Ethics - Theology notes cont…..Ethics

Knowledge is always partial. It requires humility. Collaboration effects are necessary. Dialogue (both learning and teaching) when talking gently and with respect - may influence the other. Problems of urgency and of extreme slowness: Embryonic (stem cells) - Let’s slow down. We have an obligation to heal. We won’t kill embryo, but stem cells not embryo is ok. Therefore we need to avoid the urgency of things. Found that stem cells were better than embryonic. With Vatican 11 onwards there was a leap in theology. Rules, Natural Laws X feeling - intuition. Values are learned - social - within the context of the community - in between it is. Intuition - world view, experience - justify. - Community wisdom. You need to know the facts and values. You need to know medical facts a. regulations b. living. Moral Discernment begins with the right question. Jesus never commands, he only invites. Sources of Christian Ethics - Scripture, tradition, reason and experience. Sacredness of life, sacredness of all present. You need to understand the facts to understand the values. How do I get out of my relative values here? Put it in the paradigm of wisdom. Where does natural law go here in this chart? The Church said there is a criteria if you go to war. John Paul 11 almost moved to a pacifist stance. Almost not quite. We could not justify war on the criteria we had. Did the teaching a just war change? No. Church teaching doesn’t change. It still holds the notions of just war, but cannot have rule is in place but it may change. Eg. Saudi is wrong - The wisdom of the ages arise to rules which are differently understood. Sanctuary of life. Life is sacred so only God’s to take. However, the Church is in its experimental wisdom. Then over time people begin to take in account the psychological. Cannot be buried (before) on sacred life. However, over time we have come to understand psychology better. They may not have the psychological freedom. Suicide - life is sacred. Object and subject. Natural Law - If people really think about this and discern, one of the principals of creation is that we should preserve life, not take it. Sin-can say it is a sin. But, sin is freedom and suicide is not freedom, so intuition. How do we inform our conscience? We want to go to a variety of things. We go to the experts. We are given the wisdom of the community. We go back to the sources of morality - go back to reason. If I’m thinking of pulling the plug on someone. The informed conscience. What is my reason is telling me? - what is my experience telling me? St Thomas Aquinas - ultimately consciously prevails but first has to go through - the Church is not without compassion. Number 16. Vatican 11 (which I am presently reading at leisure) Natural law - Deep within his conscience which is not himself, but he must obey. Natural law - do good; avoid evil. Go through the process - Catholic teaching. Am I denying what is true wisdom? If I end up going through the process and I am still confused, I should be according to the Church, because it has years of wisdom. To be continued with Image of God.