Catholic Moral Theology, 1550–1800

2015 ◽  
pp. 118-134
Author(s):  
Jean-Louis Quantin
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Moral Theology ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
Council Of Trent ◽  
Theoretical Underpinning ◽  
Modern Age ◽  
Course Of Action ◽  
First Time

In the early modern age, for the first time in history, moral theology became a ground of bitter strife within the Roman Catholic Church. After the Council of Trent, it evolved as a specialized discipline with its own methodology, which became increasingly identified with casuistry. The theoretical underpinning of this development was probabilism, the system according to which, when there are two opposite opinions as to the morality of a course of action, one is allowed to follow the less probable one. From about 1650, first of all in Belgium and France, both probabilism and casuistry came under attack as favoring laxity. Rigorism, which was linked to but by no means synonymous with doctrinal Jansenism, progressively spread to the entire Church. The papacy, whose pronouncements on moral matters became increasingly important, shared in this reaction but was careful to preserve theological pluralism.

Heresy and Error in the Assessment of Modern Philosophical Psychology

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leen Spruit
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
Council Of Trent ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
Truth Claims ◽  
Early Modern Times ◽  
The Church

This chapter tackles three issues: (1) how was Catholic psychological orthodoxy set in a battle against pagan philosophies and heterodox Christian doctrine in antiquity and the Middle Ages; (2) how was it reset in early modern times in the battle against the ‘re-born’ heresies; (3) how did censors reply to the conflation of scholastic psychology with new philosophical and scientific findings? After the Council of Trent, the Roman Catholic Church launched a campaign against early modern alternatives to or criticisms of the scholastic building of learning, including its psychological section. Although Catholic censors assumed orthodox truth claims over or against non-scholastic views, there were also processes of mutual interaction, adaptation, and framing between the Church and early modern psychology.

scholarly journals The International Congresses and Conferences of the Last Century as Forces Working Toward the Solidarity of the World

1907 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 565-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simeon E. Baldwin
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Council Of Trent ◽  
Family Relation ◽  
Political Sovereignty ◽  
The Family ◽  
The World ◽  
Uniform Law

The pre-Tridentine œcumenical councils of the Roman Catholic church were, as Dr. Francis Wharton has well remarked, international congresses, working toward the establishment of a uniform law for the civilized world. It was a law confined to one set of subjects; but among them were those having to do with the family relation, and which were therefore of the first importance to human society. Each nation of Christendom was represented in these gatherings by its sovereign or political delegates, as well as by its bishops, and it was for each nation, acting through its political departments, to ratify or reject such rules or laws in these respects as the council might propose.The representation of political sovereignty in the Council of Trent was slight, and in the only œcumenical council since called by Eome — that of the Vatican — it was wholly wanting; Bavaria being the only power (though all European cabinets were consulted) which intimated a willingness to send an official delegate.

scholarly journals Roman Catholic Ecclesiology from the Council of Trent to Vatican II and Beyond

2018 ◽  
pp. 262-292
Author(s):  
Ormond Rush
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Vatican Ii ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
Second Vatican Council ◽  
Council Of Trent ◽  
People Of God ◽  
The People ◽  
Vatican Council ◽  
The Church

For 400 years after the Council of Trent, a juridical model of the church dominated Roman Catholicism. Shifts towards a broader ecclesiology began to emerge in the nineteenth century. Despite the attempts to repress any deviations from the official theology after the crisis of Roman Catholic Modernism in the early twentieth century, various renewal movements, known as ressourcement, in the decades between the world wars brought forth a period of rich ecclesiological research, with emphasis given to notions such as the Mystical Body, the People of God, the church as mystery, as sacrament, and as communio. The Second Vatican Council incorporated many of these developments into its vision for renewal and reform of the Roman Catholic Church. Over half a century after Vatican II, a new phase in its reception is emerging with the pontificate of Pope Francis.

Anglicanism, Family Planning and Contraception: The Development of a Moral Teaching and its Ecumenical Implications

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-169
Author(s):  
John Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Family Planning ◽  
Birth Control ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Church Of England ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Moral Theology ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
Official Position ◽  
The Church

AbstractThis essay examines pressures and theological developments regarding sexuality and birth control within Anglicanism, as represented by statements from Lambeth Conferences and in discussions in the Church of England during the early to mid twentieth century, and notes some of the changes in ‘official’ position within US churches and especially The Episcopal Church. It offers comparison with the developments in moral theology within the Roman Catholic Church after 1930 and asks if, and by what means, the two Communions may come to agree on the specific issue of contraception.

The Council of Trent and the Residence of Bishops in the Diocese of Cape Verde (1553–1705)

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jairzinho Lopes Pereira
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Cape Verde ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
Council Of Trent ◽  
Catholic Reformation

AbstractThe Council of Trent (1545–1563) regarded the reform of the episcopate as the cornerstone of the Catholic Reformation. Hence the Conciliar Fathers put emphasis on the much neglected duty of residence of bishops. To ensure compliance, the Roman Catholic Church relied heavily on Christian monarchs, patrons of the Churches in the territories under their jurisdiction. The present study analyses to what extent the Tridentine decree on the residence of bishops was enforced in the diocese of Cape Verde (under Portuguese control) between 1553 and 1705. The hypothesis of this study can be stated simply: despite the efforts to enforce the residence of bishops in Cape Verde, the socio-economic limitations of the diocese as well as political and administrative constraints in Portugal significantly hampered the authorities in their effort to enforce long-term residence in that overseas diocese.

scholarly journals Zur Frage der Toleranz in der Epoche zwischen Reformation und Aufklärung

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hein Retter
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Mutual Recognition ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
The Reformation ◽  
Early Modern Era ◽  
Modern Era

This article deals with the origins of religious tolerance in the modern era. It goes back to the early modern era, when intolerance by the Roman-Catholic church towards new reformative movements showed itself to be particularly pervasive. At the same time, the Roman-Catholic church faced opposition from regional princes and free imperial cities who had become powerful and frequently tended to lean towards the new faith. They demanded the acknowledgment of the reformative faith by the pope and the emperor. However, they could hardly be called tolerant towards other faiths in their own territories, especially in the case of minorities seeking public recognition of their alternative beliefs and religious practices. Stark intolerance eased off only when tolerance functioned as an inherent political necessity, in hopes of gaining large economic benefits, especially under secular rule yet hardly ever under that of the church. The results from an international conference presented here show that tolerance in the age of the Reformation cannot be confused with the mutual recognition of religious and cultural idiosyncracies, in the way these are often claimed nowadays when advocating for a peaceful coexistence of different groups in a pluralistic society. In the historical context of the early modern era, tolerance was a one-sided act –in hopes of political and economic advantages – towards gaining a kind of freedom which, in its overall effect, definitely involved risks of conflict. In this context, differing political structures such as the personal beliefs of the ruling prince influenced the different climates regarding tolerance in 16th- to 19th-century Europe.

scholarly journals Missiological Implications of Conscience in Present-Day Roman Catholicism

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Reid Karr
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Vatican Ii ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Moral Theology ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
Second Vatican Council ◽  
Roman Catholicism ◽  
Gaudium Et Spes ◽  
Vatican Council ◽  
Letter Exchange

During Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s Papacy, The Theology Of Conscience Has Taken On A Significant Role. A Developed Theology Of Conscience Emerged During The Second Vatican Council, Most Notably With Gaudium Et Spes, And Later Developed As Essential In Moral Theology. Francis Is The First Pope To Fully Embody Vatican II Teachings, In Particular In His Incorporation Of The Conscience Into Theology And Practice. During The First Months Of His Papacy, He Made It Clear That Conscience Is Crucial To His Theology And, In A Letter Exchange With A Prominent Italian Journalist, He Underscored Obedience To One’s Conscience As The Key To Receiving Forgiveness Of Sins. This Development Has Tremendous Theological And Missiological Implications For The Roman Catholic Church. KEYWORDS: Roman Catholicism, Pope Francis, conscience, missiology, morality, Vatican II, Gaudium et spes

Some French Reactions to the Council of Trent

1964 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert M. Kingdon
Keyword(s):  
Sixteenth Century ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
John Calvin ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
Council Of Trent ◽  
Christian Community ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Many ◽  
Ideas And Institutions

In this age of growing ecumenicism, many scholars are turning to the history of the sixteenth century for a fresh examination of the origins of those ideas and institutions which continue to divide the Christian community. During these years of the widely publicized meetings of an ecumenical council sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church, many are turning specifically to the canons and decrees drafted by the Council of Trent for a fresh study of the extent to which they do or must divide Christians. But fully to understand these Tridentine decisions from an ecumenical perspective requires not only a knowledge of their texts and of the debates from which they emerged. It requires also a knowledge of the hostile reactions which they aroused among the many Christians who would not accept these decisions or the authority of those who promulgated them. An interesting spectrum of such reactions can be found among French criticisms of Trent published during the sixteenth century. Of these publications, three semto me to demonstrate this proposition neatly: one by a distinguished French theologian, John Calvin; a second by a dustinguished French Jurisconsult, Charles Dumoulin; a third by a prominent French lawyer and historian, Innocent Gentillet. These works have not been ignored by such experts on the historiography of Trent as professor Jedin. But I feel they merit a more detailed and more considered examination than they have as yet received. This paper sketches some of the lines upon which such an examination might proceed.

scholarly journals An Irish Solution to an Irish Problem: Catholicism, Contraception and Change, 1922–1979

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
BRIAN GIRVIN
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Turning Point ◽  
Church And State ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
Moral Issues ◽  
Change Policy ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time

When Ireland became independent in 1922 there was widespread support for the imposition of a moral order that reflected Catholic teaching. This was remarkably successful: divorce was outlawed while contraception was prohibited as part of this process. The consensus on moral issues was challenged for the first time during the 1970s. The legalisation of contraception became the main battlefield between conservatives and liberals. This article analyses successive attempts to change policy and discusses the impact of social and political change in a homogeneous Catholic state. Ireland remained a predominantly religious country and the Roman Catholic Church wielded considerable influence. The controversy over contraception challenged the Church's authority and the society's deeply embedded moral values. For the first time, Irish politics was divided on matters of church and state. Resolution came in 1979, however the legislation reflected the continuing influence of the bishops on policy making. It also highlighted the caution of politicians who remained reluctant to act. In contrast to elsewhere in Western Europe, the legislation was not a turning point but an example of conservative retrenchment. The legislation generated a conservative backlash that successfully imposed traditional Catholic values on Irish society during the 1980s. The main sources used are the archives of the Departments of Justice and Health.

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