Conscience in the Teaching of the ChurchFrom the Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World-Gaudium et Spes

Conscience

•A law –not from oneself - deep within a person

•Love and do what is good, avoid evil•Our secret core and sanctuary•Alone with God•Fulfilled in love of God & neighbour•More correct conscience turns from blind

choice guided by objective standards•Goes astray through ignorance

(sometimes unavoidable, sometimes by choice…)

Conscience vs. superego

•Maturing▫Laws & rules imposed by authority

directing actions from within▫Other-directed self-directed▫Others are listened to, but you make own

moral judgment•It is healthy to distinguish what comes

from our conscience and what is from superego

Conscience is not

•A feeling that something is right or wrong•A feeling of guilt (although the feeling can

tell us that something is amiss)•A fear of punishment

Freud’s elements• Id: unconscious reservoir of instinctual drives

dominated by pleasure principle (libido)•Ego: conscious structure mediating forces of

id, the demands of society & the reality of the physical world, and the

•Superego: (the ego of another superimposed on our own as an internal censor), ▫Stores the “shoulds” and “have-tos”▫We’re good following authority, bad when we

don’t

O’Connell’s 3 Senses of Conscience1. A Capacity to recognize right & wrong

▫Basic orientation know the good Do good / avoid evil (principle of synderesis)

▫Essential to the identity of humans2. Process of moral reasoning

▫ Learn facts, to reason correctly▫ A lifelong process

3. Judgment▫Acting on what one believes to be right▫One is “bound to follow one’s conscience.”

Development of Conscience•As we mature, our sense of right/wrong

(as formed within family 1st) •As we take account of norms, values,

virtues, commandments of Christian tradition

•As we become aware of our weakness / fragility and need for others and God

•As we receive sacraments & pray•As we grow in humility (we alone are not

the final arbiters of right/wrong)

Conscience can be malformed

•Immoral actions•Faulty reasoning•Faulty value structures•Misinformation•Ignorance▫Vincible▫Invincible

Symptoms of a misinformed Conscience

•Rationalization•Trivialization•Misinformation•The end justifies the immoral means (Means to an end)

•Difficult to reason

To make good decisions:

•Have an open attitude

•Avoid “bias” ▫Seeing only 1 side

•(People will always have some kind of bias)

Active vs. Passive Listening

•Active:▫Open to world around us▫Mind engaged, thinking…Sorting, evaluating…

•Passive:▫No choices: “sit down & listen”

To listen actively

•Sense of humility•Be open to insights & observations of others

•Don’t presume you have all the answers

L*I*S*T*E*N

•A GOOD APPROACH TO MAKING GOOD MORAL CHOICES

L = Look for the facts

•What is the real situation?

•What is at stake?•What are the actions?

I = Imagine Possibilities

•What are the consequences?

•What are the options?•Are there creative approaches?

S = Seek Insight beyond your own•Ask for help from:▫Family▫Friends▫Religion▫Wise persons▫Moral principles

T = Turn Inward

•What are your own feelings?•What have you learned from your own experiences?

•What are your:▫ Motives? ▫Intentions?▫Values? (what’s important to you?)

E = Expect God’s Help

•Pray for help:▫In choosing▫Acting on your choice

•God is with you caring for you and can help when you honestly seek the truth

N = Name your decision

•Even if you plan to delay, say so

•Don’t just drift•(Not to decide, is to have made a decision.)

To make good decisions:

•Have an open attitude

•Avoid “bias” ▫Seeing only 1 side

•(People will always have some kind of bias)

Active vs. Passive Listening

•Active:▫Open to world around us▫Mind engaged, thinking…Sorting, evaluating…

•Passive:▫No choices: “sit down & listen”

To listen actively

•Sense of humility•Be open to insights & observations of others

•Don’t presume you have all the answers

L*I*S*T*E*N

•A GOOD APPROACH TO MAKING GOOD MORAL CHOICES

L = Look for the facts

•What is the real situation?

•What is at stake?•What are the actions?

I = Imagine Possibilities

•What are the consequences?

•What are the options?•Are there creative approaches?

S = Seek Insight beyond your own•Ask for help from:▫Family▫Friends▫Religion▫Wise persons▫Moral principles

T = Turn Inward

•What are your own feelings?•What have you learned from your own experiences?

•What are your:▫ Motives? ▫Intentions?▫Values? (what’s important to you?)

E = Expect God’s Help

•Pray for help:▫In choosing▫Acting on your choice

•God is with you caring for you and can help when you honestly seek the truth

N = Name your decision

•Even if you plan to delay, say so

•Don’t just drift•(Not to decide, is to have made a decision.)

Moral Decision-Making (p. 58)

Searching for Good, responding

to a moral question

Reason

Openness to new insights

Be honest & truthful

Exercise prudence

Seek wisdom

Pray / Be guided by

Gospel

Be guided by Church teachings

Feelings

Reflect on personal experiences& circumstances

Intuition

The community,Social sciences

Senses

Guided by Gospel