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Moral Theology - The Moral Life in Christ

Introduction

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 Catholic Online School
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Moral Theology - The Moral Life in Christ

Introduction
Overview:

Students will learn about the importance of moral theology and virtues:

- Students will learn about the desire to study morality is a sign of the Holy Spirit working in one’s
life.
- Students will learn what it means to live an authentic moral life and live in a way that
harmonizes with the true good and God’s plan of love.
- Students will learn the study of morality is essential because we live in a morally fragmented
society that is characterized by an extreme amount of moral confusion.
- Students will learn why a proper study of morality and the virtues is “a study of life truly lived.”

Table of Contents

1. Cover Page
2. Table of Contents / Overview
3-4. Interactive Video/ Interactive Video Script
5. Questions for Reflection
6. Supplementals / Educational Resources

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Moral Theology - The Moral Life in Christ

Introduction
Video Script: Use this Script to follow along with your Video.

I’m Deacon Frederick Bartels. The Grace and Peace of Jesus Christ be with you!

Welcome to our course, “The Moral Life In Christ.” I’m really pleased that you’re here. It’s awesome that
you’re interested in learning more about what it means to live a moral life in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Your eagerness is a sign of the Holy Spirit working in your life because the Holy Spirit always leads us to
Christ and his Church. And it’s a sign that you’re responding to His divine impulses.

I’m blessed to be your instructor for this course, and I’m excited to be here.

What will we be doing in this course?

We’ll study what it means to live an authentic moral life, seeking to live in a way that harmonizes with
the true good and God’s loving plan for human flourishing and salvation in Christ, His Son.

We’ll take a look at the virtues, and what it means to live a truly virtuous life. We’ll examine why
morality and the virtues are important and why living a virtuous life is itself the life of excellence.

We’ll take a look at some moral questions, including some of the many moral issues found in culture
today. And we’ll be discussing the necessity of God’s grace and how we receive it through the
sacraments of the Church.

You might wonder why studying morality and the virtues is important.

The study of these topics is essential because we live in a morally fragmented society, heavily influenced
by what Pope Benedict XVI termed, “the dictatorship of relativism.” In simple terms, there’s an extreme
amount of moral confusion in the world. If we don’t understand what morality is or what it means to live
the moral life in Christ, we’re going to have a lot of problems along our journey.

Also, the way you live your life here below is connected to salvation. If you refuse to live a good moral
life, if you reject the life of holiness, it’s possible to lose your salvation.

In this course, we’ll learn that the choices you make shape who you become: they determine your
character. And they factor into your eternal destiny.

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Moral Theology - The Moral Life in Christ

Introduction
Video Script: (Continued)
In other words, what you believe and how you live has a radical effect on your life, it matters. I believe
that a proper study of morality and the virtues is “a study of life truly lived.”

What do I mean by this?

The ultimate goal of your life is to attain eternal happiness in communion with the Tripersonal God. It’s
the goal of blessedness called “Beatitude.”

In studying what it means to live the moral life in Christ and in applying what you’ve learned, your life
will be pointed or ordered toward its proper end. It will point you toward God.

St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Philippians (4:8): “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever
is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is
anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Pursuing what is truly good through your free choices, helps to unite you to the Perfect Good who is
God.

St. Gregory of Nyssa, a Church Father who was born in 335 and became the bishop of Nyssa, said, “The
goal of a virtuous life is to become like God.”

That really says it all.

Again, welcome to “The Moral Life in Christ.” Vivatis in Christo—may you live in Christ!

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Moral Theology - The Moral Life in Christ

Introduction
Questions for Reflection:

1. What is your desire to study morality a sign of? – Your desire to study
morality is a sign of the Holy Spirit working in your life and your response to
his divine impulses.

2. Identify what will be studied in this course. – We will study what it means
to live an authentic moral life and live in a way that harmonizes with the
true good and God’s plan of love.

3. Why is the study of morality essential? – The study of morality is essential

because we live in a morally fragmented society, where there’s an extreme
amount of moral confusion.

4. Explain why a proper study of morality and the virtues is “a study of life
truly lived.” – A proper study of morality and the virtues is “a study of life
truly lived” because studying morality and the virtues, and applying what
I’ve learned, helps to point my life toward communion with God and that
eternal blessedness called “Beatitude.”

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Moral Theology - The Moral Life in Christ

Introduction
Supplementals / Educational Resources:
Catholic Online
https://www.catholic.org

Catholic Online New Jerusalem Bible

http://www.catholic.org/bible/

Catholic Encyclopedia
http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/

Saints
https://www.catholic.org/saints/

Prayers
https://www.catholic.org/prayers/

Catholic Moral Teaching: Freedom, Choice and Truth

https://www.catholic.org/news/hf/faith/story.php?id=53872

A Reflection on Moral Theology: What Are We Choosing and Who Are We becoming?
https://www.catholic.org/homily/yearoffaith/story.php?id=52106

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