TMCE7304 · Theology and Ministry

Moral Theology and Spirituality

Clough School of Theology and Ministry

Although ethics and spirituality were considered distinct and perhaps even estranged for some time, developments in Catholic moral theology since the mid-twentieth century have led to a renewed awareness of the interdependence of these two kinds of theology. This course introduces students to the historical divergence and current state of the conversation between these disciplines, and to some of the challenges confronting and prospects for developing a moral theological imagination that is organically nourished by spirituality, and a spirituality that is in turn grounded in and structured by morality. Themes addressed include the place of discipleship, discernment, sainthood, and the experience of God in Christian ethics, the spirituality of liberation theology, and the role of conscience, virtue, and community in Christian spiritual life.