morality

Augustine Autobiography & The Confessions

• A spiritual and intellectual autobiography of Augustine

  • Self-portrait of the soul

  • sin is a lack of good

Augustine Original Sin

He said sin is turning away from God, and is committed to gain the goods of others, seeks lower goods and not the highest good, and sin is irrational

Augustine Story of the Pear Tree

As a teenager, St. Augustine was with some friends, was peer pressured, and they stole some pears off a tree in a nearby orchard. St. Augustine said he didn't steal for the pears, but because he had a desire to do wrong. said he later deeply regretted his actions with the pears and repented, and he also said that friendship can be dangerous sometimes. 

“Take and Read”

The phrase that marked Augustine’s dramatic conversion to Christianity 

Death of Augustine’s childhood friend

Augustine had a dear friend who died, and he says his heart was darkened when it happened, and he saw death everywhere. 

He realized he needed God to get through this part of his life

Sin as…separation; privation; slavery

• As separation: Humanity separates from itself, others, God, and the environment

• As slavery: the condition of sin = slavery/death

• As privation, absence of good

Genesis 3

The fall of humanity is the unraveling of creation

• self destructive

• anti-human

• seperation from God

The wages of sin is death

• Pauline theology

• Sin leads to both spiritual death (separation from God) and physical death

Types of Sin

• Mortal (How do you know if mortal sin?)

  • sin that completely destroys our relationship with God. Grave matter, full knowledge, and complete consent are required to commit a mortal sin.

• Venial

  • Weaken our relationship, but do not turn us away from God

• Social

  • A cycle of sin, violence, and injustice caused by individual sins

  • Creates injustice

How do you know if a law is good?

If it aligns with reason, common good, and promulgation of a proper authority

Eternal Law

God’s plan

Natural Law

The light of understanding God placed in us at creation

Human (Civil) law

• Rules made by people

• Created to guide people towards the common good

• Applies natural law to society

Divine Law

• Laws revealed through scripture that provide a direct path toward salvation

• Old Law: Law of Moses in the Old Testament, includes the 10 Commandments, ceremonial laws, and civil regulations 

  • child

• New Law: law of Christ, centered on love and grace, revealed in the New Testament 

  • adult

Church law (Canon Law)

The official body of laws that regulates how the Catholic Church governs itself

Grace

A supernatural gift from God that perfects human nature, heals it from sin, and enables us to participate in divine life 

Telos/Teleology vs. Deontology

• Teleology: ethics based on consequences

• Deontology: ethics based on rules and duties

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Morality

• Intrinsic: judging actions as right or wrong by their very nature, not by circumstances or consequences 

• Extrinsic: judging actions based on external factors, like circumstances, consequences, or authority, rather than the act itself 

Prudence

right reason in action

3 Sources of the Moral Life

• Tradition

• Scripture

• Reason

Conscience

• General ability to choose right and wrong

• A law written on your heart by God

• Not a feeling, Jiminy Cricket, gut instinct, or majority opinion

Following your conscience

You must always follow your conscience because it is how God instructs you to make the right choice; it's how you’re called to do good

Forming your conscience

Educating it with truth, reason, and faith, so it can rightly judge moral choices

What are the three types of apparent goods according to Aristotle? Why does he say that each of them is NOT the ultimate goal for humans?

• Pleasure

  • fleeting

• Honor

  • based on what someone else thinks

• Wealth

  • means to an end (it's a tool to get the things u want)

According to Genesis 1, how are human beings created and by who/what? What is their ultimate end? 

By God in His image and likeness. They are given dominion over creation and commanded to be fruitful, multiply, and steward the earth. To live in communion with God

Morality

Principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong (internal)

Ethics

external rules or codes of conduct of a group

Scripture

Sacred writings considered authoritative in a religious tradition

Tradition

teaching, practices, and beliefs handed down from one generation (i.e Apostles)

Reason

The human capacity for logical thought, reflection, and judgment

Nature

“what something is inherently” in philosophy, often refers to the order of the created world

Character

The set of moral and ethical traits that define a person’s identity and actions

Habit

A repeated practice or behavior that shapes character over time

Virtue

A moral excellence or quality that enables a person to live well

Vice

A moral failing or corrupt habit that leads away from the good

continence

Self-control

incontinence

lack of self control

Aristotle

Ancient Greek philosopher who emphasized virtue ethics

Golden Mean

virtue lies between extremes of excess and deficiency

Excess

Going beyond the proper measure; an extreme that hurts virtue

deficiency

Falling short of the proper measure; an extreme that hurts virtue

balanced soul

A state of harmony within the person, where reason governs desires and emotions

Pleasure

A feeling of enjoyment or satisfaction; often considered a secondary good in philosophy

wealth

Material possessions or resources; valuable but not the highest good

honor

Recognition or esteem from others; important but not ultimate

happiness

A state of well-being or flourishing; in philosophy, often linked to virtue and fulfillment

Eudaimonia

highest human good — flourishing or living well in accordance with virtue: Aristotle’s ultimate goal

The Good Life

A life of fulfillment, virtue, and harmony; the ultimate goal of ethics and philosophy

Theological Anthropology

The study of humanity in relation to God

What is the role of the 10 Commandments?

They act as a covenant between God and His people. Give basic moral rules for how people should live. They show how to treat God and others (relationships not rules)

How does Jesus continue the relationship between God and God’s people established by the 10 commandments?

by teaching people to live the Commandments through love. He focuses on loving God and loving others, helping people understand the deeper meaning behind the rules and live them from the heart, not just by following them outwardly

In what ways does Jesus invite people into a deeper relationship with God?

Through love, prayer, forgiveness, and service to others. He calls people to follow him, trust God, and live out their faith through actions, not just beliefs

Division in the Church

1. Problem: People were arguing and forming groups based on which leader they followed

2. Paul’s Solution: Paul reminded them that they all belong to Christ, not to human leaders, and should stay united, as we are all united through Christ’s death and Resurrection

S*xual Immorality

Problem: A man was living in an incestuous relationship with his stepmother, and the church tolerated it.

Paul’s Solution: He commands the church to discipline the offender, stressing that the body is meant for the Lord. Because Jesus was raised, believers’ bodies are destined for resurrection and must be kept holy.

Lawsuits Among Believers

1. Problem: Christians were suing each other in secular courts

2. Paul’s Solution: He insists disputes should be settled within the church. Since believers will share in Christ’s resurrection and reign with Him, they should already live as a community marked by forgiveness and reconciliation

Food Sacrificed to Idols

1. Problem: Some believers ate food offered to idols, which confused weaker Christians and risked leading them back into idolatry.

2. Paul’s Solution: Idols are nothing, so eating the food is not sinful. He told Christians to put love first. If eating that food would confuse or hurt another believer’s faith, then they should not eat it. Loving others mattered more than being “right.”

Confusion about Resurrection

1. Problem: Some denied the resurrection of the dead, thinking only of spiritual salvation.

2. Paul’s Solution: The resurrection is central to Christian faith. Without it, preaching is empty. The Good News is that Jesus’ resurrection guarantees believers’ future resurrection, giving meaning to moral purity, endurance in suffering, and hope beyond death

Moral Object

• What

• Most important factor

• Decides if an action is moral/immoral

• Some objects are always bad (murder is always immoral)

• Moral if the content is directed toward our true good as persons made in God’s image

Intention

• Why

• Subjective

• Decides if an action is moral/immoral

• Motivation

Circumstances

• Who, how, when, where

• Can increase or decrease morality/immorality 

• Cannot change moral quality of an act

• Do not decide moral/immoral

Alternatives

• To be moral, both object and intention must be good/moral

• All others are immoral

• END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS

STOP

Search out the facts

Think about alternatives

Others (consult)

Pray for guidance