Chapter II: Moral Theology in its Relation to Dogmatic Theology

Catholic Moral Theology is essentially theistic, that is, it presupposes belief in God and the freedom of the human will.¹ Without these suppositions there could be neither responsibility nor duty. Materialism, Pantheism, and such other systems as exclude theistic belief in God and in the freedom of the human will, may evolve the notion of "utility," but they will never arrive at the concepts of "good" and "bad," in the strict moral sense of the terms, viz.: as things to be done or to be avoided under the sanction of an absolute and imperative duty. Lacking a religious basis, these systems have not "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." ² One who holds that morality is autonomous will occasionally do that which is commanded, and sometimes avoid that which is forbidden by the divine law, but not because it is commanded or forbidden. An atheist may abstain from murder, or help his neighbor, but being an atheist, he does these things from motives different from those that impel the theist.

¹ On the freedom of the will see M. Maher, S.J., Psychology, 4th ed., London 1900, pp. 394 sqq.; IDEM, in the Cath. Encycl., Vol. VI, pp. 259-263; Pohle-Preuss, God the Author of Nature and the Supernatural, pp. 291 sqq.; R. I. Holaind, S.J., Natural Law and Legal Practice, New York 1899, pp. 95-116; V. Cathrein, S.J., Die kath. Weltanschauung, 2nd ed., Freiburg 1909, pp. 44 sqq., 76 sqq.; W. G. Ward, Philosophy of Theism, London 1884; H. Gründer, S.J., Free Will, the Greatest of the Seven World-Riddles, St. Louis 1911; Jos. Rickaby, S.J., Free-Will and Four English Philosophers, London 1906. A good survey of the free-will controversy in Fonsegrive's Essai sur le Libre Arbitre, 2nd ed., Paris 1896.

² Rom. I, 16.

As ethics is impossible without metaphysics, so there can be no Moral Theology without dogma. Dogma and Morals are the two great branches of systematic theology (theologia scholastica) and together cover the entire domain of Christian belief and practice. Dogmatic Theology furnishes the rule of faith (regula credendorum), which in turn determines the rule of conduct (regula agendorum). The two sciences may be said to postulate each other because dogma must bear fruit in good works, and Christian morality could not exist if there were no revealed faith.³

³ Cfr. John XVII, 3; Heb. XI, 6; Mark XVI, 16; Matth. VII, 21; Jas. II, 26.

Though Moral Theology thus stands in a most intimate relation to Dogmatic Theology, the two sciences are separate and independent. For whereas the latter deals with God, His essence, attributes, outward operation, etc., and shows Him to be the sovereign good and source of all created goodness, the former is entirely concerned with directing man to his eternal goal.

Moral conduct results from the cooperation of three separate and independent factors. Man must first perceive the difference between right and wrong; second, will to do that which is right; and, third, conform his actions to the moral law. "No excess of the aesthetic faculty," says B. Bjornson, "can outweigh a moral defect." And Ch. F. Gounod: "An ocean of talent does not equal a single drop of holiness." Moral autonomism, so called, is false and pernicious.⁴

⁴ Cfr. C. Gutberlet, Ethik und Religion, Münster 1892, pp. 193 sqq.; V. Cathrein, S.J., Religion und Moral, 2nd ed., Freiburg 1904, pp. 70 sqq.; IDEM, Moralphilosophie, Vol. I, 4th ed., pp. 372 sqq. On the “ethical movement” and the Society for Ethical Culture see the Cath. Encyclopedia, Vol. V, p. 561; the New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. IV, pp. 183 sq.; W. L. Sheldon, An Ethical Movement, New York 1896; W. R. W. Sullivan, Morality as a Religion, New York 1899; H. J. Bridges, The Ethical Movement, Its Principles and Aims, 2nd ed., London 1912.

Though the moral teaching of the Catholic Church is drawn from Revelation, it is not without mysteries. There is a mystery of iniquity (mysterium iniquitatis) as well as a mystery of faith (mysterium fidei).⁵ Not all ethical problems can be solved by a short and clean-cut formula.

⁵ Cfr. 1 Tim. III, 9; 2 Thess. II, 7.

READINGS.—F. Hettinger (tr. by V. Stepka), Timothy; or Letters to a Young Theologian, St. Louis 1902, pp. 372 sqq.—V. Cathrein, S.J., Die kath. Weltanschauung, 2nd ed., Freiburg 1909.—Ph. Kneib, Die “Heteronomie” der christlichen Moral, Vienna 1903.—IDEM, Die “Jenseitsmoral” im Kampfe um ihre Grundlagen, Freiburg 1906.—J. Mausbach, Catholic Moral Teaching and its Antagonists, New York 1914, pp. 3 sqq.—J. B. Hogan, Clerical Studies, 2nd ed., Boston 1898, pp. 197 sqq.—De Broglie, La Morale sans Dieu, Paris 1903.