Introduction to Catholic Moral Theology

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course will introduce students to the fundamental tenets of Catholic moral theology with an eye to its relevance for the analysis of contemporary moral controversies. By the end of this course, students should be able to offer a nuanced moral analysis of a contemporary moral controversy that recognizably builds upon the theological and conceptual resources offered by the Catholic moral tradition. To do so, students will engage that tradition's analysis of the moral act, the moral significance of the cardinal virtues, the relationship between the virtue of justice and charity, the distinction between mortal and venial sin, and the necessity of grace for one to live the good life. In the course of this investigation, we will touch upon how the above resources can be used to think through the nature of happiness, freedom, and the morality of warfare, alcohol-use, and lying. In order to see the relevance of these topics for contemporary society, students will be asked to review three contemporary films that highlight these themes. At the conclusion of the course, we will examine opposing arguments about the morality of hunger strikes, abortion, and collateral damage in light of what we have learned throughout the course.