What are reasons why Christians should try to live a moral life?
Love of God and neighbor: perfect motivation for living a moral life
Fear of consequences of immoral actions: imperfect but valid motivation
What gives freedom to a Christian?
Good moral actions make us freer; bad moral actions make us a slave to our sin
How does God accomplish his reconciliation with man?
It is accomplished through the life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Explain how, in following God's moral law, we become free.
The more we become like Christ, the more we are liberated from the slavery of sin and selfishness.
Explain why moral theology is of the utmost importance for all people.
Every person is a moral being who faces moral decisions and is responsible for his or her choices. Moral theology guides us in knowing what is right and wrong. [p.56]
If the incorrect use of free will degrades us and harms others, why would God have given us free will?
So we can use free will correctly to willingly choose to return his love and to love others as he has loved us. [pp.55-56]
How is free will different from instinct as found among animals?
Animals live by instinct, a standard code dictated by nature. Man is free to choose his actions. Extension: Man also has instincts, but he can choose to follow them or not. [pp.64-65]
Explain why a person is responsible for his or her actions.
The mind, which evaluates the choices set before us, and the will, which chooses, make us responsible for our actions. [p.58]
On what standards is moral theology based?
Moral theology is based on the objective standards of the natural law, which is man's participation in the divine law, the revealed laws of the Old and New Testaments, and the New Commandment. [p.58]
Explain what makes an action a moral act. Give examples.
Any action that results from a deliberate choice between good and evil or between different degrees of goodness is a moral act. Choosing to eat a warped-looking cupcake made by your little sister to make her happy instead of a more delicious store-bought
Every act which is elected by both deliberation and free choice has an effect on both the individual and on others." Explain.
Our free acts form our character and bring us closer to or farther from God. Some acts have a direct effect on others, for example, stealing. Acts that seem to affect only the individual have an indirect effect on others because they form the kind of pers
What is the relationship between knowledge and moral responsibility?
Knowledge and moral responsibility are related in that the more knowledge one has the more morally responsible he or she becomes. [pp.58--59]
Those who have had the benefit of God's Devine Revelation given through Jesus Christ are held to a higher standard." Explain.
Just as an adult is more responsible for telling a lie than a child because the adult ought to know better, a Christian ought to know better than anyone else what he or she should do because he or she possesses Christ's perfect moral law. [p.58]
Two people perform the same good action. One does so out of societal conformity and the other because he or she understands it is a virtuous act. What is the difference?
Knowledge can increase the goodness of the act. For example, if I give to a charity out of a desire to look good, I am not as virtuous as if I give because I understand that it is good to give to charity and that this particular charity is a good cause. [
Is it unjust to hold one person morally responsible for a bad action while another is excused because of complete ignorance? Explain.
No. One is only morally culpable to the extent that he or she knows the act is morally wrong. Complete invincible ignorance completely excuses the person from moral culpability. [p.59]
Explain how a person suffers the consequences of incorrect moral behavior even if he or she is ignorant of being wrong. List some examples.
Making a wrong choice makes one more attached to the wrong thing. If I constantly choose to react in anger. I become an angry person and find it harder and harder to be patient or gentle.
What is the difference between vincible and invincible ignorance?
Vincible ignorance is when we do not know something that we ought to have known. Invincible ignorance is when we do not know something that is impossible for us to know
A person is not held morally accountable for an immoral action if he or she acted in ignorance. However, that person is held accountable if the ignorance was vincible. Reconcile these two statements.
Vincible ignorance is ignorance the person should have overcome. If I get in a car and start driving without ever having taken a driving lesson or studied the rules of the road, it is my fault if I get into an accident. Even though I am ignorant, I ought
Why must love. by its very nature, be freely given?
Love, by its nature, is a gift of oneself to another. If it is taken or required, then it is no longer free.
The capacity to give oneself requires self -mastery. Explain.
The self-giving that is love is often hard. Performing a difficult good might require overcoming laziness, selfishness, sensuality, stinginess, and so on.
How can our "environment" have an effect on our freedom?
Our environment has a big influence on our individual circumstances, which affect our freedom. One could be born into an environment in which it is very hard to learn the moral law, or could be born into a rich, well-educated, moral, and cultured family a
Explain how wrong choices diminish our freedom.
Making a wrong choice makes one more attached to the wrong thing. If I constantly choose to react in anger, I become an angry person and find it harder and harder to be patient or gentle.
Explain why truth can never be a subjective opinion.
Truth is objective. People do not determine what truth is; rather, they discover it as an objective reality.
How does a person find happiness?
He or she uses his freedom well.
How does human society show its belief that we are responsible for our actions? List several examples.
We can recognize in society a variety of merit awards for achievement and service; laws and punishments for hurtful behavior; and even the guiding legal principle that ignorance of the law does not remove responsibility for crime since it is evident to th
Why would an all-loving God allow so much human suffering? Where does human evil and suffering come from?
God allows human suffering as a bi-product of freedom because freedom gives persons the ability to love as He loves.
Evil is the absence of a good that should be present. When love, truth, concern for a neighbor, generosity, patience, commitment, etc. are
Why do human beings sometimes choose incorrectly?How can human beings choose correctly?
We may choose incorrectly out of ignorance or error; we could also be under some kind of compulsion, or we could simply be doing What we want in opposition to the moral law. we can choose correctly by forming our consciences well according to the objectiv
What is the relationship between habit and moral choices?
Our habits make our moral choices easier and almost automatic. Good habits make choosing the good easier. Bad habits make choosing bad actions almost unconscious.
What is the relationship between following the law and freedom?
Accepting our responsibility to obey the moral law makes us more and more free.
Why is conscience considered sacred in Christian Tradition?
The conscience is considered sacred because God speaks to us through it.
What is conscience and how does it aid us in our choices?
Conscience is a practical judgement of the intellect regarding the good or evil or a particular act in light of objective moral standards - the moral law.
What happens to the conscience at Baptism?
At Baptism, we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which help to enhance the effectiveness of conscience in making sound moral judgments, keeping in mind the natural law, the teachings of Christ. and the Magisterium. These gifts help with discernment, n
What is the purpose of the conscience as mentioned in the New Testament?
In the New Testament, conscience refers to the need for good moral behavior.
St. Paul states that the pagans are at fault, condemned by the witness of their consciences. Christians should do good "for the sake of conscience" because they will be Judged by
Explain how conscience acts as a witness for us.
According to St.Paul. Conscience in a certain sense confronts each of us with God's Law and thus becomes a "witness" for us-a witness of our own faithfulness or unfaithfulness to our moral beliefs. Only God has full access to that witness. [p.80]
The Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount are sources of moral truth. Can a person simply read the Bible and reach his or her own conclusion about moral truth? Explain.
No, because the conscience does not determine whether something is moral or not; rather, a good conscience applies moral truth. Conscience, if it is to be reliable, must make judgments consistent with objective moral truth, which is the moral law. If it d
If Divine Law is inscribed on the human heart, then why must the conscience be formed?
Since it is through conscience that we judge our actions, our consciences must be correctly formed. Although the natural law is inscribed on the human heart. we must be taught and directed in how to evaluate moral situations so as to live the moral life i
What are some circumstances that might hinder a person's conscience from functioning properly or according to its created purpose?
In consulting our consciences. it is not sufficient to simply have good will and a sincere desire to do what is right. For example. well-meaning people may feel under certain circumstances that divorce and.remarriage without an annulment is morally accept
If moral truths are not subjective, where can Catholics go to learn the objective truths regarding moral decisions?
The faithful of the Catholic Church are blessed with the Magisterium. which over the centuries has preserved and developed objective teachings on Faith and morals that are faithful to Scripture and Sacred Tradition and can never change. We can study the C
What prerequisites are necessary to properly form one's conscience?
In order to form conscience properly, it is necessary to possess an attitude of humility, accompanied by a proper predisposition toward Church teaching. [pp.82-83]
What more is needed to imitate the life of Christ than just possessing knowledge of his teachings?
Besides knowledge of Christ's teachings. it is also important to grow closer to God through prayer because it is through prayer that God communicates his will. Prayer thus should be the basis on which we make practical judgments. [p.83]
What is "interior life"? How is it formed, and what is its purpose?
Interior life is a relationship developed with God. developed through personal and frequent prayer. Through our interior life, in concert with spiritual direction. we can be assured that our consciences will remain well formed and in conformity with the t
What is the purpose of an examination of conscience? What must it lead yo in order to be useful?
An examination of conscience reviews our own lives with an eye toward avoiding sin and growing in virtue. It must go beyond a dry analysis of our conduct. It must lead to sincere repentance, which includes contrition for our sins and purpose of amendment
Other than the forgiveness of sins, what is the role of a confessor in the Sacrament of Reconciliation?
He can also give spiritual direction to the penitent. The priest represents Christ in the confessional; he also represents the wounded community.
Read the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). Who do the Father and the two sons represent? What does it tell us about each of these persons?
The father represents God, while the two sons represent different kinds of people, one, a person who commits sins but realizes the wrong he is doing and asks forgiveness; and the other, a person who is not as sinful, but also questions the fairness of the
Explain how an action can be sinful, even if a person does not know that it is sinful.
An action can be sinful without one knowing that it is for several reasons. including that the conscience can be distorted and cultural trends often oppose the moral truth. [p.85]
Man must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience, nor prevented from acting according to his conscience, yet a conscience which views immoral acts as moral (e.g., racism) cannot be obeyed. Explain the seeming contradiction.
It is important to obey one's conscience. but only after it has been properly formed. If one's conscience has been formed incorrectly, being affected by negative cultural trends and the false beliefs of others, the person will not have correct moral belie
One must always obey the conscience that is truly and correctly informed. How can a person know whether his or her conscience is truly and correctly informed?
He or she has learned the moral teachings of the Catholic Church, approached the doctrines of the Church with humility, prayed and meditated, examined one's conscience honestly, gone to Confession and consulted a spiritual director. [pp.82-84]
What is the error of moral relativism? In addition to those listed in the chapter, give examples of incorrect moral judgments that are prevalent in modern society.
The error of moral relativism is concluding that morality is something relative. subjective. and changeable. with conscience often cited as a justification for immoral behavior. Some examples are abortion. which is "right or wrong according to circumstanc
How would you answer someone who tells you that his or her conscience dictates that every woman should have a right to have an abortion?
No one has the right to take the life of an innocent human being. A person who holds this opinion would have an erroneous conscience. [p5]
In a debate over abortion, a Catholic says that it is wrong because the Church says so. While true, how might this answer be inadequate? Prepare a better response.
This answer might be inadequate because not everyone belongs to the Church or considers it to be a moral authority. and, as such. they have no reason to believe or follow what the Church teaches. A better answer would be one that addresses the issue from
Explain how a correctly formed conscience can become distorted or degraded.
A conscience can become distorted for many different reasons, including "ignorance of Christ and his Gospel, bad example given by others, enslavement to one's passions, assertion of a mistaken notion of autonomy of conscience. rejection of the Church's au
When a person does something that he or she knows is wrong, it is often difficult the first time, but afterwards becomes easier. Explain.
As people continue to do bad things. those actions can become habits. Once they are things that the person does regularly, it is hard to think of them as being so wrong because one loses his or her sense of sin. and, with it, the sense of guilt and regret
What must the faithful do to help others properly form their consciences?
To help others, it is important to not just tell them what is right and what is wrong. Instead, we must work on communicating a moral principle in a gentle but convincing manner. The moral teachings of the Church are not unreasonable or oppressive rules.
What should be the center of the Christian life? Explain.
At the center of the Christian life should be Jesus Christ. The radical mandate to love as Jesus Christ loved must serve as the guiding principle for every action. The Christian conscience must not only judge or determine a course of action according to i
What is the Magisterium, and what is its role in the formation of the conscience?
The Magisterium is the official and divinely protected teaching authority of the Church and so is the most certain guide to the will of God and vital in forming one's conscience. It has preserved and developed objective teachings on faith and morals that