LAW AS A GUIDE TO FREEDOM LAW AND MORALITY: SOME DEFINITIONS

CHAPTER OVERVIEW: GOOD LAW POINTS OUT THE BOUNDARIES OF FREEDOM. KNOWING AND RESPECTING THE LAW IS ESSENTIAL TO LIVING A MORAL LIFE. GOD GAVE HUMAN BEINGS THE FREEDOM TO THINK AND CHOOSE. FREEDOM MAKS US RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR CHOICES AND HELPS US GROW IN TRUTH AND GOODNESS

CHAPTER OVERVIEW, CONT. TO THE DEGREE THAT OUR CHOICES AND ACTIONS ARE VOLUNTARY, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM. WE SHOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR MISTAKES AND SINFUL BEHAVIOR, AND COMMIT OURSELVES TO REPAIRING HARM DONE AND RESOLVING NOT TO REPEAT THEM.

CHAPTER OVERVIEW, CONT. GOOD LAW PROTECTS US FROM MANY ACTIONS THAT WOULD HURT OURSELVES OR OTHERS. ROOTED IN THE COMMON GOOD, LAW GUIDES OUR THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS AND PROVIDES THE FOUNDATION FOR MORAL BEHAVIOR.

WHAT IS FREEDOM? THE CHOICE TO DO GOOD, TO LOVE, TO RESPECT THE WELFARE OF OTHERS MAKES US RESPONSIBLE, SELF-DETERMINING, SELF-CREATING OBSTACLES TO FREEDOM: IGNORANCE DURESS, FEAR, HABIT, INORDINATE ATTACHMENT FREEDOM VS LICENSE: –LICENSE = CHOICE TO DO WHAEVER ONE WANTS, WITHOUT LIMITS—AN EXCESSIVE, ABSOLUTE ABUSE OF FREEDOM

EMOTIONS EMOTIONS ARE MORALLY NEUTRAL: TO DEGREE EMOTIONS ENGAGE REASON AND WILL, WE FIND MORAL GOOD OR EVIL IN THEM –IF LEAD US TO DO GOOD—MORAL –IF LEAD US TO DO EVIL—IMMORAL

DEFINITION OF LAW “AN ORDINANCE OF REASON FOR THE COMMON GOOD, PROMULGATED BY THE ONE WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE COMMUNITY” REASONABLE FOR THE COMMON GOOD MADE BY COMPETENT AUTHORITY PROMULGATED (ANNOUNCED SO AS TO BE KNOWN AND FOLLOWED)

TYPES OF LAW ETERNAL LAW—GOD’S PROVIDENCE –NATURAL LAW CIVIL LAW DIVINE LAW—HIGHEST NORM OF LIFE –REVEALED LAW OLD LAW—OF MOSES NEW LAW—OF JESUS CHURCH (CANON) LAW

NATURAL LAW “THE LIGHT OF UNDERSTANDING PLACED IN US AT CREATION” “WHAT HUMAN REASON CAN DISCOVER ABOUT HUMAN NATURE/MORAL DUTY, INDEPENDENT OF REVELATION” WHAT TO DO: GOOD WHAT TO AVOID: EVIL

NATURAL LAW, CONT. CORRESPONDS TO THREE BASIC HUMAN DRIVES/NEEDS: –PRESERVING LIFE –DEVELOPING AS INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES –SHARING LIFE WITH OTHERS

NATURAL LAW, CONT. EXPRESSED THROUGH NORMS THAT ARE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, GENERAL OR SPECIFIC FOUNDATION OF ALL CIVIL LAWS AND MORAL RULES: UNIVERSAL, PERMANENT, UNCHANGING THROUGH HISTORY MAY BE DIFFICULT TO DISCERN DUE TO SIN, WEAKENED INTELLECT

CIVIL LAW “A PARTICULAR APPLCATION OF THE NATURAL LAW FOR MEMBERS OF A GIVEN SOCIETY” APPLIED DIFFERENTLY ACCORDING TO CUSTOM AND CIRCUMSTANCES NOT ALL CIVIL LAW IS GOOD LAW-- CIVIL LAW THAT VIOLATES HUMAN LIFE/DIGNITY IS MORALLY EVIL

DIVINE LAW THE HIGHEST NORM OF HUMAN LIFE FOUR PURPOSES: –TO DIRECT OUR JOURNEY TO GOD –TO HELP US DISCERN GOOD AMONG CONFLICTING IDEAS OF RIGHT/WRONG –TO INSPIRE OUR MOTIVATION –TO DEFINE WHAT IS SINFUL-- DESTRUCTIVE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, OTHERS

REVEALED LAW: THE OLD LAW THE LAW OF MOSES--THE TEN COMMANDMENTS--THE DECALOGUE PROHIBITS WHAT IS CONTRARY TO LOVE OF GOD AND NEIGHBOR PRESCRIBES WHAT THE DEMANDS OF LOVE REQUIRE PREPARES FOR THE GOSPEL--THE NEW COVENANT IN JESUS--THE LAW OF LOVE

REVEALED LAW: THE NEW LAW THE PERFECTION OF DIVINE LAW A LAW OF LOVE, GRACE AND FREEDOM--KNOWN THROUGH CHRIST AND THE HOLY SPIRIT PRESENTS THE CORE ATTITUDES THAT MAKE FAITHFULNESS TO THE DIVINE LAW POSSIBLE: PURITY, PRAYER, FORGIVENESS, SINCERITY

CHURCH LAW MINIMAL OBLIGATIONS FOR CATHOLICS TO OBSERVE-- OBLIGATIONS TO GOD, NEIGHBOR SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS OF DIVINE LAW OFFICIALLY KNOWN AS CANON LAW (REVISED 1983)

CHURCH LAW, CONT. 1. YOU SHALL ATTEND MASS ON SUNDAYS AND HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION. 2. YOU SHALL CONFESS YOUR SINS AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR. 3. YOU SHALL RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION AT LEAST ONCE PER YEAR DURING THE EASTER SEASON.

CHURCH LAW, CONT. 4. YOU SHALL KEEP HOLY THE HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION. 5. YOU SHALL OBSERVE THE PRESCRIBED DAYS OF FASTING AND ABSTINENCE. 6. YOU SHALL PROVIDE FOR THE MATERIAL NEEDS OF THE CHURCH ACCORDING TO YOUR ABILITIES.

LAW AND MORALITY LAW WORKS FROM WITHOUT— COMPELLING US TO DO GOOD AND AVOID EVIL UNDER PAIN OF PUNISHMENT MORALITY WORKS FROM WITHIN—FROM THE DICTATES OF OUR CONSCIENCE