A History of Catholic Moral Theology in the Twentieth Century: From Confessing Sins to Liberating Consciences - Hardcover

Keenan S. J., James F.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0826429289 ISBN 13: 9780826429285

Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd., 2010

Synopsis

This is an historical survey of 20th Century Roman Catholic Theological Ethics (also known as moral theology). The thesis is that only through historical investigation can we really understand how the most conservative and negative field in Catholic theology at the beginning of the 20th could become by the end of the 20th century the most innovative one. The 20th century begins with moral manuals being translated into the vernacular. After examining the manuals of Thomas Slater and Henry Davis, Keenan then turns to three works and a crowning synthesis of innovation all developed before, during and soon after the Second World War. The first by Odon Lottin asks whether moral theology is adequately historical; Fritz Tillmann asks whether it's adequately biblical; and, Gerard Gilleman, whether it's adequately spiritual. Bernard Haering integrates these contributions into his Law of Christ. Of course, people like Gerald Kelly and John Ford in the US are like a few moralists elsewhere, classical gate keepers, censoring innovation. But with Humanae vitae, and successive encyclicals, bishops and popes reject the direction of moral theologians.

About this title

Review:

'Whichever camp you are in this book will provide much food for thought. It touches on many of the burning moral issues that have captivated and divided Catholics over the past several decades and it ends with some optimistic words about the future.' Catholic Herald, 2nd July 2010

Mention in Rassegna Bibliografica Internazionale, 2010.
America: The National Catholic Weekly

"Remolding material from a doctoral seminar he taught for 15 years, Keenan introduces students to the intellectual history of 20th-century Catholic moral theology and to the people who developed and debated it. He limits his study to such fundamentals as conscience, sin, love, virtue, and authority, and omits ethical concerns relating to society, sex, medicine, corporations, and the like. His topics are the moral manualists, Odon Lottin initiating reform, Fritz Tillmann and Gerard Gilleman retrieving scripture and charity, Berhard Haring's synthesis, the neo-manualists, for foundations for moral reasoning 1970-89, new foundations for a theological anthropology 1980-2000, and toward a global discourse on suffering and solidarity. A brief afterword reviews the encyclicals of Benedict XVI." - Eithne O'Leyne, BOOK NEWS, Inc.
International Journal of Public Theology

About the Author:

James F. Keenan, S.J., is professor of theological ethics at Boston College. He was principal editor of Catholic Ethicists on HIV/AIDS Prevention and is the author of numerous books, including The Works of Mercy: The Heart of Catholicism, Moral Wisdom: Lessons and Texts from the Catholic Tradition, Virtues for Ordinary Christians, Commandments of Compassion, Goodness and Rightness in Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologiae, and (with Daniel Harrington) Jesus and Virtue Ethics annd Paul and Virtue Ethics.

About this edition

• Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0826429289
• ISBN 13: 9780826429285
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 256