Paradigm shifts eccce report

ParadigmParadigm
Shifts inShifts in
Catholic MoralCatholic Moral
TheologyTheology
(Richard Gula, SS,(Richard Gula, SS,
Fausto Gomez, OP)Fausto Gomez, OP)
Msgr. Pedro Gerardo O. SantosMsgr. Pedro Gerardo O. Santos
ECCCE Executive SecretaryECCCE Executive Secretary
September 16, 2016September 16, 2016

1. Moral Theology in Vatican II
2. Moral Theology from Vatican II
to the Encyclical Veritatis
Splendor of PJPII
3. Moral Theology in and after
Veritatis Splendor, and
4. Some significant notes or
characteristics of a renewed moral
theology five decades after Vat II.
- Fr. Fausto Gomez, OP

1. Moral Theology in Vatican II
Optatam Totius

The most significant teaching of
Vatican II on the renewal of moral
theology: “Special attention needs to
be given to the development of moral
theology. Its scientific exposition
should be more thoroughly nourished
by scriptural teaching.

…It should show the nobility of the
Christian vocation of the faithful, and
their obligation to bring forth fruit in
charity for the life of the world.”

Vatican II points out three
important elements in the
renewal of moral theology

1. Biblical and scientific
exposition of moral theology.

2. The primary object of
moral theology: “the nobility
of the Christian vocation.”
The fundamental norm of the
Christian is to be and behave as a
Christian, that is, imitator, follower,
disciple of Christ (Phil 2:7, ff; Rom
15:1-3; 1 Pet 2:21; 1 Jn 2:6) “I
therefore, implore you to live a life
worthy of your vocation.”

3. The consequent object of
moral theology: “To bring
forth fruit in charity for the
life of the world.”
By their fruits one knows who is a
Christian.

2. Moral Theology from Vatican II2. Moral Theology from Vatican II
to the Encyclicalto the Encyclical
Veritatis SplendorVeritatis Splendor of PJPIIof PJPII

Always in Need of RenewalAlways in Need of Renewal
As part of theology, moral theologyAs part of theology, moral theology
will always need to be renewed.will always need to be renewed.
Why? Because, as journey to God,Why? Because, as journey to God,
moral theology involves “an activemoral theology involves “an active
search of God by the person”, andsearch of God by the person”, and
God is “always mysterious andGod is “always mysterious and
always discoverable.”always discoverable.”

……Moreover, moral theology is aboutMoreover, moral theology is about
Christian life, and life is a dynamicChristian life, and life is a dynamic
process of development, a continuingprocess of development, a continuing
effort to become better – as childreneffort to become better – as children
of God and brothers/sisters of oneof God and brothers/sisters of one
another.another.

Renewal involves fidelity to traditionRenewal involves fidelity to tradition
and creative openness to the future.and creative openness to the future.
Authentic theological renewal impliesAuthentic theological renewal implies
going back to the source and beinggoing back to the source and being
open to the world.open to the world.

Some Important Events andSome Important Events and
DevelopmentDevelopment
In September 1967, Paul VIIn September 1967, Paul VI
speaks of some concretespeaks of some concrete
errors in the field of morals:errors in the field of morals:
negation of the existence ofnegation of the existence of
intrinsically evil acts, the re-intrinsically evil acts, the re-
emergence of relativism, theemergence of relativism, the
lack of consideration for thelack of consideration for the
teachings of the Magisterium.teachings of the Magisterium.

3. Impact of John Paul II (Veritatis3. Impact of John Paul II (Veritatis
Splendor)Splendor)

In a real sense, both complementIn a real sense, both complement
each other: while CCC contains aeach other: while CCC contains a
complete and systematic exposition ofcomplete and systematic exposition of
Christian moral teaching (no. 15), theChristian moral teaching (no. 15), the
encyclical focuses on some basicencyclical focuses on some basic
moral questions.moral questions.

i. The relationshipi. The relationship
between moralbetween moral
theology and thetheology and the
SacredSacred
Scriptures.Scriptures.

ii. The moral question –ii. The moral question –
“Teacher, what must I do” –“Teacher, what must I do” –
and the question ofand the question of
happiness.happiness.

iii. Reinterpretation ofiii. Reinterpretation of
the Decalogue fromthe Decalogue from
charity.charity.

iv. The Sermon on the Mountiv. The Sermon on the Mount
and the New Law – recoveredand the New Law – recovered
by moral theology.by moral theology.

v. Connection between thev. Connection between the
observance of the commandmentsobservance of the commandments
and the search for perfection.and the search for perfection.

vi. The need of grace.vi. The need of grace.

4. Some Significant Characteristics of4. Some Significant Characteristics of
a Renewed Moral Theologya Renewed Moral Theology

General Characteristics
In general, these are some of the
recurring notes:
a. The centrality of Christ.
b. The globalization of ethics as well
as its contextualization and
inculturation.
c. The feminization – and
“democratization” – of Moral
Theology.

recurring notes:
d. A Fundamental Moral Theology -
key to ecumenical dialogue, inter-
religious dialogue and secular
dialogue.

recurring notes:
e. The basic importance of Christian
anthropology to ground the human
person as fundamental criterion of
morality.

recurring notes:
f. The priority of orthopraxis based
upon a theological ethics that is
liberating and compassionate.

recurring notes:
g. Holiness rooted in grace and lived
in love and prayer, as the goal of
moral theology. The current interest in
the relationship between spirituality
and Christian ethics.

recurring notes:
h. The emergence of theological
bioethics and the radical and equal
value of every human life.

recurring notes:
i. The continuing relevance of social
ethics in the pursuit of justice and
solidarity, and of environmental
ethics.

recurring notes:
j. The ethical and theological
approach of virtue ethics with the
principles approach, presided by love
or charity.

Some Significant
Characteristics of a
Renewed Moral Theology
Moral theology is goingMoral theology is going
back to being moreback to being more
theology, to be moretheology, to be more
grounded in thegrounded in the
dogmatic treaties ofdogmatic treaties of
God, Christ, the ChurchGod, Christ, the Church
and Christianand Christian
anthropology.anthropology.

Some Significant
Characteristics of a
Renewed Moral Theology
After Vatican II, and based on
historical/experiential realities, the
method of moral theology is more
inductive than deductive, more
dynamic then static, more dialogical
than apologetic, more practical
(praxis) than speculative, more
theological than philosophical.

Christ Centered Ethics
Theological ethics is
Christian ethics, the
ethics of the
disciples of Christ.
There is almost full
convergence among
theologians on the
centrality of Christ in
moral theology.

Christ Centered Ethics
The primary object of Christian
morality is “the nobility of the Christian
vocation.”

Agapeic Ethics
Theological ethics is centered onTheological ethics is centered on
Christ, and Christ’s ethics is focusedChrist, and Christ’s ethics is focused
on love: the imitation and theon love: the imitation and the
following of Jesus necessarily leadfollowing of Jesus necessarily lead
the disciples to the practice of charitythe disciples to the practice of charity
as love of God and neighbor.as love of God and neighbor.

Agapeic Ethics
…As Vatican II tells us, the
consequent object of moral
theology is to produce “fruit
of love for the salvation of
the world.”

Agapeic Ethics
For the past three decades, there has
been a powerful re-birth of virtue-
ethics.

Agapeic Ethics
Morality is grounded
on spirituality. After
all, Christianity is not
morality, but a
personal experience
in the Church of
Christ, of the paschal
mystery.

Agapeic Ethics
Like genuine theology,
moral theology is a
prayerful theology. As
Urs von Balthasar
says, an armchair
theology must be
completed with a
theology on bended
knees and on the
march.

Agapeic Ethics
Evagrio de Ponto:
“If you are a
theologian, you will
truly pray; and if you
truly pray, you are a
theologian.”

St. Gregory of Nyssa:
Man, as a being is of no
account; he is dust, grass, and
vanity. But, once the God of
the universe adopts him as a
son, he becomes part of the
family of the Being…What
words, thoughts of flight of the
spirit can praise the
superabundance of this grace?

St. Gregory of Nyssa:
…Man surpasses his nature: mortal,
he becomes immortal; perishable, he
becomes imperishable; fleeting, he
becomes eternal; human, he
becomes divine.

Conclusion
“The nobility of the Christian
vocation,” and the consequent object
of moral theology is “to bring forth fruit
in charity for the life of the world.”

St. Thomas Aquinas:
The Angelic Doctor defines
moral theology as the study
of the movement of the
rational creature towards
God.

I. Shift in Focus
““aggiornamentoaggiornamento” and” and
““ressourcementressourcement ””
--- the church is called to renewal--- the church is called to renewal
through the Word of God and thethrough the Word of God and the
Liturgy as well as the “Liturgy as well as the “return to thereturn to the
SourcesSources” (the Fathers of the Church” (the Fathers of the Church
and the ancient Church)and the ancient Church)

I. Shift in Focus
A shift fromA shift from
““What am I doing?”What am I doing?”
toto
““What sort of person am IWhat sort of person am I
becoming?”becoming?”

II. Shift in Worldview
From a
CLASSICIST WORLDVIEW to a
HISTORICIST WORLDVIEW
ClassicismClassicism (McBrien): the(McBrien): the
philosophical worldview whichphilosophical worldview which
holds that reality (truth) isholds that reality (truth) is
essentially static, unchanging, andessentially static, unchanging, and
unaffected by history or culture.unaffected by history or culture.

From a
CLASSICIST WORLDVIEW to a
HISTORICIST WORLDVIEW
Historicist or HistoricalHistoricist or Historical
ConsciousnessConsciousness (McBrien): a theological(McBrien): a theological
and philosophical mentality which isand philosophical mentality which is
attentive to the impact of history onattentive to the impact of history on
human thought and action and whichhuman thought and action and which
therefore takes into account the concretetherefore takes into account the concrete
and the changeable.and the changeable.
II. Shift in Worldview

III. Shift in Method
From a DEDUCTIVE METHOD
to an INDUCTIVE METHOD
DEDUCTIVE METHOD – begins
with abstract principles of human
nature and moral action form the basis
of universal and unexceptional moral
teaching.

III. Shift in Method
From a DEDUCTIVE METHOD
to an INDUCTIVE METHOD
INDUCTIVE METHOD – supports a
method that looks into historical
particulars, the concrete, the changing,
developmental, personalistic and
sensitive to the complexities of human
existence.

THEOLOGICAL –
PASTORAL NOTES:

• THE PARADIGM SHIFTS ARE
NOT EXCLUSIVE BUT
PREDOMINANT SHIFTS. THERE
WERE MOVEMENTS IN PRE
VATICAN II THAT PAVED THE WAY
TO VATICAN II. THEY ARE THE
BIBLICAL MOVEMENT, THE
LITURGICAL MOVEMENT AND THE
KERYGMATIC MOVEMENT.

• GLARING EXAMPLES OF THE
TWO WORLDVIEWS AND
METHODS IS CATHOLIC SEXUAL
ETHICS (PREDOMINANTLY
CLASSICIST) AND CATHOLIC
SOCIAL ETHICS
(PREDOMINANTLY HISTORICIST)

• THEOLOGY AND CATECHESIS.
WHILE DIFFERENT IN
ORIENTATION AND METHOD,
THEY PLAY SIGNIFICANT
INTERPLAY. CATECHESIS IS
ROOTED IN GOOD THEOLOGY.
THEOLOGY IS AT THE SERVICE
OF CATECHESIS.

Paradigm shifts eccce report

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