The National Catholic Weekly March 11, 2013 $3.50 of Many Things

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The National Catholic Weekly March 11, 2013 $3.50 of Many Things THE NATIONAL CATHOLIC WEEKLY MARCH 11, 2013 $3.50 OF MANY THINGS PUBLISHED BY JESUITS OF THE UNITED STATES iving as I do in a very large, Girard, Michael Kirwan, S.J.: “the fragile glass house, I am reluc - Gospel is the biblical spirit that exposes PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER tant to throw stones. I say this the truth of violent origins, takes the John P. Schlegel, S.J. L EDITOR IN CHIEF because Lent is a good time to take side of the victim and works toward the stock of the moral quality of one’s rela - overcoming of scapegoating as a viable Matt Malone , S.J. tionships and general environs, to get a means of social formation.” In other EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT better idea of how one is or is not a words, the life, death and resurrection MANAGING EDITOR part of the world’s problems. There is, of Jesus subvert the whole ghastly Robert C. Collins, S.J. however, an occasionally indiscernible enterprise. DIGITAL EDITOR line between healthy reflection and self- You may be asking why any of this Maurice Timothy Reidy righteous judgment. In recent years, in matters. For starters, if mimetic theory LITERARY EDITOR addition to the patient grace of God, I is true, then we may need to rethink Raymond A. Schroth, S.J. have come to rely on a more this-world - some of our most treasured presupposi - POETRY EDITOR ly insight in order to make sense of tions. If Girard’s world is, in fact, the James S. Torrens, S.J. such things: the thought of René world we live in, then the modern ASSOCIATE EDITORS Girard, the French-American Catholic notion of the autonomous, self-actual - Kevin Clarke cultural critic. Girard stumbled onto an izing individual, for example, is nothing Kerry Weber idea a few years ago that he calls more than a romantic myth. Luke Hansen, S.J. mimetic theory, and the basic gist of it Girard is not without his critics; I EDITOR AT LARGE is this: have a few questions myself. Still, his James Martin, S.J. First, Girard says, all human desire is theory has some very interesting possi - ART DIRECTOR mimetic. Apart from fundamental bio - bilities. It could help us understand, for Stephanie Ratcliffe logical needs, human beings copy one example, something that is much on my ASSISTANT EDITOR S another, not just in basic linguistic and mind these days: According to Girard’s Francis W. Turnbull, S.J. Olga Segura behavioral patterns but also in terms of theory, the scapegoat isn’t necessarily what we consciously want. Strictly innocent and frequently isn’t. A sinner COLUMNISTS Angela Alaimo-O’Donnell speaking, then, I have no desires that are can still be a scapegoat. Colleen Carroll Campbell original to me; rather, I desire according That counterintuitive fact helps John J. Conley, S.J. to the desire of another. explain the sense of self-righteous satis - Daniel P. Horan, O.F.M. Girard’s second insight is that faction we derive from throwing stones. James T. Keane human conflict occurs when the desires And there’s a lot of stone throwing at John W. Martens Bill McGarvey of multiple people converge on the the moment; the news is full of tales of Margot Patterson same object, either seen (that iPad), or individuals who have done apparently Michael Rossmann, S.J. unseen (happiness). Third, this conflict, sinful things. Many of us like to point WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT which he calls mimetic rivalry, quickly to them—prelates, athletes, next-door John Carr escalates and can plunge a whole com - neighbors, whomever—and say, along munity into crisis. Such crises are with the rest of the group, that there is BUSINESS DEPARTMENT resolved through “the scapegoat mecha - no way that we could have done what CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER nism.” One person, then another and he or she did; that, even in the same sit - Lisa Pope then a whole group of people point the uation, in the same circumstances, we 106 West 56th Street finger of suspicion at an individual, the would certainly have acted differently. New York, NY 10019-3803 sacrificial victim, who is then expelled That’s a comforting thought, though Ph: 212-581-4640; Fax: 212-399-3596 or destroyed. The sacrifice of the scape - mostly a lie. goat restores order to the Girard’s theory, not to mention reve - E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] community...until the next crisis. lation and much of human history, Web site: www.americamagazine.org. Admittedly, this is pretty grim news. challenges that smug, self-righteous Customer Service: 1-800-627-9533 We are, by nature, not free in the way assumption. This Lent, we would all do © 2013 America Press, Inc. that we thought; worse, we are prone to well to consider how. I myself intend to pretty brutal forms of violence. The do so in the quiet, though expansive liv - Cover: An image of Pope Benedict XVI at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls in good news, however, is that there is a ing room of my own glass house. Rome Feb. 11, 2013. Reuters/ way out. In the words of one student of MATT MALONE, S.J. Alessandro Bianchi CONTENTS www.americamagazine.org Vol. 208 No. 8, Whole No. 5003 March 11, 2013 ARTICLES 11 A POPE’S PROGRESS Assessing Benedict’s legacy Christopher M. Bellitto 16 READING BENEDICT Reviewing the pope’s love of the word Drew Christiansen • Tracey Rowland • Daniel J. Harrington James Martin • Our Readers 23 HELLO, I MUST BE GOING A history of papal resignations John W. O’Malley 25 WHO’S NEXT? 16 More questions about the next pope Thomas J. Reese COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS 4 Current Comment 5 Editorial A Time to Act 6 Signs of the Times 9 Washington Front The Pope They Missed John Carr 37 Letters 39 The Word The Life Offered John W. Martens 23 BOOKS & CULTURE 29 MEDIA Netflix’s “House of Cards” COLUMN Boom and Bust BOOKS ON THE BIBLE Disputed Questions ON THE WEB ON THE WEB Thomas J. Reese, S.J., right, discusses the papal transition on our podcast. Plus, a video introduction to Together on Retreat: Meeting Jesus in Prayer , the new e-book from James Martin, S.J. All at americamagazine.org. 29 CURRENT COMMENT gal voters by means of elaborate identity checks and bad Raising the Minimum local management. The screening has a disproportionately In his State of the Union address, President Obama made adverse effect on eligible minority voters. The Brennan an important case for raising the federal minimum wage to report calls for modernized digital registration, a comput - $9 an hour. The last time Congress voted to raise the min - erized statewide voter database and 10 weekdays and two imum wage was in 2007, when it authorized a graduated weekends of early voting as well as an increase in the num - three-year increase. Since then the cost of living has ber of polling places. increased significantly, mostly because of an escalation in There are already at least seven voting reform bills fuel prices. The current rate of $7.25 is simply not high before Congress waiting for attention. A newly appointed enough. Many people who earn the minimum wage have bipartisan presidential commission approaches its task to work multiple jobs to pay the bills. Others must rely on with some of their homework already done by someone public assistance to cover what they cannot afford. Many else. Now all must agree that democracy can flourish only young people continue to live at home because their wages if everyone can and will easily vote. are not enough to pay rent. Raising the minimum wage would make a difference in Hearing All Sides many lives. One student told The Huffington Post: “If Some notable voices have responded positively to the latest the…minimum wage goes up, then I would either be able attempt by the Department of Health and Human to make $200 more a month (which I could put toward Services to resolve a public policy dispute with the U.S. loans or, better yet, actually start saving), or I could work bishops and Catholic institutional employers. The depart - about six or seven fewer hours a week, giving me more ment has dropped ill-advised qualifications for faith-based time to focus on my education.” entities that would be eligible for an exemption from or an The president has also recommended pegging the mini - accommodation with a new mandate for cost-free contra - mum wage to inflation. This would be a major step for - ception coverage in new health insurance plans. ward. Because Congress must authorize every increase, the In an initial statement Cardinal Timothy Dolan of minimum wage has gradually fallen behind the cost of liv - New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic ing. “The remuneration of work is not something that can Bishops, struck a conciliatory tone in the ongoing dis - be left to the laws of the marketplace; nor should it be a pute, noting his desire to find “an acceptable decision left to the will of the more powerful,” wrote Pope solution…that respects the consciences of all.” After press John XXIII. reports described the U.S. bishops’ statement as a “rejec - tion” of the administration’s overture, Cardinal Dolan Save the Vote took the unusual step of correcting the record, noting the Testifying in 2006 on the reauthorization of the Voting intention of the bishops to study the proposed H.H.S. Rights Act of 1965, the historian Alex Keyssar said the guidelines and to continue their dialogue with the “right to vote can be as fragile as it is fundamental.” In the Obama administration.
Recommended publications
  • Renewing a Catholic Theology of Marriage Through a Common Way of Life: Consonance with Vowed Religious Life-In-Community
    Marquette University e-Publications@Marquette Dissertations, Theses, and Professional Dissertations (1934 -) Projects Renewing a Catholic Theology of Marriage through a Common Way of Life: Consonance with Vowed Religious Life-in-Community Kent Lasnoski Marquette University Follow this and additional works at: https://epublications.marquette.edu/dissertations_mu Part of the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Lasnoski, Kent, "Renewing a Catholic Theology of Marriage through a Common Way of Life: Consonance with Vowed Religious Life-in-Community" (2011). Dissertations (1934 -). 98. https://epublications.marquette.edu/dissertations_mu/98 RENEWING A CATHOLIC THEOLOGY OF MARRIAGE THROUGH A COMMON WAY OF LIFE: CONSONANCE WITH VOWED RELIGIOUS LIFE-IN- COMMUNITY by Kent Lasnoski, B.A., M.A. A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School, Marquette University, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Milwaukee, Wisconsin May 2011 ABSTRACT RENEWING A CATHOLIC THEOLOGY OF MARRIAGE THROUGH A COMMON WAY OF LIFE: CONSONANCE WITH VOWED RELIGIOUS LIFE-IN-COMMUNITY Kent Lasnoski Marquette University, 2011 Beginning with Vatican II‘s call for constant renewal, in light of the council‘s universal call to holiness, I analyze and critique modern theologies of Christian marriage, especially those identifying marriage as a relationship or as practice. Herein, need emerges for a new, ecclesial, trinitarian, and christological paradigm to identify purposes, ends, and goods of Christian marriage. The dissertation‘s body develops the foundation and framework of this new paradigm: a Common Way in Christ. I find this paradigm by putting marriage in dialogue with an ecclesial practice already the subject of rich trinitarian, christological, ecclesial theological development: consecrated religious life.
    [Show full text]
  • First Theology Requirement
    FIRST THEOLOGY REQUIREMENT THEO 10001, 20001 FOUNDATIONS OF THEOLOGY: BIBLICAL/HISTORICAL **GENERAL DESCRIPTION** This course, prerequisite to all other courses in Theology, offers a critical study of the Bible and the early Catholic traditions. Following an introduction to the Old and New Testament, students follow major post biblical developments in Christian life and worship (e.g. liturgy, theology, doctrine, asceticism), emphasizing the first five centuries. Several short papers, reading assignments and a final examination are required. THEO 20001/01 FOUNDATIONS OF THEOLOGY/BIBLICAL/HISTORICAL GIFFORD GROBIEN 11:00-12:15 TR THEO 20001/02 FOUNDATIONS OF THEOLOGY/BIBLICAL/HISTORICAL 12:30-1:45 TR THEO 20001/03 FOUNDATIONS OF THEOLOGY/BIBLICAL/HISTORICAL 1:55-2:45 MWF THEO 20001/04 FOUNDATIONS OF THEOLOGY/BIBLICAL/HISTORICAL 9:35-10:25 MWF THEO 20001/05 FOUNDATIONS OF THEOLOGY/BIBLICAL/HISTORICAL 4:30-5:45 MW THEO 20001/06 FOUNDATIONS OF THEOLOGY/BIBLICAL/HISTORICAL 3:00-4:15 MW 1 SECOND THEOLOGY REQUIREMENT Prerequisite Three 3 credits of Theology (10001, 13183, 20001, or 20002) THEO 20103 ONE JESUS & HIS MANY PORTRAITS 9:30-10:45 TR JOHN MEIER XLIST CST 20103 This course explores the many different faith-portraits of Jesus painted by the various books of the New Testament, in other words, the many ways in which and the many emphases with which the story of Jesus is told by different New Testament authors. The class lectures will focus on the formulas of faith composed prior to Paul (A.D. 30-50), the story of Jesus underlying Paul's epistles (A.D.
    [Show full text]
  • Religious Studies 1
    Religious Studies 1 teach in the master's program or formally agree to have the M.A. program RELIGIOUS STUDIES director of graduate studies continue as her or his advisor. • Doctor of Philosophy in Theology (p. 1) The Ph.D. program director (or the director's designate) functions as • Master of Arts, Pastoral Ministry (p. 3) the initial academic advisor for all Ph.D. students. The Ph.D. program director assists students in first semester course selection and provides • Master of Arts, Theological Studies (p. 4) initial guidance in scheduling general examinations and selecting the • Certificate, Campus Ministry (p. 4) five members of the general examination committee. The Ph.D. program • Post-Master's Certificate, Campus Ministry (p. 4) director and coordinator of graduate studies report on advising activities • Certificate, Pastoral Care (p. 5) for each student to the Ph.D. committee once per semester. Marian Studies Doctoral students also work with a five-member general examination committee. The committee must include a faculty member from each of The International Marian Research Institute (IMRI) is no longer offering the core disciplines: history of Christianity, biblical studies, and theology/ graduate degrees and is in the process of transitioning to its new home in ethics. The committee determines whether the student passes or fails the the College of Arts and Sciences. The Department of Religious Studies is three general examinations. developing Marian course offerings in connection with IMRI's transition, and plans to offer certificates at the undergraduate and graduate As soon as doctoral students determine their dissertation topics, levels. Please contact Jana Bennett, Department Chairperson, for more they should choose, in consultation with the Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • Jesus' Prohibition of Anger
    Theological Studies 68 (2007) JESUS’ PROHIBITION OF ANGER (MT 5:22): THE PERSON/SIN DISTINCTION FROM AUGUSTINE TO AQUINAS WILLIAM C. MATTISON III Christian reflection on the morality of anger must address Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:22: “whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.” One interpretation of this passage found in the Christian tradition relies on what is called here the “person/sin dis- tinction”: anger at persons is sinful, while anger at sin is permissible. The article traces this distinction’s use from Augustine to Aquinas, both to display a living textual tradition at work and to contribute to the broader question of the possibility of virtuous Christian anger. ESUS’ WORDS IN MATTHEW 5:22, “whoever is angry with his brother will J be liable to judgment,” appear unequivocal.1 Anger should have no place in the Christian life. Yet a survey of thinkers in the Christian tradition WILLIAM C. MATTISON III received his Ph.D. in moral theology and Christian ethics from the University of Notre Dame and is now assistant professor of theol- ogy at the Catholic University of America. His areas of expertise are fundamental moral theology, the moral theology of Thomas Aquinas, virtue ethics, and mar- riage. He has edited New Wine, New Wineskins: A Next Generation Reflects on Key Issues in Catholic Moral Theology (2005). Among his most recent published essays are: “The Changing Face of Natural Law: The Necessity of Belief for Natural Law Norm Specification,” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 27 (2007); “Marriage and Sexuality, Eschatology, and the Nuptial Meaning of the Body in Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body,” in Sexuality and the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • What Sin?? John F
    The Linacre Quarterly Volume 43 | Number 3 Article 7 August 1976 Hate the Sin But Love the Sinner. Sin? What Sin?? John F. Russell Follow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq Recommended Citation Russell, John F. (1976) "Hate the Sin But Love the Sinner. Sin? What Sin??," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 43: No. 3, Article 7. Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol43/iss3/7 Hate the Sin But Love the Sinner. Sin? What Sin?? John F. Russell, J.D. (This is a greatly abbreviated theologians and others who have adaptation from a chapter in Dr. expressed their scholarly and oth­ Russell's cur r e n t book-length erwise knowledgeable views on manuscript on the homosexual the matter and the impact that issue in all the major religious de­ the various avenues of approach nominations in the United States. will have on church, society, and In gathering material for the especially the individual.) book, Dr. Russell, who has been The N ew Catholic Encyclope­ a professional scholar on organ­ dia describes the homosexual act ized homosexual activities for as a "grave transgression of the over two decades, has interviewed divine will." literally hundreds of religious and lay officials of all denominations Right? along with numerous gay activ­ The National Conference of ists. In addition, he has re­ Catholic B ish 0 p s , speaking searched well over 10,000 articles, through its Principles to Guide publications, and news items on Confessors in Questions of Homo­ the subject. The material present­ sexuality, says that homosexual ed here barely penetrates even practices are a "grave violation of this single aspect of the multi­ the law of God." fac eted scope of the total problem realized by the religious and lay Right? communities, homosexual and And the most recent expression heterosexual alike.
    [Show full text]
  • Development of Catholic Moral Doctrine: Probing the Subtext M
    Boston College Law School Digital Commons @ Boston College Law School Boston College Law School Faculty Papers January 2003 Development of Catholic Moral Doctrine: Probing the Subtext M. Cathleen Kaveny Boston College Law School, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://lawdigitalcommons.bc.edu/lsfp Part of the Ethics in Religion Commons, History of Christianity Commons, and the Religion Law Commons Recommended Citation M. Cathleen Kaveny. "Development of Catholic Moral Doctrine: Probing the Subtext." University of St. Thomas Law Journal 1, no.1 (2003): 234-252. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ Boston College Law School. It has been accepted for inclusion in Boston College Law School Faculty Papers by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Boston College Law School. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ARTICLE DEVELOPMENT OF CATHOLIC MORAL DOCTRINE: PROBING THE SUBTEXT M. CATHLEEN KAVENY* I. INTRODUCTION Judge Noonan has been speaking and writing explicitly about the gen- eral topic of development of doctrine in Catholic moral theology for ap- proximately a decade now. In 1993, he published a now-classic article on the topic in Theological Studies, arguably the most prominent journal of Catholic theology in the United States.' He gave a plenary address on de- velopment of moral doctrine to the annual meeting of the Catholic Theolog- ical Society of America in 1999.2 Judge Noonan developed his arguments and analyses more extensively in the fall of 2003, when he delivered a se- ries of eight Erasmus Lectures at the University of Notre Dame on the de- velopment of moral doctrine.
    [Show full text]
  • The Task Ahead for the Theologian in a New Decade
    THE TASK AHEAD FOR THE THEOLOGIAN IN A NEW DECADE The task which today confronts those Catholics who are vitally interested in the science of theology is both formidable and stimu- lating. I refer not so much to the challenge which arises from the hostility of those elements in a materialistic and secularistic culture that doubt or deny or scoff at God, and hence have nothing but scorn for a science whose total object is God and creatures in their relationship to God.1 Rather am I concerned with the challenge that theology itself—in the midst of a milieu which the remarkable ad- vance of knowledge is changing with almost incredible rapidity— presents to the theologian in diverse and manifold forms, as a living science, in this year of Our Lord 1960. The observations in this address, which I am highly privileged to deliver as your president, are in no way intended to be compre- hensive or exhaustive. Surely they make no pretense to solve any profound theological problem. I will consider them to be in some small degree successful, if they contribute something toward bring- ing into focus the nature and the imperiousness of the challenge. Time and again within the past few years our attention has been called to the need of fostering and furthering a greater interest in and love for things intellectual. And rightly so. But may I suggest here that there is no less need of what may be called a personal predisposition or orientation on the part of scholars, without which there can be no true scholarship in any field, theology included: a predisposition or orientation deriving from and indeed constituted by the possession of varied intellectual characteristics, but espe- cially of maturity of approach, impartiality of attitude, and respect for truth.
    [Show full text]
  • SCRIPTURE and the CHRISTIAN ETHIC Within the Scope of This
    SCRIPTURE AND THE CHRISTIAN ETHIC Within the scope of this convention, called as it is to consider the question "Is there a Catholic theology?" it is imperative that we ethi- cists and moral theologians raise the question "Is there a Catholic moral theology?" A general response to this question will be the subject of Charles Curran's communication to this convention tomorrow. Conse- quently I have chosen to restrict the scope of my presentation to a consideration of a narrower issue, namely that of the use of the Scrip- tures in the formulation of a Catholic and/or Christian ethic. The question that lies before us for our general consideration is, in fact, a double question. On the one hand, we might well ask, "Is there a Catholic moral theology?" and thereby raise the issue of pluralism In moral theology. On the other hand, we can ask "Is there a Catholic moral theology?" and thereby inquire whether or not there is a specifi- cally religious (i.e. Catholic or Christian) dimension which can be brought to bear upon ethical questions. It is obvious to all of us that there is a factual pluralism in Catholic moral theology.1 There is not now nor has there ever been a single Catholic moral theology. Not even during those centuries when natural law methodology was enjoying its heyday nor during those more recent times when Catholic moral think- ing was largely influenced by magisterial statements and the formula- tions of Canon Law was there a single Catholic answer to any but the most obvious ethical questions, and even then we were confronted by more moderate opinions, pastoral judgments, the limitation of human freedom, and the subjectivity of the human conscience as the consensus opinion was brought to bear upon a specific case.
    [Show full text]
  • The Role and Function of the Scriptures in Moral Theology
    THE ROLE AND FUNCTION OF THE SCRIPTURES IN MORAL THEOLOGY The function of the Scriptures in moral theology has been a perennial question for the science of moral theology. Today the question assumes even greater importance and urgency in the light of two tendencies in contemporary theology which may even repre- sent contradictory trends. On the one hand, the biblical renewal has made a great contribution to the development of moral theology in the last decade. The contemporary moral theologian has re- jected the moral manuals of the past for many reasons, but the failure to find a basic orientation and grounding in the Scriptures frequently is mentioned as a most important lack in the older text- books. On the other hand, there has been another trend which has expanded the concept of revelation to cover much more than just the word of God in the Scriptures. An increasing emphasis, at some times in an exaggerated way, has been given to this world and the wisdom which persons in this world can acquire from one another and from their worldly existence. Theologians have recently been asking what if anything is distinctive about Christian ethics which has its primary source in the Scriptures. In the midst of a plurality of sources of ethical wisdom what are the role and function of the Scriptures? This paper will discuss the question from three different aspects: the advantages that have accrued to Catholic moral theology in the last decades because of a greater emphasis on the Scriptures; the inherent limitations of the use of the Scriptures in moral theology; two fundamental methodological questions governing the use of the Scriptures in moral theology.
    [Show full text]
  • Vatican Ii and Theological Ethics
    Theological Studies 74 (2013) VATICAN II AND THEOLOGICAL ETHICS JAMES F. KEENAN, S.J. This note, extended into an article to commemorate Vatican II, argues that any study of the council and theological ethics must attend to World War II’s devastating impact on the field. The war moved European ethicists to repudiate the three centuries of moral manuals and propose a theological ethics based on conscience acting out of charity. In Latin America and Africa, “suffering” emerges as the overarching concern, while in the United States, the language of Catholic social teaching enters the fields of fundamental moral theol- ogy, sexual ethics, and bioethics. Looking back on the council today, ethicists see that the agenda of Gaudium et spes has become theirs. S I BEGAN RESEARCH ON THIS TOPIC, I originally wanted to focus solely Aon what developed in theological ethics after Vatican II. The more research I did, however, the more I found that ecclesiologists and church historians celebrating the 50th anniversary of the council tended to convey at best a modest assumption about the relationship between theological ethics and the council.1 At the same time, polling theological ethicists around the world, I found that many had recently written on the council, emphasizing either Gaudium et spes’s anthropological assumptions, embrace of human dignity, affirmation of conscience and personal freedom, together with its wide array of urgent concerns2 or Dignitatis humanae’s own defense JAMES F. KEENAN, S.J., received the STD from the Gregorian University and is Founders Professor in Theology at Boston College. His areas of special interest include the history of theological ethics, virtue ethics, biblical ethics, and HIV/ AIDS.
    [Show full text]
  • Servais Pinckaers and the Renewal of Catholic Moral Eology
    Journal of Moral eology, Vol. 1, No. 1 (2012): 43-68 Servais Pinckaers and the Renewal of Catholic Moral eology CRAIG STEVEN TITUS URVEYING THE INTELLECTUAL and spiritual heritage of Ser- vais-éodore Pinckaers, O.P. (1925-2008) and the contribu- tion that he makes to the renewal of Catholic moral theology is no small task. He is trained in the spirit of the ressourcement Smovement that has contributed to the renewal in biblical, patristic, and liturgical theology, preparing for the renewal in Catholic moral theology. Moreover, he is a forerunner of the virtue revival that has drawn from a rich Dominican heritage. is movement and this re- vival are part and parcel of the renewal that prepared for the Second Vatican Council and that continues on to this day. In particular, Pinckaers addresses the need to break out of the En- lightenment and modern molds of casuistry and moral manuals that have so affected the Church. He recognizes that the post-Tridentine narrowing of the vocation of moral theology to be simply at the ser- vice of auricular confessions followed a trend in philosophical ethics to focus on duty and obligation at the expense of the internalization of charity and the other virtues and of attention to the beatitudes and the gis of the Holy Spirit. While different sorts of casuistry continue in various forms of consequentialism and utilitarianism, Pinckaers offers a non-casuist approach to moral theory that acknowledges its roots in sacred Scripture and dogmatic theology, as well as in the phi- losophy of nature and metaphysics.
    [Show full text]
  • Fundamental Moral Theology
    Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology CETH 6105 Fundamental Moral Theology Course for Spring 2012 Dates: Mondays Time: 8:30– 10:30 a.m. Location: Alfieri Hall Courtesy of: www.goodjesuitbadjesuit.blogspot.com Professor: Justin M. Anderson, Ph.D. Course Description: This course will allow students to examine the central characteristics of Roman Catholic moral theology. Students will understand how the discipline unifies Scripture, tradition, the magisterium, human experience and reason, the universal desire for Immaculate happiness, and the realities of sin and grace to express the dynamics Conception of the Christian moral life conceived as a dialogic response to the Semin ary gracious initiatives of God and ultimately as an act of worship that School of Theology finds its source and summit in the Eucharist sacrifice. Justin M. Anderson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics, earned both Lewis Hall his Ph.D. and M.Phil. from the Hoger Instituut voor Wijsbegeerte at Katholieke Seton Hall University Universiteit Leuven (Louvain). Professor Anderson's current research focuses on 400 South Orange Avenue Aquinas's conception of virtue, its relation to grace and the role it plays in South Orange, NJ 07079 Aquinas's overall moral science. Related to this is the impact such conceptions have on how Aquinas's moral thought has been read and understood since the Phone: (973) 761-9633 Second Vatican Council. Professor Anderson is a member of Centre de Hautes Website: theology.shu.edu Études et de Recherches sur Thomas D'Aquin and the American Philosophical Email: [email protected] Association. His classes include Fundamental Moral Theology, The Ethics of Virtue and Catholic Social Teaching.
    [Show full text]