. are just some of the

questions nowadays that Christian morality deal with.

MEANING AND NATURE OF MORAL THEOLOGY

 Etymologically, there is no difference between ethics and morality

 The word “ethics” is derived from the Greek word” ethos” which means custom
 On the other hand, the word “morality” comes from the Latin word “mos” or “moris” which
also means customs.
 Morality from ethics distinguished
 Ethics refers to theories while the morality refers to praxis or practice

 Morality is the actualization of ethics

VERITATIS SPLENDOR

 Moral theology 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 “morality” with the good and the evil of human acts and of
the person who performs them
 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)
 Elements:
a) Moral theology is a science
b) It is guided by Divine Revelation
c) It is concerned with morality

d) It is rooted in Jesus Christ

MORAL THEOLOGY MORAL PHILOSOPHY

It focuses on one foundational event of Divine It focuses only on the insights of human reason
Revelation in Jesus Christ who is the perfect which is grounded on the very nature of man
revelation of God as well as in the Scared
Scripture, the Church, Scared Tradition, and in
sacraments.
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It deals with the supernatural goal of man, It deals with a merely natural goal of man
which is the glory of God and eternal life
It reflects and thematizes personal experiences It criticizes only the human acts in relation to
in relation to the reality of Christian faith and the subjective goodness and values.
Gospel values.

CHRISTIAN MORALITY & CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY

 Some writers made a “dissociation” of spiritually and moral theology. The former Considers
the whole of theology and studies how it affects the believer’s life of faith in the community.
Moral Theology seeks to discover, in the light of revelation, the kind of persons Christians are
called to become and the norms which should guide their lives. Moral theology, therefore, is

a more specific field within the broader “field-encompassing” range of spirituality.

4-SECTOR METHODOLOGY OF MT

1) Holy Scriptures
2) Scared Tradition
3) Magisterium

4) Signs of the times