Moral Debates in Contemporary Catholic Thought

Rev. James T. Bretzke, S.J., is Professor of Theology at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. He previously taught at Boston College’s Graduate School of Theology and Ministry and Marquette University. He also taught for several years in Seoul, Korea at Sogang University and as a Visiting Professor of Moral Theology at the Loyola School of Theology of the Ateneo de Manila, Philippines. He has published over ninety articles and reviews as well as seven books, including A Handbook of Roman Catholic Moral Terms (2013), A Morally Complex World: Engaging Contemporary Moral Theology (1994) and Consecrated Phrases: A Latin Theological Dictionary (1998).

• ContentsDedicationAcknowledgementsAbbreviations UsedPrologue: What Is Moral Truth, and How Can We Come to Know It?Chapter 1 Paradigms of Principled Prudence in the Catholic Moral TraditionOverview of Principles in Light of Paradigms and Prudence in Moral AnalysisThomas Aquinas’ Paradigm for Moving from Principles to PrudencePrudence and CasuistryCase Study 1: Bad Principles, Problematic Policy, Imprudent Laws: Missouri House Bill 2810Prudence in Law and PrinciplesQuestions for Reflection and DiscussionFor Further ReadingChapter 2: Death Penalty in a Principled Prudence PerspectiveIntroductionDevelopment of Moral Doctrine on Capital PunishmentReactions to the Church’s Reformulated Teaching on the Death PenaltyCase Study: Catholic Attorney General William Barr’s Resuming Federal ExecutionsThe Legal Arguments Barr AdvancesResponding to the Legal Arguments Barr AdvancesThe Moral Arguments about Church Teaching that Barr AdvancesResponding to the Moral Arguments about Church Teaching that Barr AdvancesQuestions for Reflection and Discussion on the Death PenaltyResources For Further StudyChapter 3: Abortion Politics in the Post-Roe World in a Principled Prudence PerspectiveChapter Overview and IntroductionThe Church in the Modern World: Joy and Hope, Grief and AnguishThe Consistent Ethic of Life Common Ground InitiativeFrom Clinton to Clinton: “Safe, Legal, and Rare” to “Fundamental Human Right”“Wafer Wars” On denying Communion to pro-choice politicians and/or votersCanons 915 and 916“Manifest Grave Sin”Church Voices Against Weaponizing the EucharistReconsidering What It Means to be Genuinely “Pro-Life” in the Post-Roe EraThe Law of Unintended Consequences?A Church that Listens as it Teaches: The Example of Archbishop Weakland’s Abortion “Listening Sessions”Case Study Chapter 3: What Does It Mean Politically to be “Pro-Choice”?Questions for Reflection and DiscussionResources for Further StudyChapter 4: Gender Debates in a Principled Prudence ParadigmIntroductionSame-Sex Orientation as a Sexual Modality in Development of Church TeachingPrinciples and Pastoral PrudenceTransgender Identity as a Sexual ModalityGender Test Case: Worcester Nativity Middle SchoolConclusionQuestions for Reflection and DiscussionResources for Further StudyChapter 5: Catholic Social Teaching Perspectives on Immigration and Border Security ChallengesCatholic Social Teaching Perspectives on Migration, Immigration, and Border SecurityTexas “Hold the Line” Border InitiativeThe Economy, Common Good and Social Welfare: Catholic Social Teaching Perspectives Foundational tenets of Catholic economic ethics“Privilege” Difficulties and StrategiesEmotional conversionCase Study: “Build the Wall and Build It Tall!” Engaging Students in Social Justice IssuesClassroom Related Resources and In-Class ActivitiesReflections on the Student Reflection PostingsConclusionQuestions for Reflection and Discussion on Economic and Social Justice for AllResources For Further StudyChapter 6: Exercise of Faithful Citizenship in a Principled Prudence PerspectiveIntroductionReflecting on the First Anniversary of the 2022 Dobbs SCOTUS Decision“Pre-Eminent” Issues and Hierarchy of ValuesApplying Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship in a Morally Complex WorldCase Study: “Catholic” [sic] Voting Guides for Faithful CitizenshipQuestions for Reflection and DiscussionResources for Further StudyChapter 7: New Paradigms of Principled Prudence in a Divided WorldIntroduction and OverviewApplying the Ignatian PresuppositionPope Francis’ Papal Paradigms as a Touchstone for Ethical AnalysisTribal Binaries which Bind: Good vs. EvilPolarization as a Key Challenge in the Church and Society TodayIgnatian Rules for Discernment and Thinking with the ChurchSynodality as an Alternative MethodologyPope Francis and the Cultural PolyhedronFinal Case Study: Interpretations of Fiducia Supplicans Vatican Declaration on BlessingsWhat Is the Declaration All About?A Cross-Section of Reactions to Fiducia SupplicansConclusion: Synodality as a Principled and Prudent ParadigmQuestions for Reflection and DiscussionResources for Further StudyGlossary of Key TermsScripture ReferencedIndexAbout the Author

This book is much like an expensive meal: tastes marvelous, but very rich and requiring time to digest.