Section — Prümmer, Manuale Theologiae Moralis
§ 3. Moral Theology From The Council Of Trent Down To Our Own Times
12. The Council of Trent had a most salutary influence upon the whole Christian life. Not only were the truths of faith explained more clearly by it, but moral and ecclesiastical precepts also were more intensely commended. The Books of Sentences of Peter Lombard were gradually removed from the schools, and in place of them almost exclusively the Summa theologica of St. Thomas was explained and enlarged by subtle commentaries. As it were the standard-bearer of this epoch is Cardinal Thomas de Vio, O.Pr., who not only composed most profound commentaries on the theological Summa of Aquinas, but also wrote for confessors the Summula peccatorum, arranged in alphabetical order; this little Summa, although it is of rather small bulk, nevertheless offers an adequate Casuistry altogether sufficient for those times, indeed not rarely in very few words touches the profound reason of the solution of cases.
From the Order of Preachers, besides Cajetan, celebrated moralists flourished from the time of the Council of Trent: Francis de Victoria (+1546);51 Bartholomew de Medina (+1581),52 who is held as the father of moderate Probabilism; Dominic Soto (+1560);53 Peter Soto (+1563);54 Bartholomew de Ledesma (+1604);55 John of St. Thomas (+1644), who published excellent dissertations on the theological Summa; Vincentius Candidus (+1654), who wrote Disquisitiones morales; John Baptist Gonet (+1681), distinguished in keenness of intellect, but in some way inclined toward the more rigid opinions;56 Natalis Alexander (+1724), outstanding in knowledge and learning, but likewise somewhat rigid, who published a dogmatic and moral Theology; Drouven (+1742), who wrote the very learned work De re sacramentaria, which was edited several times and rather extensively copied out by some authors; Charles Rene Billuart (+1757), equally celebrated in dogmatic Theology and in moral, who with wonderful dexterity joins in Moral Theology the scholastic method with the casuistic, so that his works, although of rather great bulk, have been edited very often down to our own days, and he himself by full right is deservedly counted among the best moralists; Wigandt (+1708);57 Daniel Concina (+1756) and Vincentius Patuzzi (+1769), who with great vehemence attacked laxer Probabilism and thereby brought it about that St. Alphonsus in the later editions of his Moral Theology reformed some questions and more and more left pure Probabilism;58 Fulgentius Cuniliati (+1759), who wrote a good casuistic Moral Theology, which within twenty years obtained 12 editions. - In the Spanish language the best manuals of Moral Theology were published by Larraga (Prontuario de Teologia moral, a work very often edited, even after the death of the author, for example, by Juan Sanches, Madrid 1919), and Moran (Teologia moral, Madrid 1883). In the Italian language Faustinus Scarpazza published a solid work: Teologia morale, Palermo 1843.
From the Order of Carmelites there came forth the very celebrated both Cursus theologicus and Cursus theologiae moralis Salmanticensis (1665-1724), clearly and neatly elaborated by several authors; they are commonly cited briefly as the "Salmanticenses." They not rarely embrace opinions somewhat more benign. Antonius a Spiritu Sancto wrote Directorium confessariorum, 2 volumes in folio, and Consulta varia, 3 volumes in folio; Angelus a S. Maria published Breviarium morale Carmelitarum, 5 volumes in folio.
In the Order of St. Francis many very celebrated Moralists flourished from the time of the Council of Trent, for example, Peter Marchant (+1661); Bartholomew Mastrius (+1673); Sporer (+1683);59 Anacletus Reiffenstuel (+1703), who indeed not only is deservedly numbered among the best canonists, but also wrote a clear and solid Moral Theology; Francis Henno, who wrote a very subtle dogmatic and moral Theology, and especially Benjamin Elbel (+1756), who wrote Moral Theology by way of conferences,60 which work is deservedly numbered among the best books that have ever been written on this matter; Guillelmus Herinckx (+1677);61 Francis Bordonus (+1671);62 Corbinianus Luydl (+1778);63 Reinerius Sasserath (+1771), who wrote Cursus Theologiae moralis adnexis casibus practicis, a work rather often edited and very clear; Pius van der Velden (+1857), who wrote Principia theologiae moralis theoretice et practice exposita, which work Piat the Capuchin edited again and illustrated with excellent notes; Hilarius a Sexten (Gatterer; +1899), who wrote Compendium theologiae moralis juxta probatissimos auctores.
From the Society of Jesus very many and very illustrious authors wrote on Moral Theology; we cannot bring forward all of them here. Among the others we name Suarez, Azor, Castropalaus, Laymann, Escobar, Busembaum, Lacroix, Reuter, Lugo, Gury, Lehmkuhl, Ballerini, Bucceroni, Genicot, Noldin, Ferreres, Sabetti, Ojetti, Slater, Arregui, Vermeersch, Ubach.
From the Order of St. Benedict, Babenstuber published an excellent work: Ethica supernaturalis seu cursus Theologiae moralis Salisburgensis, 2 volumes in folio.
From the Cistercian Order, John Caramuel de Lobkowitz (+1682) is worthy of mention; he is called by St. Alphonsus "the prince of laxists." He was a man of plainly marvelous genius and trained in absolutely all disciplines; he knew 24 languages; he wrote 77 volumes in folio. Someone said of him: "Caramuel has intelligence as eight, eloquence as five, judgment as two." Nevertheless his moral works are of little usefulness and contain some condemned propositions.64
From the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, as prince of modern moralists, came forth St. Alphonsus de Ligorio, Doctor of the Church, founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer and bishop of St. Agatha of the Goths (1696-1787). He wrote many works, including ascetical ones. But his moral works are very well known to all: Theologia moralis, Homo apostolicus (Praxis confessarii), and Examen Ordinandorum. Among the younger interpreters of St. Alphonsus are counted A. Konings, Clem. Marc, Ios. Aertnys, Franc. Ter Haar, I. B. Raus, C. A. Damen, all of whom wrote very useful and solid works of Moral Theology.
From the times of St. Alphonsus almost innumerable authors have written on Moral Theology, whether on the whole of it or on some part of it. Besides those whom we cited above from the diverse religious Orders, worthy of mention from the secular clergy are Ios. Carriere, Scavini, Ernest Muller, Ios. d'Annibale, Thomas Bouquillon, F. Haine, Aemilius Berardi, Simar, Linsenmann, Pruner, Koch, Mausbach, Gopfert, Schindler, Schilling, Delama, Gennari, Tanquerey, Constantini, Piscetta, etc.
51 Relectiones theologiae. This work has been edited several times. An edition better than the others appeared at Ingolstadt in 1580. Several works of Francis de Victoria have not yet been printed. Cf. Ehrle in Katholik 1884 II, 505 sqq.
52 Commentaries on the Summa theologiae of St. Thomas.
53 De iustitia et iure, and other very good works.
54 A classic work on the institution of priests.
55 Summa casuum conscientiae.
56 Clypeus Thomisticus.
57 Tribunal confessariorum, very often edited.
58 Concerning the moral system of St. Alphonsus, see Aertnys-Damen, Theol. mor. book 1, n. 85 sqq.
59 Newly edited with additions by Irenaeus Bierbaum.
60 Edited several times even in our times by Irenaeus Bierbaum.
61 Summa theol. schol. et mor., 4 volumes in folio.
62 All his juridico-regular and moral works were collected in 6 volumes in folio (Lyons 1665).
63 Theologia moralis christiana et evangelica, 20 tomes in 12mo.
64 Cf. Hurter, Nomenclator litt. IV, 604 sqq.
13. Conclusion. From this brief historical conspectus it is permitted to infer that Moral Theology had, in the three periods, four epochs of great flourishing, which are: the first, the patristic epoch, in the time of St. Augustine down to Gregory the Great; the second, the scholastic epoch, in the thirteenth century, when St. Thomas wrote his immortal Summa theologica and Raymond de Pennafort his little Summa for confessors; the third epoch began immediately after the Council of Trent, when authors of diverse religious Orders cultivated the whole of Theology almost in rivalry; the fourth epoch began in the time of St. Alphonsus and lasts down to our own days. Certainly, indeed, from the year 1800 to 1860, as almost the whole scientific life languished, so neither then were there great works of Moral Theology. But now for fifty years the study of Moral Theology has flourished in the Catholic world. Especially in these most recent years Moral Theology has obtained vigorous defenders against malicious attacks; moreover, strong attempts have been made to hand down this discipline in a more scientific manner.