R
Ron_Conte
Guest
In very many posts in this discussion group, whenever a question on sexual ethics is raised, people recommend West and Popcak’s books, almost exclusively. I would like to suggest that there are other better sources on sexual ethics. For example:
St. Augustine, On the Good of Marriage
St. Thomas, Summa Theologica
St. John Chrysostom, On Marriage and Family Life (popular Patristics series)
Pope Leo XIII - Arcanum
Pope Pius XI, Casti Connubii
Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio
CDF: Persona Humana
(Also Dietrich von Hildebrand, In Defence of Purity, but it is out of print)
It is very disconcerting that so many people, when any question of sexual ethics is raised, suddenly ignore all Saints and magisterial documents.
Also, anyone interested in learning Catholic ethics, on any topic, should first study ethics in general, so as to learn the basic principles of moral theology. Good sources on this topic:
Again, Augustine and Aquinas
Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae
Pope John Paul II, Veritatis Splendor
Pope John Paul II, Reconciliation and Penance
Germaine Grisez, The Way of the Lord Jesus (placed online in its entirety by the author and publisher)
Germaine Grisez, Fulfullment in Christ
Also, in addition to the Catechism, there is the Compendium and the USCCB Catechism, which are also useful. The CCC is not a sufficient by itself for a thorough understanding Catholic moral theology; it lacks the depth and breadth found, for example, in Veritatis Splendor, or in Grisez’ works.
A word about Veritatis Splendor. That one encyclical, when compared to every other papal and conciliar document, stands out as the most comprehensive and thorough magisterial source on the basic principles of Catholic ethics. And this is true to such an extent that I don’t consider anyone to know Catholic teaching on morality who has not studied (not merely read) Veritatis Splendor.
St. Augustine, On the Good of Marriage
St. Thomas, Summa Theologica
St. John Chrysostom, On Marriage and Family Life (popular Patristics series)
Pope Leo XIII - Arcanum
Pope Pius XI, Casti Connubii
Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae
Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio
CDF: Persona Humana
(Also Dietrich von Hildebrand, In Defence of Purity, but it is out of print)
It is very disconcerting that so many people, when any question of sexual ethics is raised, suddenly ignore all Saints and magisterial documents.
Also, anyone interested in learning Catholic ethics, on any topic, should first study ethics in general, so as to learn the basic principles of moral theology. Good sources on this topic:
Again, Augustine and Aquinas
Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae
Pope John Paul II, Veritatis Splendor
Pope John Paul II, Reconciliation and Penance
Germaine Grisez, The Way of the Lord Jesus (placed online in its entirety by the author and publisher)
Germaine Grisez, Fulfullment in Christ
Also, in addition to the Catechism, there is the Compendium and the USCCB Catechism, which are also useful. The CCC is not a sufficient by itself for a thorough understanding Catholic moral theology; it lacks the depth and breadth found, for example, in Veritatis Splendor, or in Grisez’ works.
A word about Veritatis Splendor. That one encyclical, when compared to every other papal and conciliar document, stands out as the most comprehensive and thorough magisterial source on the basic principles of Catholic ethics. And this is true to such an extent that I don’t consider anyone to know Catholic teaching on morality who has not studied (not merely read) Veritatis Splendor.