Note220e. A Theory of Justice Summary. Two Paradigms of Catholic Moral Theology. Two Paradigms of Catholic Moral Theology By Fr. Bernhard Blankenhorn, OP October 14, 2007 We are all to some extent the products of our culture. The older half of this room was raised with a catechesis that emphasized the Ten Commandments. The younger half of this room was raised with a catechesis that did not emphasize the Ten Commandments, and perhaps not much else either. Now you might think that these two forms of catechesis are utterly opposed in their basic philosophies.
Much of Pinckaers’ greatness as a moral theologian consists in his amazing grasp of the history of Christian theology. When we look back at the moral thinking of ancient Christians, we find that moral catechesis was quite different from the two types that those in this room have experienced. The pattern we find in the Didachist can be detected throughout ancient Christianity.
But a synthesis of stories about Jesus and Old Testament precepts is not easy. Aquinas proposed a second crucial insight. Modern Consequences. Moral Theology. Journals for Ethical Theory. CHURCH Magazine: The Shifting Landscape of Moral Theology. UP FRONT The Shifting Landscape of Moral Theology Richard M. Gula | Spring 2009 How has the Catholic approach to moral theology developed over recent decades? In this special feature, Richard Gula gives an overview. “What’s changed since we were taught moral theology, and who’s responsible for it? Can you give us the highlights of the landscape of moral theology today?” These questions, or some variation of them, are frequently asked by participants in sabbatical programs and study weeks. This article aims to serve as a primer for the perplexed inquirerers. I have organized the major changes in moral theology according to four shifts: the historical, the personal, the virtuous, and the spiritual. A brief survey article like this cannot do justice to the richness of the Catholic moral tradition or catch the nuances of different schools of thought that would contribute to a better understanding of the developments and tensions in moral theology today.
Shifting toward the historical. Studies in Christian Ethics -- Archive of Issues by Date. Christian Ethics: How Should We Live? Learner.org. Ethics Online Text Textbook.