Christian Moral Theory

    A. Worldviews and Moral Visions
       
      1. What is the good for human beings?

      2. What is our starting point (the 'human condition')?

      3. How do we get from where we are to where we want to be?

      4. How do we come by knowledge of the sort that enables us to answer questions 1-3?

    B. Some Presuppositions of Christian Moral Theory
       
      1. Our ultimate end is union with God and so our pursuit of all other goods must be ordered to, or a least consonant with, this end.

      2. The human condition includes both (a) the effects of original sin--(i) disordered sensual desire (concupiscentia), (ii) weakness with respect to what is arduous (infirmitas), (iii) malice of will (malitia), and (iv) ignorance with respect to how to act (ignorantia)--and (b) the possibility of redemption.

      3. Our means to the end are (i) grace, which is conferred and increased through the sacraments, prayer, and good works and whose effects include the theological virtues (faith, hope, and charity), the gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, understanding knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety, fear of the Lord), and the infused moral virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance) insofar as they are ordered by the theological virtures; and (ii) law, both natural law and revealed divine law.

      4. The sources of moral knowledge are reason and faith (Scripture and tradition). Reason is capable of attaining moral knowledge, but there are even more pitfalls here than in the case of metaphysical knowledge.