The Church &
Moral Teaching
How do you think it works?
• Church
o imperfect
o Agent of meeting Jesus
•
•
•
•
Acts of love
Outreach
Preaching
Teaching
o What Jesus taught
o Preserving doctrine
Church continues
the mission of
Jesus & the Holy
Spirit
1. Shaping moral
character
2. Guarding and
maintaining moral
tradition
3. A community of
moral deliberation
when & where moral
issues emerge
Richard Gula’s
Three tasks of the
Church in
guiding moral
life
• Church’s position on
ethical & moral issues
reported:
o Church publications
o Press
o Internet
o Churches
o Schools/universities
o homes
The Church
Shapes Moral
Character
Shaping Moral Character
• Imagination important
• Church teaches through
o Rituals
o Images
o Art
o Architecture
o Symbols
o Stories
o Liturgy
• Eucharist the source &
summit of our faith
• Reflecting on moral
issues over its history
o Large body of moral
teaching to assist in
helping us to inform our
conscience
• Different levels of
authority of teaching
The Church
Guards &
Maintains Moral
Tradition
• Groups of people
help carry the
tradition forward:
oThe faithful
oTheologians
oPriests & pastoral
ministers
oTeaching
authority of the
Church
People not
documents!
• Our baptized parents
& friends
• Catechists & schools
• Standing up for issues:
o D&P
o Soup kitchens
o Hospices
o Volunteering
• Witness  mercy &
justice of God!
The Faithful
• Interpret moral
tradition for our time
• Ancient tradition of
o Scripture
o Tradition of Church
• Contribute to
Magisterium
• Present in continuity
with past
o See page 120 margin
notes
Theologians
• Priests (presbyters)
o Preside over liturgy &
sacraments
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•
•
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Deacons
Pastoral assistants
Administrators
Catechists
o Teach
Priests & pastoral
workers
• Magisterium
• Bishops & Pope
o Instruction in schools
o Theologians,
imprimatur (it may be
printed)
o Definitions of faith
•
•
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Ecumenical councils
Encyclicals
Pastoral letters
Declarations
Official teaching
authority
• Extraordinary
o Ecumenical council
pronounces solemn
decree
o Solemn decree of
Pope (ex cathedra)
• Ordinary
o Daily teaching of
bishops
o Not necessarily
infallible yet binding
Levels of the
Magisterium
• Church responds to
events in world
• Bishops consult experts
o Dialogue & debate
o See page 121
o Pick one:
• Summarize key points
• Reflect on the impact
the teaching has on
you.
The Church is a
community of
moral
deliberation