MORAL THEOLOGY

This study offers a general introduction to Christian Ethics. It is to enable students to lead a life in Christ. Analyzing different contemporary moral issues, the discussion will be focused on the definition, dynamics, foundations, Jesus and moral living, human act, conscience, different approaches, natural law, fundamental moral option, sin and conversion. The subject will be treated in the light of the teaching of the Church, especially in reference to Veritatis Splendor and Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Basic Bibliography

Peschke, Henry. Christian Ethics Vols. I&II: General Moral Theology, Bangalore: Theological Publications in India, 1981. Keane, Philip S. Christian Ethics and Imagination. Richard, Lucien. Is There a Christian Ethics, New York: Paulist Press, 1975. Slack, Kenneth. Seven Deadly Sins, London: SCM Press Ltd., 1985. Chambers, Oswald. Moral Foundations of Life, Hants: Marshall Morgan & Scott, 1966. Davis, Charles. Questions of Conscience, London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1967. Lobo, George V. Christian Living According to Vatican II: Moral Theology Today, Bangalore: Theological Publications in India, 1982. Gill, Robin. Textbook of Christian Ethics, Edinburgh: T & T Clark Ltd., 1985.

Lecturer: Fr. Benedict OFM Cap.

This course is a study of the Judeo-Christian foundations of Moral Theology. The aim of the course is to highlight their unique characteristics. The implications and Consequences of faith in Yahweh and in Jesus Christ for ethical living are analysed and elaborated.

Basic Bibliography

Harrington, Donal, What is Morality?: The Light through different Widows, Dublin: The Columba Press, 1996. Sparks, Richard C. Contemporary Christian Morality: Real Questions Candid Responses, New York: A Crossroad Herder Book, 1996. Fagan, Sean. The New Dictionary of Theology, Malaysia: Gill and Macmillan, 1996. O'Connell, Timothy E. Principles for a Catholic Morality, New York: Harper San Francisco, 1990. Haring, Bernard. Free and Faithful in Christ: Moral Theology for Priests and Laity I, Slough: St. Paul Publications, 1978.

Lecturer: Fr. Sathian OFM Cap.

This course deals with meaning of virtues. Virtues need vision. Therefore it speaks about division to virtues and the meaning of virtue in the modern world. It deals elaborately the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity and the cardinal virtues. It comprises the challenge of religious sects and popular religiosity. It focuses the means of forming virtue in human person.

Basic Bibliography

1. Carapiet, M. The Virutes, (Calcutta, 1985); The entire issue of Concilum: “Changing Values and Virtues”, 191/3/1987; 2. Guardini, R. The Virtues, Chicago, 1967; 3. Haring, B. Free and Faithful in Chirst, Vol., II, (Slough 1979); 4. Haring, B. Timely and Untimely Virtues, Slough, 1986; 5. Peschke, H. Christian Ethics, Vol., II, Bangalore, 1979.

Lecturer: Fr. Sathian OFM Cap.

The aim of this course is to understand the dynamism of the family, society and state and the prophetic responses of the church. Any form of theology cannot be done outside the society. Thus theology incarnates itself in the form of faith to understanding the society. In family, we try to study the types of family, its relations to the society, autofunctions and immediate functions of the family, duties of parents and children, and psycho dynamic response. In society, we deal with different theories of origin of society, common good and its application and its causes, the different between common good and individual good, ecclesial response and principle of subsidiary. In state, we deal with the origin of state and their theories, historical functions, primary functions of the state, the understanding of common wheel, the relationship between state and the church and its critical evaluation.

Basic Bibliography

Amalorpavadoss, The Indian Church in the struggle for a new society, Bangalore, 1981. Calvez, The Church and social Justice: The social teachings of the Popes from Leo XIII to Pius XII, New York, 1961. Desrochers, The social Teachings of the Church, Bangalore, 1982.

Lecturer: Fr. Benedict OFM Cap.

Content of the Social Teaching Marriage and the Family- Private Property Work: a) The attitude towards work;b) Specific Issues Capital, Profit and the Economy- The Corporation-The Market and free Enterprise Exchange-Economic Growth and Development- The Economy and the State-The International Economy- Problem of Interracial Justice - The main encyclicals of modern popes - Liberation Theology – The Papal response

Appendices: Two realities of the modern world; Moral characteristics of the contemporary world; Consumerism and consumer culture; Stewardship of wealth.

Basic Bibliography

John Desrochers, Social Teaching of the Church, Bangalore, 1982. Victor, Mater et Magistra & India, Alwaye, 1963. Calvez, Jean Yeses, The Church and Social Justice, London: Burns & Oates, 1961. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, Pontifical council for Justice and Peace, Libereria Edictrice Vaticana, 2004. Dorr, D. Option for the poor: A Hundred Years of Vatican Social Teaching, Maryknoll, N.Y: Orbis, 1992. Gremillion J. The Gospel of Peace and Justice, Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis, 1979. Massaro Thomas, Living Justice. Oxford, Sheed & Ward / Rowman & Little, 2000.

Lecturer: Dr. Kaspar

The aim of this course is to enable the students to deal with the ethical issues and value dilemmas arising out of the practice of healthcare and the advances in biomedical technology and the life sciences. After an initial study of the basic principles used in the discipline, attention is paid to the ethical dilemmas concerning the beginning and end of human life as well as moral problems that are encountered in the practice of medicine and scientific reach. The course also deals with the social dimensions of healthcare and the pastoral care of the sick and the dying.

Basic Bibliography

Ashley, B.M. and K.D. O'Rourke, Health Care Ethics: A Theological Analysis, Catholic Association of the US., 3rd Ed. 1989. Devine, R.J. Good Care, Painful choices: Medical Ethics for Ordinary People, New York: Paulist Press, 1996. Elizari Basterra, F.J. Bioethics, Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1989. Lammers, S.E. and Verhey, On Moral Medicine, Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1987. May, W.E. Catholic Bioethics and the Gift of Human Life, Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 2000. Varga, A.C. The Main Issues in Bioethics, Ramsey, N.J., Paulist Press, 1980.

Lecturer: Dr. Kaspar

Challenge to Theology and Ethics-Our relationship to creation and nature-Dominion over nature-Human Ecology and final Hope – Ecology and Ownership of Property – Ecological Conscience and its Obstacles – Ecological Politics – Nuclear Energy and Alternatives – Limits of Population Growth

Basic Bibliography

Lecturer: Fr. Lawrence OFM Cap.

Term Clarifications – Eros, Filia, amicitia. Need for friendship-Socio-Psychological reflections – Historical combing on the understanding of friendship – Friendship circles – Friendship in Bible – Challenges to Friendship – Current issues – Sexual intimacy & responsibility – Ethics of Friendship – Friendship & meaning – Friendship at various levels – Modern trends – Theological reflections.

Basic Bibliography

Joel D. Block, Friendship: How to give it, How to get it, Macmillan publishing & Co, New York 1980, 96-97. E. Stauffer, Agap`ao, GLNT, I, Brescia 1965, 92-105. Frank E. Gbelein ed. The Expositors Bible Commentary Vol., 9, Regency Ref. Library, Michigan, 1981, 152-53. Allan C. Mitchell, “The Social Function of Friendship in Acts 2:44-47 And 4:32-37” in Journal of Biblical Literature lll/2 (1992), 255-272. Paul J. Wadell, Friendship and the Moral Life, University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame 1989,78-80. Lawrence A. Blum, Friendship, Altruism, and Morality, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London 1980, 70. Ander Nygren, Agape and Eros, trans. Philip S. Watson, Harper & Row, New York 1969, 48. Joan H. Timmerman, Sexuality and Spiritual Growth, Crossroad, New York 1993,133-134.

Lecturer: Dr. Kaspar

Love, sexuality and human flourishing are inseparable. This course is an attempt to provide an intelligent and accurate explanation of the theology of body and contemporary theological vision of Christian marriage. Human body is capable of making visible what is invisible: the spiritual and divine. It was created to transfer into the visible reality of the world, the mystery hidden since time immemorial in God, and thus to be a sign of it. The human body speaks of the ineffable, whispering to us something of the deepest secret hidden in God from all eternity. This is the body’s mysterious language. It is specifically the visible beauty and mystery of sexual difference and the call of man and woman to communion that enables us to understand the human body in this way: Thois great mystery of man and woman’s communion in ‘one in flesh’ foreshadows the infinitely greater mystery of Christ’s communion with the Church. The divine architect designed our male and female bodies in the very lines and curves of our flesh and bone to proclaim the mystery of Christ and his life-giving union with the Church. Based on this theological vision this course is providing moral evaluations and pastoral guidelines to the students to be theologically enlightened and pastorally sensitive.

Basic Bibliography

Derrick, Christopher. Sex and Sacredness, San Francisco, 1982. West, Christopher. Theology of the Body Explained, Boston, 2003. West Christopher, Good News about Sex and Marriage: Answer to your Honest Questions about Catholic Teaching, Michigan 2000.

Lecturer: Dr. Kaspar

The first part of the course deals with Sin. After study of sin in the bible and other religious traditions, there is a study of the development of the theology of sin and modern attempts at reinterpretation of sin in its religious, personal and social dimensions.

The second part deals with Reconciliation. After a study of conversion and reconciliation in the bible and other traditions, there is a study of the historical development of the Sacrament of Penance and a theological reflection on the many ways of reconciliation in history. There is a detailed theological study of the new rite and the pastoral role of the minister of reconciliation. There is also a study of reconciliation in its wider social dimension.

Basic Bibliography

Arockiasamy, S. & F. Podimattam, Social Sin: Its Challenges to Christian Life, Bangalore: Claretian Publications, 1991. Dallen, J. The Reconciling Community: The Rite of Penance, New York: Pueblo, 1986. Fagan, S. Han Sin Changed? Dublin: Gill and Macmillan, 1978. Gula, R.M. To Walk together again: The Sacrament of Reconciliation, Ramsey, N.J: Paulist Press, 1984. Hellwig, M.K. Sign of Reconciliation and Conversion: The Sacrament of Penance for Our Times, Wilmington: Delaware: Michael Glazier, 1982. McCormick, P. Sin as Addiction, New York: Paulist Press, 1989.

Lecturer: Fr. Benedict OFM Cap.