Charity in truth In a world dominated by moral relativism, “what is truth?” According to Patrick Madrid, “the answer, from a Catholic perspective, is Jesus Christ… ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.’” Morality is “objective truth given by God, not to ruin our lives, but to make us truly free”[1]. Charity, on…
Category: theology
What is the eternal law, divine law, natural law, and human law? What is the proper hierarchy of law?
“Law is an ordinance of reason for the common good, promulgated by the one who is in charge of the community” (St. Thomas Aquinas, STh I-II, 90, 4; CCC 1976). Law is primarily a reasonable plan of action, “a certain rule and measure of acts whereby man is induced to act or is restrained from…
Why is the fundamental difference of the conception of grace between Catholics and Protestants crucial to understand?
Introduction Catholic and Protestant reformers of the 16th century disagree about man’s justification, namely, how grace, the gift of God won by Jesus’ sacrifice, works on the human soul[1]. Protestants believe grace covers up but does not remove sin. Luther sees “human nature or soul as dung-covered snow, so grace covers up our ugliness.” Catholics…
Why are the moral virtues considered cardinal? Which aspects of man does each govern?
Moral/ Cardinal virtues “A virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do good. Virtue allows a person to give the best of himself” (CCC 1803). Virtues can be divided into moral and theological virtues. Theological virtues (faith, hope, and charity) direct us to our End (God), while the moral virtues direct us in our…
What are the three conditions of the Human (Moral) Act?
Photo by Martin Sattler on Unsplash Three conditions of the Human Act Human (moral) acts are acts which are chosen by exercising one’s free will as a consequence of a judgment of conscience. Human acts are moral acts because they express the good or evil when someone is performing them.[1] The morality of acts is defined by…