Shaping the Moral Life An Approach to Moral Theology

includes index and biblioraphy

CHAPTER ONE CATHOLIC MORAL THEOLOGY:ITS FORM AND CHALLENGES The Cultural Context The Place of Moral Theology Within the Whole of Theology The Second Vatican Council: A Turning Point and a Promise CHAPTER TWO HISTORICAL RETROSPECTIVE: DEFINING MOMENTS The Influence of the German-Speaking World The Influence of the French-Speaking World Currents of Thought and Milestones of Modernity CHAPTER THREE THE DECISIVE FACTOR: TOWARD A THEOLOGY OF CONSCIENCE The Second Vatican Council: Teaching and History 15 Modern Challenges 17 The Importance of Conscience Formation 19 CHAPTER FOUR THE MEDIATION OF FAITH AND MORAL REASON Freedom Oriented to Reason 22 Models of Moral Theological Thinking 23 Anthropological Correlates of Faith 25 The Biblical Argument in Moral Theology 27 CHAPTER FIVE THE ECCLESIAL DIMENSION OF CHRISTIAN MORALITY Existence as Communication 29 The Church as Moral Communio 30 Historicity of Truth and Structures of Thought 33 CHAPTER SIX THE MORAL NATURAL LAW AS A BASIS OF UNIVERSAL COMMUNICATION The Insufficiency of Revelation 36 Milestones in Historical Development 37 Crucial Points in the Contemporary Debate 40 CHAPTER SEVEN THE MORAL COMMUNITY OF COMMUNICATION AND ITS NORMS The Variety of Moral Language 43 The Mediation of Principles and Norms 44 Contemporary Normative Theories 48 CHAPTER EIGHT THE JOURNEY OF MORAL DECISION Freedom to Self-Determination Fundamental Option and Life Decision The Importance of Virtue Ethics The Structure of Particular Decisions CHAPTER NINE LIFE HISTORY AS SUFFERED AND RECONCILED CONFLICT The Inescapable Experience of Sin Sin as the Sign of a Life Destiny The Problem of Evaluating Sins The Power of External Constraints Life History as a History of Reconciliation CHAPTER TEN MORAL TRUTH IN THE OPENNESS OFTHE SPIRIT Moral Truth and Theories of Truth The Integration of Different Philosophical Approaches Serving the Theological Denkform CHAPTER ELEVEN BEYOND THE HUMAN SCIENCES Universal Dialogue The Openness of Moral Theology Critical Solidarity Learning from the Epistemological Discussion CHAPTER TWELVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR RIGHTS AND THE LAW Rights as Fundamental Anthropological Category The Democratic Constitutional State Co-Responsibility Instead of Obedience The Prophetic Function of the Church