Care for those who are dying. End of Life Issues - Theology notes

Three-Font Principle How we judge for someone morale or imoral. 1. Intention 2. Act in itself. 3 Circumstances (proportionality). Drive to Totality. Eg. Act of killing is wrong. Now circumstances. If defence, Church can kill. But if we kill when we do not have to? -Modern medical approaches (gift and difficulty) -Fear that death will no longer be a “serene moment.” -Our unability to talk about death and dying. Natural fear of the unknown. Changes in our families and society. For Catholics - often mistaken understanding of our teaching. The Dignity of a person “ The dignity of the human being must be recognized from conception to natural death. This fundamental principle expresses a great “yes” to human life and must be at the centre of ethical reflection. Bioethical issues (Dignitas Personae, 2008). Image of God. This principal has even greater importance in today’s world. “A cultural of death”, “a consistent ethic of life”. Normally one is held to use ordinary means according to circumstances of persons, places, times and culture - that is to say, means that do not involve any grave burden for one suffering or another. A more strict obligation would be burdensome for most people and would render the attainment of the higher, more important (God) good too difficult Pope Pius X11 (Nov 24, 1952). When there is a reasonable hope of benefit that can be obtained and used without excessive pain or other serious inconvenience (Jehovah Witness refusing provision of blood and therefore die). Persons receiving care are not obliged to such treatment when it is no benefit etc…moral law means natural law. We have lost integration, the integration of moral theology and spirituality. We have moved away from old theology to relationship. Richard Gueller indicated that what leads us to be moral is gratitude (celebrate life). We celebrate what is. Attitude of gratitude - gives us a sense of humility - never assuming that something is. Image of God as desire. Need to understand that notion of incarnation. Scripture is one of the sources of moral theology. Love: agape - God loves in that love completely? From gratitude - disinterest - Disinterested in self (lack of ego - for something for myself - letting go the ego - of me, myself and I - not my interest. Eros - sexual. Philia - love that is affirming, we with each other. Our purpose is to call one another to greatness? I call that person indifferent, to what it may mean to me. Sense of calling to growth is another gratitude. Calling to conversion, that interested presence to grow. Must be generous? Notion of gift we need to explore too. We must move beyond established identity and well defined relationships, not denying, taking care of primary self, self care; part self care. Ecology is challenging the structure of ecology. The science of ecology is first most - relationships. The rest, the world would be better without us but we cannot do without it. Incarnation - the very substance of God’s son is the earth. We are not superior to but equal to and responsible for God’s relationship. We are in interrelationship. God added other species so God’s image could be viewed more accurately. Three Principles of the universe: Subjectivity/interiority - tree is tree; human - human; pig is pig. Diversity: In that diversity is communion (the third). Without these principles live crisis to exist. The individual is important in relationship. Balance of individual and common good. Diversity therefore calls us to respect life. We gain the facts through interrelations. Calls us to move forward. That that tree from its roots, knowing it and loving it. It moves us from the past of sin, its a breath of relationships (all relationships). Primary made in the image of God. God of Trinity. Three persons, one God in relationship. All creation is reflected by God who is in creation and beyond creation. Ok - next in theology notes is Eschatology