WHAT JUDGES THE MORALITY OF OUR ACTS?

THE SUBJECTIVE NORM OF MORALITYCONSCIENCE

What is Conscience?a practical judgment of human reason concerning the moral goodness or evil of an action.It is by the judgment of his conscience that man perceives & recognizes the prescriptions of the divine law.An act of the human intellect. Therefore subject to the shortcomings of our intellect.

CONSCIENCEIt is the inner voice summoning us to love the good and avoid evil, by applying objective moral norms to our particular acts, and thus commanding: do this, do not do that.

CONSCIENCE ISour natural capacity to discern what is morally good or evil, with the feeling of being obliged to do the good and avoid the evil.our reason figuring out, determining (hence, were responsible) what we should (hence, moral obligation is involved)do (regarding a decision to act)

Conscience, therefore, is our subjective norm of moral behavior,which determines how we should act by applying objective moral norms to a specific moral act.

It is SUBJECTIVE -- it is ours, no one can morally decide for us.It is subjective, not subjectivistic.ultimate & subjective moral norm does not mean it operates apart from all objective moral norms.

It is OBJECTIVE -- conscience transcends our individualistic, private notions and binds us.by precisely applying universal objective norms to our particular acts

ACCORDING TO VATICAN II:Deep within our conscience we discover a law which we have not laid on ourselves, but which we must obey. Its voice, ever calling us to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, tells us inwardly at the right time: do this, shun that. For we have in our hearts a law inscribed by God. Our dignity lies in observing this law and by it we will be judged. Conscience is our most secret core, and our sanctuary. There we are alone with God whose voice echoes in our depths (GS 16).

WHY IS CONSCIENCE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE VOICE OF GOD?

because it is God who created us, who has put this inherent sense of what is good & bad in us, and who wants us to act according to our human nature and be true to ourselves.

because this law of conscience that is inscribed by God is experienced often as absolute: not dependent on anything we freely choose of ourselves, nor on what family, society taught us.this exceptional absolute quality is why conscience is our most secret core, our sanctuary, where we are alone with God whose voice echoes in our depths.

NEVERTHELESSthe phrase voice of God is only a metaphor. It is not an outside voice that dictates new moral information to us.

we cannot identify the voice of conscience with Gods since it often happens that conscience goes astray through ignorance which it is unable to avoid, without thereby losing its dignity. For despite the possibility of error, conscience remains our final moral norm, and by it we will be judged (GS 16.)

IS CONSCIENCE A FEELING?FEELINGS ARE NOT CONSCIENCE. A SENSE OF PEACE OR GUILT MAY ACCOMPANY THE JUDGMENT OF CONSCIENCE, BUT FEELINGS DO NOT DETERMINE THE MORALITY OF AN ACT.

FEELINGS & SOCIAL CONVENTIONS DO NOT DETERMINE WHAT IS MORALLY RIGHT AND MORALLY WRONG. FEELINGS CAN BE MISGUIDED, SOCAL VALUES CAN BE CORRUPTED.

SOME PEOPLE DO THE MOST HORRIBLE THINGS AND FEEL NO GUILT OR REMORSE (E.G., HOLOCAUST), WHILE OTHERS FEEL GUILT OVER MATTERS THAT HAVE NO MORAL SIGNIFICANCE (E.G., BEING NEAT & TIDY)

SINCE THE JUDGMENT OF CONSCIENCE IS AN ACT OF THE INTELLECT, IT CANNOT MERELY BE A FEELING OR A PERSONAL DECISION TO ACT OR LIVE IN A CERTAIN WAY.

NOT THAT FEELINGS ARE UNIMPORTANT OR IRRELEVANT IN MAKING JUDGMENTS OF CONSCIENCE.

EITHER ACTS ARE OR ARE NOT TRULY IN ACCORD WITH CORRECT MORAL STANDARDS.

IT IS PRECISELY BEC THE JUDGMENT OF CONSCIENCE IS ONES BEST JUDGMENT ABOUT WHAT ONE SHOULD DO THAT A PERSON IS MORALLY OBLIGED TO FOLLOW HIS/HER CONSCIENCE.

THIS DUTY IS INTELLIGIBLE ONLY WHEN CONSCIENCE IS UNDERSTOOD AS A JUDGMENT THE BEST JUDGMENT ONE CAN MAKE ABOUT THE TRULY GOOD THING TO DO IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES. FEELINGS CAN GENERATE NO SUCH DUTY.

GUILT FEELINGS A GREAT IMPACT ON ONES LIFE.

BUT IF THESE FEELINGS DO NOT COME FROM AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTRINSIC GOODNESS OR WRONGNESS OF A CONTEMPLATED ACT, BUT MERELY MOTIVATED BY A DESIRE FOR APPROVAL & FEAR OF DISAPPROVAL BY AN AUTHORITY FIGURE, THEY CANNOT PROVIDE DECISIVE MORAL GUIDANCE.

IT HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE DEEPER REALITY OF AUTHENTIC CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE AND HOW IT IS GRADUALLY FORMED UNDER THE COMPLEX PATTERN OF INFLUENCES FROM INSTINCT, GRACE, FAMILY, COMMUNITY.

MOMENTSANTECEDENT - Conscience which discerns. (Before the act)

CONCOMITANT- Conscience in action. Am I doing the right thing? (During the act)

CONSEQUENT - Conscience which reviews, evaluates an action which has already been done.

LEVELS OF CONSCIENCEINSTINCTIVE LEVEL Dominated by fear of punishment & desire for approval or reward.Natural level, normal for children.

FEAR CONSCIENCE

operates on the instinctive level;focuses on the command, on the external breaking a command of authority (taboo), which brings on guilt feelings of anxiety;dominated by fear of punishment and desire for approval;natural for young children;roots always remain in us to some degree;but if still predominant in an adults moral life, constitutes a serious moral defect, a major obstacle to personal growth & well-being.

2. MORAL / PHILOSOPHICAL - Operates on the ethical level, that is, not just on what is commanded by some authority but now from awareness of the inner good or evil of an act.

MORAL-ETHICAL CONSCIENCElooks beneath the command of the authority and recognizes the inner good or evil of moral acts, and their own responsibility for them;this inner good/evil is judged in terms of the value of the human person in communitybeing true to self and others as human persons;

3. CHRISTIAN LEVEL - My Christian Faith illumines, clarifies & deepens what we perceive as truly worthy of being a person. It places moral striving as a personal call to wholeness & holiness.

CHRISTIAN-RELIGIOUS CONSCIENCE

Faith actively illumines the moral life of the disciple of Christ, under his new Law of the indwelling Spirit,who inspires and strengthens the re-creative love of on-going conversion.

We become conscious of the healing & liberating grace present in our very moral struggle & striving, as we are called to greater & fuller conversion into the persons that God has created us to become.

NOTEThese 3 levels of conscience are not exclusivewe all retain a good measure of the first and second levels even after we have reached the third.This is actually needed in our human condition.But the task of every Christian is to grow toward a dominantly Christian level of conscience in all moral decision-making and activity.

CONSCIENCESINCERITYCORRECTNESSIt is not enough to be sincere. It is important to be correct.

KINDS OF CONSCIENCEI. Conscience with reference to the degree of voluntariness:FREEUNFREE

II. With reference to objective moral norm:CORRECT or TRUEERRONEOUSInvincibleVincible

III. With reference to the degree of certainty:1. CERTAIN2. DOUBTFUL

IV. With reference to moral attitude:1. DELICATE2. LAX3.SCRUPULOUS4. PHARISAICAL5. CALLOUS

Formation of ConscienceINFORMEDENLIGHTENEDFORMED

THE DUTY TO FOLLOW ONES CONSCIENCEONES JUDGMENT CAN BE MISTAKEN.BUT THIS DOES NOT CHANGE THE FACT THAT ONE IS OBLIGED TO FOLLOW HIS/HER FINAL JUDGMENT OF CONS, FOR IN SUCH A ACSE ONE HONESTLY BELIEVES THAT A CERTAIN COURSE OF ACTION IS MORALLY REQUIRED

BUT THE MORALLY UPRIGHT PERSON WILL, OF COURSE, EARNESTLY SEEK TO SEE TO IT THAT HIS OR HER JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE.

HENCE, THE DUTY TO FORM ONES CONSCIENCE:ONE MUST GRASP THE IMPLICATIONS OF BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MORALITY;ONE MUST LEARN HOW TO APPLY THSE NORMS SO AS TO FORM REASONABLE JUDGMENTS OF CONSCIENCE.

HOW DO WE FORM A CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE?Personal & ecclesial PRAYER LIFEStudying the WORD of GOD & the Teachings of the Church (Seek the moral guidance of the Church)Responsiveness to the indwelling Holy Spirit.Examination of ones conscience. Critical Reflection on our concrete moral choices & experiences in daily life.

The Catholic Church as Moral Guide & Teacher:Bearer of Moral TraditionA community of Moral discernmentShaper of Moral Identity.

CLARIFICATIONSConscience does not supersede Gods/Church norms, but applies them.We are judged by God according to what we honestly judge to be a valid application of a law/norm.Conscience is ones best judgment as to what in the circumstances is the morally right thing to do.