Professional Documents
Culture Documents
I. DEFINITION
It is the personal and collective study of who man ought to be by reason of who man is (moral
philosophy), in the light of God’s revelation in Jesus Christ (Christian Morality), guided by the
teachings of the Church. (Catholic Moral Theology).
A. Morality as Law
B. Morality as inner conviction/conscience
C. Morality as personal growth?
D. Morality as love
E. Morality as social transformation
Killing Jesus
What approaches to morality are shown by Jesus in the story?
How does Jesus’ person and example exemplify morality as love and social transformation?
Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are
the ones who tire of seeking his mercy. Christ, who told us to forgive
one another “seventy times seven” (Mt 18:22) has given us his
example: he has forgiven us seventy times seven. Time and time
again he bears us on his shoulders. No one can strip us of the dignity
bestowed upon us by this boundless and unfailing love.
No to an economy of exclusion
***Just as the commandment “Thou shalt not kill” sets a clear
limit in order to safeguard the value of human life, today we also
have to say “thou shalt not” to an economy of exclusion and
inequality. Such an economy kills. How can it be that it is not a
news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but
it is news when the stock market loses two points? This is a case
of exclusion.
Can we continue to stand by when food is thrown away while
people are starving? This is a case of inequality. Today everything
comes under the laws of competition and the survival of the
fittest, where the powerful feed upon the powerless. As a
consequence, masses of people find themselves excluded and
marginalized: without work, without possibilities, without any
means of escape. EG, 53
***With due respect for the autonomy and culture of every nation,
we must never forget that the planet belongs to all mankind and
is meant for all mankind; the mere fact that some people are born
in places with fewer resources or less development does not
justify the fact that they are living with less dignity. It must be
reiterated that “the more fortunate should renounce some of their
rights so as to place their goods more generously at the service of
others”.[155. Paul VI. Octogessima Adveniens, 23] To speak
properly of our own rights, we need to broaden our perspective
and to hear the plea of other peoples and other regions than those
of our own country. We need to grow in a solidarity which
“would allow all peoples to become the artisans of their destiny”,[
156: Paul VI, Pop Prog., 289] since “every person is called to self-
fulfilment”.[157: ibid]