2. Morality: What’s in it?
Morality includes a huge variety of topics,
all of which pertain to human behaviors.
These include:
War, Health Care, economics, poverty,
discrimination, sexual morality, criminal
justice, etc….any human activity that has a
moral dimension.
3. Where to find the specs
Where can one find the official
presentation of Catholic beliefs and
teachings about the moral law?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church!
4. Basis
Morality begins in the natural law
Natural law enables man to discern by
reason the good and the evil, the truth
and the lie.
5. Its about Happiness
Morality should not just be “thou shalt
nots”
Instead, we must understand that the
moral law essentially sets a person up to
achieve happiness.
6. “Endowed with a spiritual soul, with intellect
and free will, the human person is from his
very conception ordered to God and
destined for eternal beatitude. He pursues
his perfection in “seeking and loving what is
true and good.”
(CCC 1711)
7. Mini-review
When we talk about morality, we are evaluating the
goodness or evil of human __________________ .
Behavior or actions
Man can discern that which is good from that which
is evil by the gift of __________________ .
Reason
What is the motivator and ultimate goal of living a
moral life?
The Beatific Vision—being with God in heaven.
8. Happiness?
How does the moral law provide the way to
true happiness?
Living by the moral law helps us get closer
to God, who is the true source of happiness
9. What is the Great Commandment?
To love God above all else and to love your
neighbor as yourself.
This is the basic principle of the moral law
11. Objective vs. Subjective
The standards of Christian morality are objective,
not subjective (pg 4)
This is because they are determined neither by
general consensus nor individual preference, rather
it is God that gives them to us.
If moral standards were subjective, then they would
vary and change from person to person.
What could be some dangerous examples of
subjective moral standards?
12. Closer to Christ
The moral law is objective. It was first given to the
Jewish people by God and then perfected and
further explained by Christ.
Reminder: Christ emphasized love of God and
neighbor as the basis for all moral law (Great
Commandment).
This perfected law taught by Christ serves as the
pathway toward our ultimate happiness which is
God’s plan for us as we grow in holiness.
Every morally good choice brings us closer to God.
