St Paul and actions

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henrikhank

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I am a bit confused.
In Galatians 5:19-26 St Paul is mentioning acts he doesn’t like. If you commit them you are a bad person. Thus a person with a mental illness would be a bad person.
It’s like you must be able to live all the virtues in order to be accepted by Jesus. St Paul is really too focused on actions. I don’t understand this!
What does moral theology have to say about this?
 
No. St. Paul lists sins of grave matter against the commandments, not “actions he doesn’t like”. This is no different than what is listed in the Catechism under the commandments. St Paul contrasts sins with holiness, to which we are all called to strive. We are to repent of our sin and turn back to God when we commit sin. That is why we have the sacrament of Reconciliation.

I am not sure what that has to do with mental illness, which is not the subject of Galations.
 
1ke said:
No. St. Paul lists sins of grave matter against the commandments, not “actions he doesn’t like”. This is no different than what is listed in the Catechism under the commandments. St Paul contrasts sins with holiness, to which we are all called to strive. We are to repent of our sin and turn back to God when we commit sin. That is why we have the sacrament of Reconciliation.

I am not sure what that has to do with mental illness, which is not the subject of Galations.
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Yes, St Paul lists very bad actions. I understand that. However, a person can do certain things due to emotional problems. St Paul doesn’t even care about mentioning that.
 
henrikhank said:
Yes, St Paul lists very bad actions. I understand that. However, a person can do certain things due to emotional problems. St Paul doesn’t even care about mentioning that.
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Because that is not Paul’s point in writing the letter. Moreover, mental illness has only really been understood in the last 100-150 years.

You are fixating on mental illness and reading into Paul’s letter something that is not there. The Church teaches that there are circumstances in which we are not responsible for our actions. Mental illness can be one of those.
 
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