Transcript Rights - Gonzaga - Gonzaga College High School



NON CHRISTIAN PEOPLE CAN HAVE GOOD MORAL
CHARACTER AND PERFORM VIRTUOUS ACTS
WITHOUT ANY FAITH IN GOD. BECAUSE OF THE
NATURAL LAW
RAHNER CALLED THESE PEOPLE “ANONYMOUS
CHRISTIANS.”
1.
THE BELIEF THAT GOD HAS INSTILLED IN
HUMANITY A MORAL SENSE THAT WILL
GUIDE THEM TO DO GOOD AND AVOID
EVIL.
1.
2.
3.
2.
Basic human instinct
Base for virtue
1 Thess. 5:21
THROUGH THE OBSERVATION OF NATURE
HUMANITY SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT
IS GOOD VS. WHAT IS EVIL.
Aristotle and natural virtues (generosity,
temperance, fortitude, justice, prudence etc…)
1.
Given to humanity but guided by practical/good
reason.
2. Through observation what can be deduced…
1.
Natural virtues are only concerned with the
earthly existence of the human person and
should lead to earthly happiness or achieve an
earthly goal.
•
•
Ex. Eye see, seeds
Our end is not earthly happiness but
eternal happiness that is our
communion with God.
•
•
•
1 Corinthians 13:13 – Faith, Hope, and
Charity (love)
All ordered to God.
Allow people to live in relationship with
the Holy Spirit.
 Natural
 Natural
virtues unite us to the divine will.
virtues received through the
natural law is united to the eternal law,
which achieved perfection through the
theological virtues.
1.
GIVEN THROUGH GOD’S GRACE AND
WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT IT.
2.
THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES PREPARE US
FOR DIVINE LIFE
1.
HEBREWS 11:1
2.
BEGINNING OF OUR JOURNEY TO GOD.
3.
MAN FREELY COMMITS HIS ENTIRE SELF TO
GOD - THROUGH OUR WILL AND INTELLECT
WE CHOOSE TO BELIEVE IN GOD.
1.
SURRENDER INTO MYSTERY.
2.
FAITH REQUIRES WORKS – OUR FAITH
SHOULD MOTIVATE OUR ACTIONS.
3.
Beginning of our journey to union with
God.
1.
FOCUSES OUR MINDS ON HEAVENLY
THINGS.
2.
WE DESIRE THE KINGDOM OF
HEAVEN AND ETERNAL LIFE AS OUR
HAPPINESS.
1.
KEEPS MAN FROM DISCOURAGEMENT
AND SUSTAINS HIM DURING TIMES OF
ABANDONEMENT.
2.
AFFORDS JOY EVEN UNDER TRIAL.
3.
THE PROMISES OF GOD TAKES HOLD
OF OUR HEARTS AND MOTIVATES OUR
ACTIONS.
1.
2.
3.
CALLS US INTO RELATIONSHIP 1
COR.2:9
LOVE GOD ABOVE ALL THINGS FOR
HIS OWN SAKE. LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR
AS OURSELVES FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.
HOW PEOPLE WOULD RECOGNIZE US
AS BELIEVERS – JN. 15:9, 12(THIS IS MY
COMMANDMENT THAT YOU LOVE
ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU)
1.
GREATEST OF THE THREE VIRTUES
AND GREATEST GIFT THAT THE HOLY
SPIRIT CAN GIVE US. 1 COR.13:13
2.
CHARITY PERFECTS OUR HUMAN
ABILITY TO LOVE.
1.
CHARITY PURIFIES AND PERFECTS ALL
THE OTHER AND NATURAL VIRTUES.
2.
GOAL OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE
 THE
POWER TO ACT OR NOT TO ACT, TO
DO THIS OR THAT
 UNLIKE
ANIMALS, HUMANS ARE NOT
RULED BY APPETITES; HUMANS HAVE
THE POWER TO RISE ABOVE THEIR
APPETITES.
 ISAAC
 THE
NEWTON
IDEA THAT HUMAN ACTIONS ARE
DICTATED BY AND CAN BE PREDICTED
FROM THE LAWS OF NATURE.
 WHEN
LOOKING AT THE NATURAL
WORLD HE NOTICED THAT IT RAN LIKE
A MACHINE.
 GOD HAS A MINIMAL ROLE IN SOCIETY.
 THE
MOTION OF MOST THINGS WERE
DETERMINED BY THE LAWS OF NATURE.
 MOST THINGS WERE NOT FREE, BUT
RATHER PUSHED AND PULLED FROM
ONE DIRECTION TO ANOTHER.
HUMANS ARE NOT TRULY FREE; THEIR
ACTIONS CAN BE PREDICTED. WE ARE
CAUSE AND EFFECT BEINGS, AND BY
OBSERVING THE INNER WORKING AND
EXTERIOR INFLUENCES ONE CAN
PREDICT THE ACTIONS OF THE HUMAN
PERSON
 HUMANITY IS NOT IN CONTROL OF
THEIR ACTIONS; WE ARE THE SUM OF
OUR EXPERIENCES.

 CANNOT
BLAME OR PRAISE OTHERS
BECAUSE WE ARE THE SUM OF OUR
EXPERIENCES.
 HUMAN SHORTCOMINGS AND
ANNOYANCES ARE NOT THE FAULT OF
THE HUMAN PERSON BUT ARE A RESULT
OF A SOCIETY THAT WAS FORMED
BEFORE THE BIRTH OF THAT PERSON.
 HUMAN
BEINGS ARE NOT FREE TO ACT
AS THEY WANT BUT THEY ARE
CONDITIONED TO RESPOND IN A
CERTAIN MANNER.

PAVLOVS DOG
PAVLOV CONCLUDED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO PAIR A NEUTRAL
STIMULUS WITH AN EXCITATORY ONE AND HAVE THE NEUTRAL
STIMULUS EVENTUALLY ELICIT THE RESPONSE THAT WAS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE ORIGINAL, UNLEARNED REFLEX. IN CLASSICAL
CONDITIONING TERMINOLOGY, AN UNCONDITIONED STIMULUS IS AN
EVENT THAT CAUSES A RESPONSE TO OCCUR, WHICH IS REFERRED TO
AS THE UNCONDITIONED RESPONSE. AND, IN PAVLOV'S STUDY WITH
DOGS, THE FOOD WITHIN THE DOG'S MOUTH IS THE STIMULUS, AND
THE SALIVATION THAT RESULTS IS THE RESPONSE. PAVLOV TOOK A STEP
FURTHER AND ADDED AN ELEMENT KNOWN AS THE NONEXCITATORY,
CONDITIONED STIMULUS (THE RINGING BELL), WHICH IS PAIRED WITH
THE STIMULUS.
 CLASSICAL
CONDITIONING – A
NATURAL REACTION IN A PERSON OR
ANIMAL IS ELICITED BY AN UNNATURAL
STIMULUS. SOMETHING THAT DOES
NOT NORMALLY ELICIT THAT
REACTION
 CONDITIONING

APPLIED TO
VOLUNTARY ACTIONS
OPERANT CONDITIONING –
VOLUNTARY ACTIONS OF AN ANIMAL
OR A HUMAN ARE MANIPULATED OR
DICTATED BY A SYSTEM OF REWARDS
OR PUNISHMENTS.
 Skinner
Box
 It contains one or more levers which an
animal can press, one or more stimulus
lights and one or more places in which
reinforcers like food can be delivered.
 Culpability
can lessen dependant on
psychological or social factors.
 Aristotle
– “It makes no small difference,
then, whether we form habits of one kind
or another from our very youth; it makes
a very great difference, or rather all the
difference.”
 When
arguing a specific point, a persons
statement of belief will not be practically lived
out.
 Regardless of what a person says they believe,
their action would show that he did not truly
believe the position for which he was arguing.
• Ex. Tests, God
• A person who believes in determinism, would not
live it out.
 SIN
IS A REALITY IN THE HUMAN
PERSON
• Humans both spiritual and physical
 SIN
IS AN OFFENSE AGAINST GOD
 SPIRITUAL DEATH , PHYSICAL DEATH

1.
2.


AN ACTION AND A
CONDITION
THE ORIGINAL
DISOBEDIENCE OF ADAM
AND EVE
CONCUPISCENCE
DISORDERED DESIRES
ATTRACTION TO SIN
a.
CONDITION THAT HAS BEEN
PASSED DOWN TO ALL OF
HUMANITY
 FREELY
CHOSEN SINS OF INDIVIDUAL
PEOPLE.
 Original Sin manifests itself most clearly
in the sins of individual people.
 According
to the virtues or goods the sin
opposes.
• Adultery opposes temperance.
 According
to the commandments they violate.
• Forbidden by 6th commandment.
 According
to whom they offend or concern
• Offends spouse, children, God, society (scandal)
 According
to whether they are sins in
thought, word, deed, or omission.
 According to gravity.
• Mortal – 1.) Grave matter 2.) Full Knowledge
3.) Full Consent.
 SINS
OF INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN FORM
POWERFUL INSTITUTIONS OR
STRUCTURES OF EVIL.
•
DRINKING UNDER AGE, EXPERIMENTATION
WITH SEX, RIDICULING OTHERS
 INVINCIBLE
IGNORANCE - ignorance is
said to be invincible when a person is
unable to rid himself of it.
 VINCIBLE
IGNORANCE - ignorance is
termed vincible if it can be dispelled by
the use of "moral diligence".
 INTERNAL VOICE THAT TELLS
US WHAT
IS RIGHT AND WRONG.
 MOVES US TO SEEK TO KNOW AND DO
GOOD AND AVOID EVIL.
 ID
- PRIMITIVE DESIRES, HUNGERS
 SUPEREGO – INTERNAL PARENT, TELLS YOU HOW
TO ACT, PROHIBITS YOU FROM CERTAIN
ACTIONS.
• GOOD BECAUSE IT CAN BRING YOU TO BECOMING A
HEALTHY HUMAN BEING.
• BECOME BAD IF IT BECOMES A TYRANNICAL SUPEREGO.
• CAN HURT THE AUTONOMY OF A PERSON,
OVERWHELMING SENSE OF UNWORTHINESS
 EGO
– BALANCES THE TWO. THE EGO MEDIATES
AMONG THE ID, THE SUPER-EGO AND THE
EXTERNAL WORLD.
1.
LEAD US TO DO GOOD AND AVOID EVIL.
2.
SEEKING TO SEE TRULY AND THINK HONESTLY
•
•
SEEKING HONEST AND MORALLY RIGHT DECISIONS FOR
ETHICAL SITUATIONS FROM MORALLY CORRECT
SOURCES(HELP HUMAN COMMUNITY AND HONOR GOD.)
DIFFERENT FROM SUPEREGO IN EFFORT TO FIND THE
TRUTH OF A SITUATION DESPITE WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN
TOLD OR THE FLOW OF THE MASSES.

REACH A DECISION THAT SAYS “THIS
IS WHAT GOD WANTS ME TO DO.”
• THIS IS WHAT GOD WANTS FROM ME SO THIS IS
THE RIGHT DECISION.
• SOME DECISIONS CAN BE PERSONALIZED.


WHAT OUGHT I DO?
WHAT SORT OF PERSON OUGHT I
BECOME?
Object – what you have chosen to do.

•
•
Intention – why you have chosen to do the
object in question.

•

Concrete physical action.
Can be more than one object.
It is possible to have more than one intention or
motive.
Object and Intention make up the core of
human action.
 CIRCUMSTANCES
– THINGS THAT
EFFECT THE PERSON PERFORMING AN
ACTION OR THE ACTION ITSELF.
• The situation or surroundings of a person.
 Ex. Age, Economic Status, Psychological state.
• Circumstances can change.
Both object and intention must be good for an
action to be good as a whole.
An evil action cannot be good due to a good
intention.


•
•
Ex. A person aids his wife in committing suicide to
help her out of her painful disease.
Ex. A couple who isn’t married has sex because
they are in love with each other.
A good act can be corrupted by a bad
intention.

•
Ex. A person helps an old woman in order to get
praised by other people.
 CIRCUMSTANCES
OF AN ACT CAN
EFFECT THE CULPABILITY OF A PERSON
AND THE LEVEL OF MORAL GOODNESS
OR EVIL OF AN ACTION.
• Ex. A 16 year old girl from a poor area having an
abortion vs. A 35 year old lawyer having an
abortion.
• Ex. A teacher who does something immoral vs. A
student who acts immorally.
 CIRCUMSTANCES
CANNOT CHANGE
AN INHERENTLY IMMORAL OBJECT
INTO A GOOD ONE.
• Ex. Abortion is wrong despite of circumstances.
• Ex. Sex before marriage is always wrong.
 CERTAIN
INSTANCES WHERE
INTENTION AND OBJECT CAN BE GOOD
BUT CIRCUMSTANCES MAKE AN
ACTION AS A WHOLE INAPPROPRIATE.
• EX. DISCUSSION OF PROBLEMS IN A
RELATIONSHIP IN FRONT OF CHILDREN.
Guideline
Two
to happiness
wellsprings of Divine
Revelation.
The Bible reveals:
What God has done for humankind
What God is doing for human kind
What God will do for humankind
As well as what He expects humans to do to
make his efforts on their behalf fruitful

Christians believe that Scripture is the story of
God’s loving relationship with humanity.

•
•
Scripture presents a consistent message of God’s
love and will for humanity.
Scripture shows the formation of God’s family from
creation to Christ to revelation.
• GOD GRADUALLY UNVEILS HIS ULTIMATE PLAN
BUT GIVES US CERTAIN GLIMPSES TO THE END.
• NEW TESTAMENT IS CONCEALED IN THE OLD
TESTAMENT – OLD TESTAMENT IS REVEALED
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT – BOTH ARE
NECESSARY.
CHRISTIANS ALSO BELIEVE THAT GOD HAD
A HAND IN THE WRITING OF THE
SCRIPTURE.
DIVINE INSPIRATION(GOD BREATHED) – 2
TIMOTHY 3:16 - GOD’S DIVINE GUIDANCE
IN THE WRITING OF THE SCRIPTURES.


•
THE DIVINELY REVEALED REALITIES,
WHICH ARE CONTAINED AND PRESENTED
IN THE TEXT OF SACRED SCRIPTURE, HAVE
BEEN WRITTEN DOWN UNDER THE
INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
GOD INSPIRED THE HUMAN AUTHORS OF
THE SACRED BOOKS.

•
•
TO COMPOSE THE SACRED BOOKS, GOD
CHOSE CERTAIN MEN WHO, WHILE HE
EMPLOYED THEM IN THIS TASK, MADE FULL
USE OF THEIR OWN FACULTIES AND POWERS
SO THAT, THOUGH HE ACTED IN THEM AND
BY THEM, IT WAS AS TRUE AUTHORS THAT
THEY WROTE WHATEVER HE WANTED
WRITTEN, AND NO MORE.
THE HUMAN WRITERS WERE "TRUE
AUTHORS" OF SCRIPTURE AND SO WAS GOD.
FROM
DEI VERBUM (WORD OF GOD)
– Books of Scripture firmly, faithfully,
and without error teach that truth
which God, for the sake of our
salvation, wished to reveal.
 Interpretation
of the Mystery of revelation.
 Fallible on the level of cultural limitations.
 Infallible on the level of God’s desired
teachings for the world.
• Spiritual and moral matters.
• Bible is what it purports to be.
 No
uniform criterion for the scriptures and
interpreting its truthfulness.
 “SOLA
SCRIPTURA” – SCRIPTURE ALONE
 NO OTHER SOURCES OF THEOLOGICAL OR
ETHICAL WISDOM.
 SCRIPTURE IS THE SOLE SOURCE OF
REVELATION.
 SCRIPTURE ALONE IS THE GUIDELINE FOR ITS
INTERPRETATION.
 “SCRIPTURE
AND TRADITION” – RELIGION OF
THE WORD OF GOD.
 JESUS CHRIST IS THE WORD
 WELL WITH TWO STREAMS THAT MAKE UP THE WORD
OF GOD.
 SACRED TRADITION IS USED BY THE CHURCH TO
INTERPRET SACRED SCRIPTURE.
 SACRED TRADITION GUARANTEES THE
INTERPRETATION OF THE SCRIPTURES INTO
CORRECT DOCTRINE AND CREEDS.
 SACRED TRADITION IS SEEN IN LITURGY.
 INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE INTO MORAL RULES
IS DONE BY THE MAGISTERIUM.
 Natural
Law aids our understanding of
Scripture – Scripture is not a proof text for
or against natural law.
 Different
weight should be given to
different scriptures.
 Gospel accounts are the pinnacle of the
scripture.
• Christ is the lens for interpreting scripture.
• Elements of the Old Testament that are
irreconcilable with Jesus’ message are imperfect
or provisional.


Deuteronomy 24:1 - If a man marries a woman who
becomes displeasing to him because he finds
something indecent about her, and he writes her a
certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her
from his house.
Matthew 19:6 – 8 - So they are no longer two, but
one. Therefore what God has joined together, let
man not separate. Why then, they asked, did Moses
command that a man give his wife a certificate of
divorce and send her away? Jesus replied, Moses
permitted you to divorce your wives because your
hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the
beginning.
 Our
understanding of God and His
movements have changed.
 EXEGETICAL TASK
– DETERMINE THE
ORIGINAL MEANING OF A PARTICULAR
TEXT.
• LOOK AT LANGUAGE, HISTORICAL SETTING,
DESIGNATED AUDIENCES(EG. GOSPELS –
MATTHEW VS. MARK), CIRCUMSTANCES.
 CAN CHANGE THE LIGHT OF A PASSAGE.
 Letters of Paul – soon returning Christ
 Luke 12:25-6
• Great crowds were travelling with him, and he turned and
addressed them, “ If anyone comes to me without hating his
father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters,
and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple”.
• One is called to such “hatred” of one’s kin to the extent
only that such persons would be opposed to Jesus; the
choice that the disciple has to make is between natural
affection for kin and allegiance to Jesus.
 METHODOLOGICAL TASK
– TAKES A
STORY OR PARABLE THAT ENGAGES
THE INTELLECT AND DETERMINES IF A
PARTICULAR PASSAGE IS TO BE TAKEN
LITERALLY, AS AN EXPLICIT MORAL
RULE, OR IN SOME OTHER WAY,
INTENDED TO MOTIVATE AN AUDIENCE.
 MARK
9:43 - If your hand causes you to
sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter
life maimed than with two hands to go
into hell, where the fire never goes out.
 CHRISTOCENTRIC
PRINCIPLE –
CHRIST SHOULD BE THE LENS THROUGH
WHICH THE WHOLE OF THE BIBLE IS
VIEWED AND UNDERSTOOD.

JESUS’ TEACHING SUPERSEDES OTHER
SCRIPTURES.
Matthew 5:38 – 40
 You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for
eye, and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, Do
not resist an evil person. If someone
strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him
the other also. And if someone wants to
sue you and take your tunic, let him have
your cloak as well.
 Hermeneutical Task
– Attempt to
understand what the scriptures have to
say about contemporary ethical issues.
1 Corinthians 6:9
 Do you not know that the wicked will not
inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be
deceived: Neither the sexually immoral
nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male
prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
 The Theological Task
• Combine the Biblical message with other
sources of moral wisdom.
 Prayer
 Guidance and example of virtuous people
 Parents
 Teachers
 Friends
 The Natural Law
 Lives of the Saints and Holy Martyrs
 The Church through the teachings of the Magisterium
Guarantees faith through Tradition
Tradition
 Christ message passed down through oral
tradition.
 Organized into the New Testament.
 Christian Community’s official leaders
interpreted the scriptures.
 Modern day Christian leaders interpretes
Christ’s message for the modern day situations.
 Church
Magisterium has the authority to
interpret and teach in Jesus’ name on
contemporary issues.
• Eg. Abortion, Stem Cell Research
 Magisterium
gives an understanding of
God’s word that cannot be achieved by
ourselves.
 If
you choose what you will believe and
what you won’t believe from the
scriptures, it is not the scriptures that you
believe in but yourself.
 Goal
of a religion is to stretch and
challenge a person.
 Our
original understanding of the
scriptures come from the early Christian
community.
 Jesus
designated authority to teach in his
name to His Apostles.

Matthew 16
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon
son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man,
but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are
Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the
gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the
keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on
earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose
on earth will be loosed in heaven." Then he warned his
disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
Matthew 16
 Simon to Peter (Petros –Rock, Solomonic
Temple)
 Keys to Kingdom
• Isaiah 22:22 – Prime Minister
• Davidic – Governing of God’s Kingdom – 2
Samual 7(Bayith)
 Bind
and Loose
Matthew 18:18
 Power to Bind and Loose given to all
Apostles (Bishops through Apostolic
Succession.)
Matthew 28:18 – 20
 Great Commission – Make disciples of all
nations…
 Combination
of weighing the moral
issues and authority given by Christ.
 Error free on dogma.
 Magisterium teachings could be
infallible or “provisional.”
• Ex. Some teachings are made to the best of the
ability of the magisterium.
• Faith is living and evolving – Holy Spirit.
 Jesus
protects the integrity of the
message.
 Integrity of the message is independent
of the personal mistakes of believers.
 On
the level of non-infallible teachings
the faithful are given the ability/license
to follow their own conscience.
 Must have necessary theological
expertise to deviate from church
teaching, and weariness of arrogance.
 Catholic
Church uses natural law in discussing
unforeseen ethical dilemmas.
• Use of reason is God given and is able to correctly
guide us through moral situations.
• Through rational reflection on human experience,
people can learn about their own nature and
discover Gods plan for creation.
• Natural Law enhances ethical dialogue between
Christians and non Christians.
The idea that natural things are to be
preferred to man-made ones. (“Back to
Nature”)
 About comparing the traits that humans
share with other creatures in nature. (“the
birds and the bees”)
 The idea that activities that regularly occur in
human affairs are therefore natural (i.e., OK)
(“It’s only natural for a person to . . . “)
 The idea that behaviors that flow from natural
inclinations are therefore OK. (“If it’s
involuntary, then it’s natural”)
