Author Topic: Ecclesial Schizophrenia (Read 1776 times)

Elizabeth · « **Reply #1 on:** January 15, 2010, 11:40:28 AM »

Nice article, Stevus. I shudder at those "social worker" priests getting their hands on the innocent children in remote Andean villlages, though! But even the little Catholic children knew that group confessions were unworthy, may God bless their little hearts.

littlerose · « **Reply #2 on:** January 15, 2010, 11:46:08 AM »

Wonderful article. Much food for thought (and prayers!)

SJB · « **Reply #3 on:** January 15, 2010, 12:12:37 PM »

Quote from: Philip F. Lawler, The Faithful Departed

Be that as it may, it is difficult to dispel the idea that a schizophrenic conscience is being generated among Christian people: one thing is believed, and its opposite is practiced; in other words: an attitude of trying to forget the norm in order to ignore it totally. Therefore, only God knows when our consciences are justified.

This is called going against your conscience. It exposes you to sin in any case, whether your conscience is properly formed or not. Conscience is an ACT, not a little voice telling you what to do:

Quote

McHugh and Callan explain (from the Summa, q. 79, aa. 11-13):

Definition:Conscience is an act of judgment on the part of the practical reason deciding by inference from general principles the moral goodness or malice of a particular act.

(a) It is an act, and as such it differs from moral knowledge and intellectual virtues,which are not transitory but enduring. Moral understanding (synderesis), by which everyone naturally perceives the truth of general and self-evident principles of morality [...] these are preparatory to the act of conscience, in which one makes use of one's knowledge to judge of the lawfullness or unlawfulness of an action in the concrete, as attended by all its circuмstances.

(b) Conscience is an act of judgment, and thus it differs from other acts employed by prudence - from council about the right means or ways of action, and from command as to their use. Council inquires what is the right thing to do, conscience gives the dictate or decision, the moral command moves to action.

(c) Conscience is in the reason - that is, it is a subjective guide, and differs from the law, which is objective.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #4 on:** January 15, 2010, 12:20:49 PM »

Hi SJB, do you know how to explain the difference between the ACT and the Natural Law written on the hearts of people? I don't think I get it.

For example an ignorant child in Peru who follows God's Laws, co-operates with God's Grace: she "just knows" that hurting someone and then lying about it is bad, and doesn't do it?

(it's probably over my head, but if you can dumb it down...)

SJB · « **Reply #5 on:** January 15, 2010, 12:34:55 PM »

Quote from: McHugh and Callan

Moral understanding (synderesis), by which everyone naturally perceives the truth of general and self-evident principles of morality...

The moral understanding of the natural law is written on the hearts of all men. For example, everybody knows murder is wrong, they cannot be ignorant of the natural law.

Quote from: Elizabeth

For example an ignorant child in Peru who follows God's Laws, co-operates with God's Grace: she "just knows" that hurting someone and then lying about it is bad, and doesn't do it?

Don't we see this every day? She is following the natural law, which she knows (having the use of reason), and follows it. Her conscience acts on this natural knowledge. If she acts contrary to this knowledge, she goes against her conscience and sins.

Caminus · « **Reply #6 on:** January 15, 2010, 01:59:49 PM »

Elizabeth,

The principles or seeds of the natural virtues are in each man more or less. These virtues develop and dispose a man to follow that which he comes to understand as good and evil. This is the natural law "written" in us as it were. This same law is made an external rule through the use of reason. The natural law is nothing other than the participation of creation in the eternal law which is nothing other than Divine Wisdom's order set to creation itself.

Caminus · « **Reply #7 on:** January 15, 2010, 02:02:02 PM »

I should have said "or reject or avoid what is evil." Anyway, I hope that helps a little. It could be said better.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #8 on:** January 15, 2010, 02:41:41 PM »

Thanks SJB and Caminus.