Theology 131

Christian Morality and Spirituality

Professor : Annaliza L. Magno

Student Learning Objectives

To see through the lens of Christian

morality and spirituality our human
experiences.
 Opening Prayer : Wis 2:23-3:9

God formed man to be imperishable; Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,
the image of his own nature he made them. because God tried them
But by the envy of the Devil, death entered and found them worthy of himself.
the world, As gold in the furnace, he proved them,
and they who are in his possession and as sacrificial offerings he took them to
experience it. himself.
In the time of their visitation they shall shine,
But the souls of the just are in the hand of and shall dart about as sparks through
God, stubble;
and no torment shall touch them. They shall judge nations and rule over
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, peoples,
and the Lord shall be their King forever.
to be dead; Those who trust in him shall understand truth,
and their passing away was thought an and the faithful shall abide with him in love:
affliction Because grace and mercy are with his holy
and their going forth from us, utter ones,
destruction. and his care is with his elect.
But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished,
yet is their hope full of immortality;
 Course Orientation and Introduction
Pre-Lectio:

What is your disposition today in this class?

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8
Lectio
I. Course Description
• Theo 131 is a three unit course on Christian Morality
and Spirituality which focuses on the application of moral norms
by those taking the course in their life’s discernment and the
appropriation of the Ignatian spirituality in their spiritual
exercises. The students will use the moral lens in which the
Christian Church has guided herself through the Magisterium, in
their observation, judgement and action. Reflections on what is
moral and immoral actions, determination of the degree of
culpability and reparations are made within the bounds of the
teachings of the Christian Scriptures and traditions. This course
requires knowledge and skills in Salvation History and
Christology and the Church and Sacraments.
II. Course Objectives

1. To see according to the moral lens of the Christian Church as guided

by her magisterial teaching and tradition;
2. To judge according to the moral norms of the church with
compassion and mercy; and
3. To act according to the dictates of a well formed conscience
4. To appreciate the true meaning and destiny of humanity as perceived
in the Christian tradition
III. Methodology of the course

The Ignatian pedagogical paradigm will be employed in this

course. There will be five main parts in the learning process: SLO
(Student learning Objectives) Pre-Lectio, Lectio, Repetitio and
Evaluation of the Student learning Objectives. Courses materials
will be uploaded in the google suite which will be accessed by
students with gmail accounts.
IV. Course Requirements

Completion of Theo 111 and Theo 121

Attendance as stipulated in the Handbook
Gmail account (to access Course materials)
Reflection notebook ( entries must be
typewritten)
 References
1. New American Bible
2. Choose Life by Fr. James Mc Tavish, FMVD
3. Moral Theology for the Twenty-First Century edited by: Bernard
Hoose, Julie Clague, Gerard Mannion
4. Priciples for a Catholic Morality by Timothy E. O’ Connell
5. The Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes by Yiu Sing Lucas Chan
6. In Pursuit of Love by: Vincent Genovesi
7. Principles of Ignatian Leadership by William Byron and James L.
Connor
8. Catechism for Filipino Catholics, CBCP 1997
 Classroom Policies:
1. Attendance
2. Clay Go
3. Grading System:
Q/A (1/3); Exam (1/3); CP /Group Works (1/3)
4. Respect
 Course Outline
Topics Pre-Lectio Lectio
1st Wk Course Orientation, Self-Introduction Nature of the Course, Course Requirement,
Introduction to the Course Establishing connection and relevance Course Outline
of Christian Morality and Spirituality Definition of Terms
to previous Courses (In Pursuit of Love pp.16-21)

St. Alphonsus Ligouri, Patron of Moral Theology (Choose Life pp.

105-118)
2nd Wk Our Christian Vocation What is Love in different areas of Our Call to Love; Jesus and the Commands to love; The
Knowledge? Experience of True Love, Love’s demands for…
A call to Love, To Faith to Conversion ( In Pursuit of Love
pp. 25-36; 49-50)

Christian Life is Unique, Communal and Graced

(Principles of Catholic Morality pp. 119-128)
3rd Wk The Moral Person : Human Act What are human acts? Act of Man and Human Act
Impediments of Human Act: Freedom and Knowledge
(Principles of Catholic Morality pp. 51-64)
4th Wk The Moral Person What is the Christian Anthropology? Who the human person is?
Person and Agent, Knowledge, Freedom, Human Identity
(Principles of Catholic Morality pp. 65-76)
5th Wk The Theology of Sin What is Sin? Scriptural Sin, Biblical
(Principles of Catholic Morality pp. 77-102)
Pastoral Reflection on sin and its effects
(Choose Life pp. 21-37)

6th Wk Prelim
7th Wk Conscience What is Conscience Challenges in Forming Conscience
Choose Life
pp. 3-20

Understanding of Conscience
The Conscience of a Believer
(Conscience in Today’s World pp. 17-28)

8th Wk Moral Law in Scriptures What are moral norms Law in the Jewish Scriptures, Ten Commandments,
Paul on Law (Principles of Catholic Morality
pp. 139-148)
9th Wk Reading Scriptures through the What are virtues? The Good of Virtue Ethics, The Relevance of Virtue in Reading
Lens of Virtues Scriptures (The Ten Commandments and Beatitudes
pp. 9-17
The Moral Virtues
(Choose Life pp. 62-69)

10th Wk The Natural Law What is Natural Law? Vision of Natural Law
The Principles of Catholic Morality pp. 161-173
11th Wk Traditional Moral Maxims What acts are intrinsically Intrinice Malum, Lying, Suicide, Remarriage, Sexual Acts, Direct Killing
evil? of the Innocents, Principle of Double Effect
The Principles of Catholic Morality
pp. 201
12th Wk Midterm Exam
13th WK Issues in Medical and Moral Theology for 21st Century pp. 89-95
Sexual Ethics: Embryo,
Person and Pregnancy

14th WK On a Human Right to Die Moral Theology for 21st Century pp. 106-111

15th Wk Deconstructing and Moral Theology for21st Century

Reconstructing pp. 120-130
Complementarity as a
Foundational Sexual
Principle in Catholic Sexual
Principle…

16th Wk A Strange Sort of Freedom Moral Theology

For 21st Century
pp. 145-153
 Introduction to the Course
What is Moral Theology?

A branch of Theology (fides quarrens intellectum) which attempts to discern

the implications of divine revelation to human behaviour.
Source: Timothy O’ Connel, 1990

Moral Theology interprets the impact of faith on our attitudes, motives,

values and behaviour.

Source: Mc Brien, Richard,1981 ( Catholicism p. 57)

 Morality or Ethics?
Morality Ethics

What we live (the activity of lived experience) What we study (intellectual reflection associated with
academic enterprise)
On-going effort to live good lives i.e we are striving to Systematic considerations : how we ought to act in a
live a morally appropriate way given situation or what is the right thing to do under
the present circumstances

The routine that embodies our efforts to become Study of morality

more truly and fully human and to live accordingly.
Given our freedom, it is possible to live out our
humanity in a false inauthentic way.

In making the effort to be moral, we are at the same As a field of study ethics guides us in our efforts to live
time walking the pathway not only to real human good moral lives, lives that reflect the true meaning of
fulfilment but also to true happiness. humanity and hence directed toward realization of
our true destiny.
Source : Genovesi, Vincent,1996 ( In Pursuit of Love pp. 16-17)
 Christian Morality Christian Ethics
A response to the call of God in Christ Jesus. This An attempt to articulate in a systematic and consistent
response is viewed : way the structure and characteristics of a lifestyle in
a. as embracing a basic moral vision of both person keeping with the basic insights and values of the
and social context Judeo-Christian tradition
b. Codified in moral norms
c. Implemented in moral acts which result from a Basic Assertions:
personal decision-making process 1. God the Father who loves and cares for us sent His
Son to the world (Jn. 3:16) through the Holy Spirit
Source : CFC #790 2. Jesus the Incarnate Word of God became flesh and
dwelt among us Jn. 1: 1 ff
3. Jesus is both human and divine . His divinity
assures the validity of his understanding and
teaching regarding the meaning of humanity, and
his humanity guarantees the possibility of our
living in accordance to his teaching.
4. Christians following the life and teaching of JC is
not only maturing as Christians but are also
developing as true human beings.
Source :Genovesi, 1996 (In Pursuit of Love pp. 18-19)
 What does Moral Mean?
• Mores (Latin) = customs, habitual, ways of doing things.
(right /wrong; good/evil)
• Moral= good; traditionally doing what the good people in
society do because it is beneficial to the community.

Source: Knox, Ian 1999, Theology for Teachers p. 251

 Fundamental Moral Truth of Good and Evil
• Fundamental moral Truth:
Anything contributing to the full actualization of human potential and the proper
development of the human person is good or moral
For Believers, God is the supreme good. Human perfection and development are
undertaken in accordance to God’s will, which guiding principle is love

Anything that frustrates or acts against this proper growth and development is evil.
Partial Lists of Evil: Death, Suffering and Pain, Disability, Deprivation of Freedom,
Discrimination, Deprivation of worth and self esteem (Pre-moral evil ; i.e evils in
objective sense)
Physical Evil(pre-moral): evil brought on by forces normally outside human control; ex.
Natural disasters
Moral Evil: evil brought on by the free, unjustified action of other humans

Source : Knox, Ian 1999, pp. 252-253

The patron of Moral Theology and Confessor
• St. Alphonsus Ligouri, Doctor of the Church (1871) Patron of Moral
Theology and Confessors ( 1950 by Pope Pius XII)

• The Moral Theology of St. Alphonsus:

1. Christ as Redeemer (What redeems man is the mercy of God)
2. Option for the poor and Abandoned
3. An awareness of the fragility of man (need for grace in the
sacraments and prayer, The soul in mental prayer is like an iron in
the fire, it is easy for the soul in prayer to overcome passion)
Source : Mc Tavish James, 2012, Choose Life 105-108
 Repetitio
Spiritual Exercise 102 : Incarnation
This will consist in calling to mind the history of the subject I have to
contemplate. Here it will be how the three Divine Persons look down upon
the whole expanse of the earth, filled with human beings. Since They see that
all are going down to hell, They decree in Their eternity that the Second
Person should become man to save the human race.
Source: Byron and Connor, 2016 Principles of Ignatian Leadership p. 9

1. Explain the role of the second person of the Trinity in Christian Moral
Theology (5pts)
2. What is the supreme good for Christians? Explain (5pts)
3. How do Christians live a moral life? (5 pts.)
 Evaluation of Student Learning Objectives?

Essay (100 words; good for 20 points) Write/paste in your reflection

notebook

What is my criteria of good and evil? How do I live a

moral life?