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Ethics and Afterlife: the Moral Instruction of Thomas Aquinas and C.S

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Ethics and Afterlife: the Moral Instruction of Thomas Aquinas and C.S Inklings Forever Volume 8 A Collection of Essays Presented at the Joint Meeting of The Eighth Frances White Ewbank Article 5 Colloquium on C.S. Lewis & Friends and The C.S. Lewis & The Inklings Society Conference 5-31-2012 Ethics and Afterlife: The orM al Instruction of Thomas Aquinas and C.S. Lewis H. Dennis Fisher Follow this and additional works at: https://pillars.taylor.edu/inklings_forever Part of the English Language and Literature Commons, History Commons, Philosophy Commons, and the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Fisher, H. Dennis (2012) "Ethics and Afterlife: The orM al Instruction of Thomas Aquinas and C.S. Lewis," Inklings Forever: Vol. 8 , Article 5. Available at: https://pillars.taylor.edu/inklings_forever/vol8/iss1/5 This Essay is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for the Study of C.S. Lewis & Friends at Pillars at Taylor University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Inklings Forever by an authorized editor of Pillars at Taylor University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INKLINGS FOREVER, Volume VIII A Collection of Essays Presented at the Joint Meeting of The Eighth FRANCES WHITE EWBANK COLLOQUIUM ON C.S. LEWIS & FRIENDS and THE C.S. LEWIS AND THE INKLINGS SOCIETY CONFERENCE Taylor University 2012 Upland, Indiana Ethics and Afterlife: The Moral Instruction of Thomas Aquinas and C.S. Lewis H. Dennis Fisher RBC Ministries Fisher, H. Dennis. “Ethics and Afterlife: The Moral Instruction of Thomas Aquinas and C.S. Lewis.” Inklings Forever 8 (2012) www.taylor.edu/cslewis 1 Ethics and Afterlife: The Moral Instruction of Thomas Aquinas and C.S. Lewis H. Dennis Fisher RBC Ministries Introduction over any kind of universal binding moral conviction. Also, forming meaningful In today’s postmodern world, community trumps the rugged ethical teaching is often relative and individualism so characteristic of past subjective. This paper will seek to find generations. Many postmoderns hold that commonalities between Thomas Aquinas one of the few certainties left is that and C.S. Lewis to provide a viable everything we know is uncertain. History objective basis for moral decision making cannot be trusted because it has been in the twenty-first century. The written by “the winners.” For the examination of Thomas Aquinas’s ethics postmodern who surfs on the will be draw primarily from his Summa communication waves of the Internet, Theologicae. Aquinas’s view will then be living for “the here and now” matters compared with and contrasted to C.S. most, rather than what might happen Lewis’s moral system. A variety of Lewis’s after death. Since Aquinas and Lewis works will be referenced including The believed there will be a reckoning for the Abolition of Man, The Weight of Glory, moral choices we make during our lives, Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, what possible relevance might their Letters to Malcolm, A Grief Observed, The traditional ethical teaching have for the Chronicles of Narnia, and The Collected postmodern mind? Letters of C.S. Lewis. Thomas Aquinas: Ethics and Afterlife: Viable Moral Ethics Found in Nature Decision Making for Postmoderns and in Scripture As we examine Thomas Aquinas Postmodern assumptions flood and C.S. Lewis concerning their views on the younger generation through web accountability and cleansing after death, sites, email, twitter, blogs, and cable we do so in a world quite different from television. In all the interaction and theirs. Ours is a technologically opinion swapping that takes place, one sophisticated postmodern society. It is wonders if an individualistic eclectic one in which the optimistic faith of the moral system can provide the basis for Enlightenment in progress through our future civilization. “What is right or science and technology has been rejected. wrong for me” can go only so far until it Our current Zeitgeist elevates heart and ends up in a court of law to decide. feeling over objective certainty. It revels Therefore, in providing moral instruction in the eclectic gathering of diverse for postmoderns, we turn to two unlikely opinions and innovative approaches to sources, a twelfth-century Roman life’s problems. Tolerance is preferred Catholic theologian and a twentieth- 2 Ethics and Afterlife · H. Dennis Fisher century Oxford don, to find solid ground wise men to be matters of for objective moral guidance. Thomas obligation. Now, these belong to the Aquinas spent considerable time in his law of nature in this way: they of examination of ethics. Surprisingly, the course require instruction, by Angelic Doctor wrote far more on the which less favored people are basis and practice of morality than on his taught by those who are wise; for treatment of the existence of God. In his example, Rise up before the hoary Summa Theologicae, Thomas explains head, and honor the person of the how an inherent ethical nature has been aged man (Lev. 19:32), and other hard wired into human nature. Not injunctions of this kind.2 immediately appealing to divine Aquinas believed that humans are revelation, Aquinas points to natural moral creatures by nature but also need reason as the initial basis for developing a their consciences educated in orientation moral compass. to life. The younger must learn from those And so, it becomes evident that with greater acquired knowledge and since moral precepts belong among experience. Despite the perennial the matters that pertain to good generation gap, a bridge must be behavior, and since these are items established for the younger to receive that are in conformity with reason, ethical information and insight from their and since every judgment of human elders. Nonetheless, Aquinas also sees reason is derived in some fashion that there are limits to acquiring ethics from natural reason, it must be true based on human experience alone. In that all moral rules belong to the order to accommodate the full range of law of nature, but not all in the individual and societal sensibilities, ethics same way. also must be informed by scriptural revelation. To Thomas, man does not For, there are some things that the stand alone in the natural processes and natural reason of everyman judges flow of history. Instead, he inhabits a immediately and essentially as supernatural universe in which the reality things to be done or not done; for of God, angels, heaven, and hell enter into example, Honor thy father and both the meaning and the moral fabric of mother, and Thou shalt not kill; his ethical choices. Thou shalt not steal. Precepts of this kind belong in an unqualified Finally, there are other matters for way to the law of nature.1 the judgment of which human reason needs divine instruction, “The law of nature” as Aquinas whereby we are taught concerning explains it has a self-evident quality to it. matters of divinity; for example, The respect shown to parents or the Thou shalt not make to thyself a moral compunction felt upon taking graven thing, nor the likeness of another human life is part of one any thing . Thou shalt not take the universal moral fabric. This innate name of thy God in vain (Exod. 20:4, consensus runs through the human as an 7).3 individual and within each successive generation of humankind. But Thomas The first prohibition in the Ten goes on to say that these universal moral Commandments cited by Aquinas is not convictions do need to be learned. necessarily an innate human moral conviction. Indeed, around the world Then there are other things that are today many sincere worshippers venerate judged by a more subtle rational gods and goddesses represented by idols consideration, on the part of the 3 Ethics and Afterlife · H. Dennis Fisher and graven images. Likewise, profanity oneself by the use of reason), temperance and cursing in God’s name with little or (moderation in action, thought, or feeling; no compunction can be found in many restraint), justice (the act of being just cultures. Although postmoderns would and/or fair), and fortitude (acting hold to tolerance as the highest virtue, according to duty in spite of fear). For Aquinas would boldly cite Scripture to Thomas, seeking to emulate these virtues condemn these behaviors. In his view was part of pursuing the good life. An there is only one true God who deserves individual who is disciplined and our worship, and His name should be moderate in food, drink, work, and play honored with our words and deeds. finds greater joy in life than does the one By establishing Scripture as the who pursues these activities to excess. other essential source for moral Likewise, intentionally treating others instruction, Aquinas is in harmony with a with impartial fairness and being able to consensus of the orthodox Christian stand one’s ground for the right despite traditions. How would the unaided external threats will earn a reputation for person know of God’s aversion to idols or being a person of integrity.4 be aware of the prohibition of blasphemy However, as in the case of the if it were not spelled out for him or her rational basis for ethics, virtues must also within the pages of Holy Writ? Especially have a supernatural underpinning. concerning those ethical decisions which Aquinas added to his list three theological affect one’s relationship with the virtues which are grounded in the nature Christian God, Aquinas tells us that divine of God through Scripture. This list of revelation must be consulted. virtues includes faith (trust in God But Thomas does not isolate the through life experience), hope (the belief foundation of ethical decisions purely to a in a positive outcome related to list of scriptural codes which when circumstances), and charity (generous obeyed please God.
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