Prayer to St.

Augustine
 REED 3

Our Restless Heart

(Introduction to Moral Theology)
 PRELIM

Chapter 1 - Sketching a Moral Theology

Chapter 2 -Theological Anthropology: Freedom, Sin, and Grace
Chapter 3 -Vocation and Conscience

Outcome: Life Panorama

Instruction: Create a panoramic view of your family, your
ambition, your life today and the future.
 MIDTERM

Chapter 4 - Understanding Morality in Scripture

Chapter 5 - Church Teaching as Guide to Moral Living
Chapter 6 - Discernment: Putting Moral Knowledge into
Practice

Outcome: Story to Tell

Instruction: Make a short video (3-5 minutes) on the
dilemmas of the people today and how they cope with the on
hand struggles.
 FINAL

Chapter 7 - Special Topics in Moral Theology: Marriage,

Family and Sexual Ethics
Chapter 8 - Special Topics in Moral Theology: Bioethics
Chapter 9 - Discipleship Through Discernment and Virtues

Outcome: Road to Forever

Instruction: Conduct an interview to people (5) with long-
term relationships or commitments. Create your own list of
questions that will lead to the objective of knowing their
experience to lifetime commitment.
 Chapter 1
Sketching a Moral Methodology

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand what fundamental moral theology is, its scope, and its tasks
2. Sketch a Catholic moral methodology in fundamental moral theology and
identify its sources
3. Reflect on how the student’s faith commitment has or has not affected
his or her ethics and decisions
 What is Morality?

• Morality refers to the behavior or conduct of man

in accordance to the truth.

• Morality is a call of the human person to live a life

of constantly following Jesus Christ.
Christian
Morality
The method… by James Bretzke

• “a key aspect of lived morality is not just ‘doing’ the rights

things and avoiding the wrong things, but more fundamentally
living in right relationships—with God and then with God’s
children, and finally with God’s creation.”

• the goal of moral decision making is that of shalom – peace

• moral decision making is concerned with how people are growing

and developing and should move a person and the community
towards shalom
SHALOM
Importance of
Morality
Serves as Guide…
Gives Direction…
 Creates HARMONY
Serves as CHECK
and BALANCE

of our actions as good to be

performed or evil to be avoided.
 Principles of Christian Morality

• Refer to norms, precepts, instructions

or laws that govern human conduct
and guide our conscience to judge
what is morally right or wrong in
accordance to Christ’s examples being
The Way, The Truth and The Life.
As a college student, you may be confronted
with questions…

• What will you do in five or ten years?

How then do you weigh these factors in decisions?

How do you go about making decisions?

Moral Theology is concerned with how we discern and make decisions in big and
small choices.
Many of the choices we make in our day to day life
have moral dimensions and implications.
Application of the Method

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy5HpGhZ994

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-FoToPaYok
FR. JAMES BRETZKE, SJ

“ A key aspect of lived

morality is not just ‘doing’
the right things and avoiding
the wrong things, but more
fundamentally living in right
relationships.”
 Four Sectors in Decision Making

Reflection
Objective Axis Sacred on
Text Experience

Human Traditions of
Experience the
Community
Subjective Axis
 Reflection on
Sacred Text Normative
Human

Human Experience Tradition

• Case Study

Identify the four sectors of the Fundamental Moral Theology Method

according to FR. JAMES BRETZKE, SJ
based on the story linked above on slide # 24.
Basis of Christian Morality

1. Ten Commandments
2. Moral Teachings of the New Testament
3. Church Teachings
Object of Morality: Human Conduct

1. Human Act – an act which is done consciously and freely.

The person is accountable of his action. (voluntary)

2. Acts of Man – actions which proceed from bodily

tendencies. It is done beyond one’s knowledge and
consent. It does not give the person the moral
responsibility. (unintentional)
Human Act
• Acts of Man -
 Elements of Human Acts

1. Knowledge – awareness of man of the act

2. Freedom – it is a free-act
3. Voluntariness – must be a willed-act
With conditions/situations

Give an example of a Moral Act. (2)

• Give an example of an Immoral Act. (2)

• Give an example of Amoral Act. (2)

 Determinants of Morality

1. OBJECT/ACT Good Evil Good Good

2. CIRCUMSTANCES Good Good Evil Good
3. END/PURPOSE Good Good Evil Evil

HUMAN ACT Good Evil Evil Evil

 Moral Issues

• Pre-marital sex
• Teen pregnancies
• Abortion
• Death Penalty
• Suicide
• Divorce
• Adultery
• Same sex Marriage
Story Analysis

• ..\..\The story of Kian.docx

* Apply the Determinants of Morality.

• Think of the “good” circumstances and purposes out of the evil
act/object)
• Write at least 3 possibilities.
 Norms of Morality

1. Objective Norm – Law

2. Subjective Norm - Conscience
 4 Essential Elements of a Law

1. Reasonable – with purpose, not a capricious whim

2. Promulgated – communicated with sufficient notice
3. By Competent Authority – by those who have legitimate power
4. For the Common good – betterment of its subject
 Ex. REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8491

• Reverence and respect shall at all times be

accorded the flag, the anthem and other national
symbols which embody the national ideals and
traditions and which express the principles of
sovereignty and national solidarity. The heraldic
items and devices shall seek to manifest the
national virtues and to inculcate in the minds and
hearts of our people a just pride in their native
land, fitting respect and affection for the
national flag and anthem, and the proper use of
the national motto, coat-of-arms and other
heraldic items and devices.
 Classification of Laws

1. Divine Laws – comes directly from God

2. Human Laws – enacted by the Church os State authorities

* Ecclesiastical laws – enacted by the church

* Civil Laws – enacted by the State
• Divine law
• Human Laws
Civil law
Church Law
Laws of the Church
 Group Activity

• There are countless of laws in the

Church and in the State as well. So
numerous that people find it difficult to
obey and being ignored for some. If
given a chance to rewrite, revise,
delete or modify those laws, what will
it be? Write your new law in accordance
with Christian Morality.
• At least 10 (5 Civil Laws and 5 Church
Laws)
 Chapter 3
Vocation and Conscience

• Vocation is from the

Latin word vocare,
which means “to call” or
“to summon.”

• A calling to priesthood/
religious life, single
blessedness or marriage.
• Single Blessedness - A single person is someone who is not involved in any
type of serious romantic relationship. One remains single, pure and chaste.
• Consecrated Life - way of Christian living is the public religious vows or
other sacred bonds whereby the consecrated persons commit themselves, for
the love of God, to observe as binding the evangelical counsels of chastity,
poverty and obedience from the Gospel.
• Married Life - An exclusive and lifelong union of a man and a woman
through which they give themselves to each other without reservation,
promising to love each other freely, truly, faithfully and fruitfully for the rest
of their lives, sharing their joys and sufferings in whatever circumstances life
brings them.
Three Aspects of Vocation:

• The first aspect of vocation is

what is received at baptism.

• This is the universal aspect of

vocation that calls each human
being to love and serve God and
others, regardless of our
background, culture, or race.
• The second aspect of vocation is
more specific and concerns the
state of life of a person.

• Whether or not one chooses to be

married, to be single, or to join
the religious or ordained life, all of
these are equally good paths, with
different graces and challenges for
each state of life.
• The third and last aspect is now
the personal vocation.

• The most specific aspect, taking

into account a person’s particular
circumstances, concerns, talents,
needs, and opportunities.
 What work or way of life leads to satisfying
my deepest happiness?

• God wants what is best

for us and that this will
also give us the most joy
and deep peace.
 Japanese term for vocation called ikigai

• Ikigai is translated as the “reason

for being” or the “reason why you
wake up each morning”.

• It is the intersection of a person’s

passion or happiness, the person’s
skills and practical needs, and
what the world needs.
How to find your vocation? (this formula is helpful)

Your True Vocation =

Your Gifts +
Your Passion
Examples:

• David’s gifts are for inspiring people and leadership, and his passion
is for football. His true vocation might be becoming a football coach.
• Joe’s gifts are in teaching and researching, and his passion is history.
His true vocation might be becoming a history professor.
• Dan’s gifts are in resolving disputes, and his passion is for making
divorces more amicable for the partners and easier on kids. His true
vocation might be becoming a divorce lawyer who concentrates on
peaceful mediation.
• Alex’s gifts are in investigating things, and his passion is for animals
and the outdoors. His true vocation might be becoming a game
warden.
• Tyler’s gifts are in selling things and making deals, and
his passion is for books. His true vocation might be
becoming a literary agent.
• Blake’s gifts are in numbers, and his passion is for
politics. His true vocation might be becoming the state
treasurer.
• Dave’s gifts are in language, and his passion is for Japan
and Japanese culture. His true vocation might be
becoming a translator in Japan.
Activity by partner

• What is your vocation in life?

• How did you answer the call on the first aspect of vocation?
• Based on the second aspect, what call will you choose? Why?
• How will you response on the third aspect?
(Based your answer on the ikigai)
CONSCIENCE

Picture Analysis
 Conscience

God speaks to man through his heart, mind

and will. It is the voice calling him to love,
to do good, to avoid evil…because in his
heart a law is inscribed by God – we call
CONSCIENCE. It is the most secret core, a
sanctuary where man is alone with his
creator.
Subjective Axis – (Reason and Human Experience)
how we understand what God
wants and how it fits into our own
particular life situation.

Objective Axis – (Scripture and Tradition)

is concerned with understanding
what God seeks from us
Educate your Conscience

Form our Conscience

Why?
FORMATION leads to TRANSFORMATION
We are called to discern how we can concretely
live out Christ’s commandments of love in all our
relationships.
 Levels of Conscience

1. Instinctive – motivated to do good because of fear or punishment

and the desire for a reward

2. Ethical – the capacity to choose good from evil is empowered by

the knowledge of moral norms

3. Christian – Love is the motivation of doing what is right.

• Instinctive level -
• Ethical
• Christian
Dyad

• Share with your partner…your own story of the 3 levels of

conscience.
• What level is usually done by you?
• Why?
Divisions of
Conscience:
Divisions of
Conscience: