Presbyterian Insight......... where are they?

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frobert said:
Let’s check if I have the correct understanding: Natural law is what the CC determines is natural law
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As I’ve discovered, Catholic Natural Law often has very little to do with what actually occurs in and can be observed in nature.
 
Thorolfr said:
As I’ve discovered, Catholic Natural Law often has very little to do with what actually occurs in and can be observed in nature.
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Yes. Natural law is a philosophical concept. Not a biological one.
 
frobert said:
👍 Thank you for clearing that up. Let’s check if I have the correct understanding: Natural law is what the CC determines is natural law and Catholics do not have the option of not believing what the CC says it is. Non-Catholics of course may or may not go along with the Catholic view. My error was my not understanding that Thomas’ natural law sometimes departs for Catholicism.
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Natural Law was there before Christianity. Jews, Muslims, and non believers have also understood, and upheld it. The fact that Catholics use logic doesn’t mean logic is a Catholic invention; the same with the Natural Law. Protestants upheld and affirmed the Natural Law in the USA, for instance, long before there was much Catholic influence here. Jefferson, no friend of Catholicism, took it for granted.

Protestant denominations never developed a different view of the Natural Law. Perhaps
some ignore parts of it now, that is not the same as defining it differently. It is likely atheists ignore parts of it nowadays too. That doesn’t mean there is a different “atheist Natural Law”. The Natural Law was widely understood and accepted, the sharpest break against it on a large scale was Germany, in the 1930s and 40s. The enemies of the Natural Law survived World War II. Their continuing success in attacking it does not mean it is less valid. The Nazis didn’t develop an alternate view of the Natural Law. They ignored it.

St. Thomas clarified some aspects of the Natural Law, which was already present before him. He was a brilliant scholar, not infallible, and some of his insights, as well as others, are incorporated into the Catechism. The Catechism does affirm the Natural Law, just as it affirms Art, Logic, and other things. That doesn’t mean the Natural Law, or Art, are Catholic limited things. The Catechism is the authoritative standard you should evaluate Catholic doctrine.
 
commenter said:
Natural Law was there before Christianity. Jews, Muslims, and non believers have also understood, and upheld it. The fact that Catholics use logic doesn’t mean logic is a Catholic invention; the same with the Natural Law. Protestants upheld and affirmed the Natural Law in the USA, for instance, long before there was much Catholic influence here. Jefferson, no friend of Catholicism, took it for granted.

Protestant denominations never developed a different view of the Natural Law. Perhaps
some ignore parts of it now, that is not the same as defining it differently. It is likely atheists ignore parts of it nowadays too. That doesn’t mean there is a different “atheist Natural Law”. The Natural Law was widely understood and accepted, the sharpest break against it on a large scale was Germany, in the 1930s and 40s. The enemies of the Natural Law survived World War II. Their continuing success in attacking it does not mean it is less valid. The Nazis didn’t develop an alternate view of the Natural Law. They ignored it.

St. Thomas clarified some aspects of the Natural Law, which was already present before him. He was a brilliant scholar, not infallible, and some of his insights, as well as others, are incorporated into the Catechism. The Catechism does affirm the Natural Law, just as it affirms Art, Logic, and other things. That doesn’t mean the Natural Law, or Art, are Catholic limited things. The Catechism is the authoritative standard you should evaluate Catholic doctrine.
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Would it surprise you that my understanding of what natural law agrees with what you wrote? I am unable say much on the historical aspects except that, similar to the founding fathers, I take natural law for granted.
 
frobert said:
👍
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Natural Law:
Job 26:7 “He (God) stretches out the north over the void,
and hangs the earth upon nothing”

Law of Nature:
The earth is suspended in by nothing – but yes of course the earth orbit is by the sun’s pull. But as written thousands of years ago. The earth is hung by nothing.
Side note: Before ancient Greeks thought atlas supported the earth…

Natural law meets law of nature.

Natural Law:
Hebrews 11:3 “By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear”

Law of Nature:
It wasn’t discovered till the 19th century that all visible matter is created and formed by invisible elements

Natural law meets law of nature.
 
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