Well, it's been a hell of a ride, laying rubber all over the road for the past decade. But it's time to call it a day and park the Rogue in the garage. Effective today, I am shutting down my blog to focus my attention on other endeavours. My thanks to the more than 2.7 million people who regularly joined me on these sojourns through news stories over the years that dealt with the places with issues of religion and faith intersecting with public affairs. May God bless you with a continuing desire to learn about and help disseminate the issues of faith throughout the public square. Happy trails in your continuing travels! Fr. Tim Moyle, p.p. Diocese of Pembroke
Reflections from the pastoral ministry of an Evangelical Catholic Priest.
Question on another topic. Fr. Tim. I was having a discussion on another blog and I wondered if I was interpreting a term correctly. In the context of Catholic moral theology is a moral absolute defined as an action committed by a moral agent that is either absolutely right or absolutely wrong independent of the circumstances? One can't use situation ethics or consequentialism to justify it.
ReplyDeleteThe person I was discussing that with viewed moral absolutes more as moral principles ( i.e. do not lie, do not steal, etc.) which very admirable and are principles which one should seek to support are not moral absolutes. A few moments reflection would bring up situations where both can and indeed should be transgressed.
Is that a fair interpretation?
Rationalist: A moral absolute cannot be interpreted due to circumstances meaning that one cannot use situational ethics to contravene it. However the examples you give (lying, stealing) do not qualify as moral absolutes for the reason offer. There are times when both would be moral (lying to save a life in wartime, stealing food for a starving person etc.).
ReplyDeletePerhaps your partner in your discussion is being a touch too severe or strict in his interpretation. I hope he is not a confessor. I sure as hell wouldn't want to go into his confessional if he takes no account of the situation in which a sin occurred.
Fr. Tim
Rationalist: On another subject as well, what the hell has happened to the Holy Post? The articles have been weak and the comments terrible! I know that Charlie is off sick but I find it hard to understand how it could have gone so bad so fast. Are you finding the same thing?
DeleteFr. Tim
No. The blog was http://2catholicmen.blogspot.ca/. He was arguing moral absolutes vs moral relativism as the seemingly only two moral choices.
DeleteI agree Holy Post is lame. I home Mr. Lewis isn't too sick and gets better soon. You need to submit a few articles.