Moral Theology

-is a course dealing with human acts leading man

progressively towards the goal determined by reason
enlightened by faith. It is the study of man’s life-time back
journey to God. It deals on human conduct based on the
person of Christ and His great decalogue on love of Divine
revelation, since reason and faith compliment each other.
Moral Theology
Moral – Latin, “mos” which means custom
Greek, “Ethos” which means custom,
character or acquired way of being.

Theology – Greek, “Theos” which means God; “Logos”

meaning Knowledge
- any kind of knowledge about God
- it is the science about God acquired from
revealed principles
The Historical Growth and Development of
Morality
Covenant between God and His Chosen People
God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob –
preparatory stages of that great historic covenant
at Mt. Sinai, when the greatest OT prophet Moses
liberated the chosen Israelites from the slavery in
Egypt.
The Law of Moses (Torah)- a big step forward
from the primitive Law of the Jungle. It is a
historic development because the right of the
weak were beginning to be respected and
defended.
 Different Definitions of Moral Theology
A. F.H. Davis, SJ – it is that branch of theology which
dictates and explains the laws of human conduct.
A. Jon-Adelman – is the scientific exposition of human
conduct so far as it is directed by reason and faith to
the attainment of our supernatural final end.
A. Fr. Karl Peschke, SVD – is that part of theology which
studies in the light of Christian faith and of reason the
guidelines man must follow to attain his final goal.
A. Calvin Poulin, SJ – is essentially a systematic attempt
to understand divine revelation in reference to the
Christian person’s loving response in faith to God’s
salvific invitation.
Biblical foundation of Christian Morality

OT Morality: Influenced by:

a. Hebrew/Jewish Biblical Religious roots (Judaeo)
b. Greco-Roman Culture/Hellenistic Culture
1. Covenant Morality
God and Israel (chosen people) made a covenant: “You
will be my people and I will be your God…”
Consecrated to the Lord: “became a holy people…
Be holy, for I am holy.”
-Obedience to the law: an assurance of survival,
prosperity, unity, stability and salvation.
Biblical foundation of Christian Morality
2. A Dialogical Morality – relational; a call-response, gift-
task structure; a morality in response to a free choice/call,
between unequal parties
3. Community-Oriented Morality- (4-10 commandment);
moral life lived in the context of the community/society
4. Integration of Belief, Worship & Morals-Ex. 20 (Chap.1-
3: God; Chap. 4-10: Fellowmen)
5. Primarily ‘Identity before Conduct’ Morality-vision
before prescription, story before code or command,
covenant before contract

Exodus: saving act of God; Sinai: Covenant bet. God &

Man
The Ten Commandments: Exodus 20 and
Deuteronomy 5
FIRST TABLET (Chapters 1-3)
- requirements to the undivided religious
allegiance to one God excluding the rivals and
substitutes… “Love of God”

SECOND TABLET (Chapters 4-10)

-requirements of social unity, familiar respect,
sacredness of oath, conjugal fidelity, security of
life and property…”Love of neighbors”
- they are prohibitions expressing universal moral
truths, basic ethical maxims.
The Distinctive Characteristics of OT Morality

1. The unity of the love of God and neighbor as

expressed in the Decalogue
2. The sovereignty of God extends over the entire
life of the people/Israelites
3. Prohibitions of foreign gods. God claims
allegiance to Himself alone.
4. It places special protection for the vulnerable
members of society – the poor, widow, orphan,
stranger.
Limitations of OT Morality

1. Love of enemy is little developed

2. The motivation to follow the law to secure
happiness and fear of punishment; the need for
approval
3. A strong tendency to legalistic morality
4. They practice polygamy and divorce
Inadequacy of the law:
* The law gives only a minimal requirement for
upright living; it is inadequate for saving man
The Historical Growth and Development of
Morality
The Law of Love (Christ Commandment of
Love)

The law of Moses is just a preparation for the

greatest commandment of Love. Just as the Old
Testament is a preparatory stage for the New
Testament, so also with the law of Moses, it is
ordained for the emergence of the law of Love.
THE NEW TESTAMENT MORALITY

A. The Person of Jesus Christ

Mt. 5: 17-20 – Christ is the fulfiller of the law and
the Prophets (New Moses)
Christ as the new law-giver

Norm/Center of Morality : Person of Christ

Goal: the heart of Christian morality is the
imitation of resemblance to Christ
 Christ, our Moral Norm
Salvation depends on one’s attitude to Jesus:
“Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will
acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever
denies me before men, I will deny before my Father in
heaven.” ( Mt 10:32f) “For if you confess with your
lips that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that
God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
(Rom 10:9)
Jesus himself IS the new Covenant between God and all
human persons, the Way and authentic norm for becoming
our true selves.
THE NEW TESTAMENT MORALITY

B. The Moral Teaching of Christ

1. Great Commandment: Love of God…

The Greatest and first commandment:

Mt. 22: 34-40 – You shall love the Lord with all your
heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

The Second commandment of love:

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
THE NEW TESTAMENT MORALITY

B. The Moral Teaching of Christ

2. Love of Enemies-shows supremacy and
primacy of love…”the greatest of this is love.”
(1Cor 13)
3. New Commandment of Christ: Christ is the
measure/norm of our love for others (Jn 13:34;
15:12)
4. Sermon on the Mount-Mt. 5, 6, 7 (esp.
Beatitudes)
OT-Decalogue; NT-Beatitudes
THE NEW TESTAMENT MORALITY
B. The Moral Teaching of Christ
5. Parables:
Good Samaritan: Lk 10: 29-36
Prodigal Son: Lk 15: 11-31
The Unforgiving Debtor: Mt 18: 21-35
Lazarus: Lk 16: 19-31
Last Judgment: Mt 25- 31-46

Words and Deeds of Christ: teachings, healing,

forgiveness
THE NEW TESTAMENT MORALITY

C. Jesus’ Attitude towards the Jewish Law

1. Jesus respected and submitted to Jewish laws:
rituals and regulations (Mt 5: 17-18)
2. But radically transformed it: renewed,
perfected by emphasizing its depth, breadth and
freedom
THE NEW TESTAMENT MORALITY

D. The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God/God’s

reign
Mk 1:15 – this is the time of fulfillment; “The
Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe
the Gospel.”
THE NEW TESTAMENT MORALITY

E. General Nature of the Religious & Moral

Demands/Response (Human Part)
1. Acceptance of a hierarchy of values-”Seek first
the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be
added unto you.”
Priority of values: God first over things (poverty),
people (chastity), self (obedience)
THE NEW TESTAMENT MORALITY

E. General Nature of the Religious & Moral

Demands/Response (Human Part)
2. Give primary importance to proper interior
attitudes (interiority), disposition
Religion of the heart-”Man looks at
appearances, God sees the heart”
3. Ask for a more radical stringent/exacting
response/gift of self
-leave loved ones, profession, material security,
home, country
DISCIPLESHIP

Gospel Paradox:
“Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but
whoever loses his life for my sake and for the
sake of the gospel will save it.” (Mk. 8:35)
“Let the greater among you be as the younger, the
leader as the servant. I am among you as the one
who serves.” (Lk 22:26f)
“Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and
proclaim the kingdom of God…Whoever puts his
hand to the plow but keeps looking back is unfit
for the kingdom of God.” (Lk 9: 60-62)
 STORY: IN HIS FOOTSTEPS

Kareem the unbeliever approached Cyrus the

Christian and told him, “Show me your God for I
wish to be Christian.”
Both of them went into a Church and walked
towards the altar. Cyrus the Christian spoke while
he pointed to the huge crucifix, “This is Jesus, our
God, who became man and was crucified.”
 Kareem was filled with horror when he saw
Christ’s wounds and the blood from the nails and
the scourging. Without a word, the Unbeliever
started to walk out of the Church.
Cyrus the Christian followed him and asked,
“Where are you going? I thought you want to be a
Christian?”
“Not anymore,” he answered.
“Why?”
“If Jesus, your God, was crucified,” Kareem
replied, “I cannot imagine what will become of his
followers.”
RESPONSE TO THE KINGDOM

Three dimensional:
1. Respect for the worth of others
“Love one another with the affection of brothers…
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those
who weep. Have the same regard for all; do not
be haughty but associate with the lowly.” (Rom
12: 10-16)
“Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;
rather, humble regard others as more important
than yourselves, each of you looking to others’
interests rather than his own.” (Phil 2: 3-4)
RESPONSE TO THE KINGDOM

2. Solidarity with all

We cannot offer true worship to God unless we “go
first to be reconciled with your brother” (Mt.
5:24)
-this solidarity helps us to see the ‘other’-whether a
person, people or nation-not just as some kind of
instrument…but as our ‘neighbor,’ a ‘helper’ to
be made a sharer on a par with ourselves in the
banquet of life to which all are equally invited by
God.” (CCC 1939-42)
RESPONSE TO THE KINGDOM
3. Fidelity to God and to one another
It is to the faithful disciple that the joy of the
kingdom is granted: “Well done my good and
faithful servant…come share your master’s joy (Mt
25:21) But this demands watchfulness and prayer:
“Stay sober and alert. Your opponent the devil is
like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Resist him, solid in your faith, realizing that the
brotherhood of believers is undergoing the same
sufferings throughout the world.” (1Pt 5:8-9)