What do you think?
Rate this book
The Making of Moral Theology: A Study of the Roman Catholic Tradition
In the last forty years, Roman Catholic moral theology has been experiencing revolutionary tension and change. In this unique and thoroughly documented study, a distinguished Jesuit moral theologian examines the events, personalities, and conflicts that have contributed, from New Testament
times to the present, to the Roman Catholic moral tradition and its contemporary crisis, and interprets the fundamental changes taking place in the subject today. Among the topics covered in this volume are papal infallibility, confession as a sacrament, the legacy of Augustine, the dramatic change
in attitude to "salvation outside the Church," and the continuing impact on moral theology of the 1968 papal encyclical on birth control and of the Second Vatican Council.
times to the present, to the Roman Catholic moral tradition and its contemporary crisis, and interprets the fundamental changes taking place in the subject today. Among the topics covered in this volume are papal infallibility, confession as a sacrament, the legacy of Augustine, the dramatic change
in attitude to "salvation outside the Church," and the continuing impact on moral theology of the 1968 papal encyclical on birth control and of the Second Vatican Council.
- GenresTheologyNonfiction
357 pages, Hardcover
First published June 29, 1987
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 11, 2020
Personally, I far preferred Gallagher's Time Past, Time Future to The Making of Moral Theology, if I am allowed to compare books along that line. That said, it was fascinating to see by the end how Mahoney tries to reconcile the Roman Catholic Church's past neo-Thomist/manualist/legalistic teachings (and papacies) with the post-Vatican II teachings and papacies. I can't agree with his conclusions that the Church must change its teachings to fit the cultures it lies within, but it is interesting to try to trace the paths and controversies that he explores.
Of note, I did find it significantly more difficult to read about halfway through, from what I found. My "reader's block" became strong with this one, especially with the increasingly convoluted and lengthy sentences that became more prevalent with more focus on subjectivism. I wonder if there is a correlation...?
Of note, I did find it significantly more difficult to read about halfway through, from what I found. My "reader's block" became strong with this one, especially with the increasingly convoluted and lengthy sentences that became more prevalent with more focus on subjectivism. I wonder if there is a correlation...?
May 21, 2012
One of the few contemporary authoritative histories of Roman Catholic Moral Theology. The field was not distinct subject matter until relatively recently. Mahoney provides an excellent narrative that contextualizes the discipline.
The first chapter is innovative in finding the origin of the subject in terms of the practice of confession. Confession in Patristic times was a public event. The penitent often received public punishments that lasted years.
The worst sins were apostasy, murder, or adultery. For these sins excommunication was often imposed. There were significant debates with regard to re-admitting apostates for instance after persecutions.
Upon the fall of the Empire the Church encountered barbarians en masse causing the praxis to shift away from public penance to suit the barbarized world.
Monks who protected ancient religious manuscripts in Ireland eventually set out to re-evangelize the Continent when the Dark Ages drew to a close, initiating private confession as well as penitential manuals for the first time.
The Irish monks were often considered spiritual healers who prescribed mortifications or spiritual disciplines to cure or atone for various sins. From these orders the practice of private confession developed. Confession to a priest properly ordained in particular became institutionalized.
Finally, the practice was enshrined at the Fourth Lateran Council requiring every Church member to confess once a year on pains of mortal sin.
Mahoney recounts more of the history involved in other parts of the volume. Themes include legalistic or juridical approaches to sin, the place of subjectivity, kinds of sins or the effects on the soul, or the practices of penance addressed above.
The end of the book covers recent developments since Vatican II which called for the renewal of the discipline. Liberation theology or feminist ethics for example challenge the more conservative views of the subject.
The Making of Moral Theology is an interesting read for theologians or readers with an interest in history. Overall, the book is more interesting in terms of history than non-narrative accounts that treat the material strictly in terms of theology.
The first chapter is innovative in finding the origin of the subject in terms of the practice of confession. Confession in Patristic times was a public event. The penitent often received public punishments that lasted years.
The worst sins were apostasy, murder, or adultery. For these sins excommunication was often imposed. There were significant debates with regard to re-admitting apostates for instance after persecutions.
Upon the fall of the Empire the Church encountered barbarians en masse causing the praxis to shift away from public penance to suit the barbarized world.
Monks who protected ancient religious manuscripts in Ireland eventually set out to re-evangelize the Continent when the Dark Ages drew to a close, initiating private confession as well as penitential manuals for the first time.
The Irish monks were often considered spiritual healers who prescribed mortifications or spiritual disciplines to cure or atone for various sins. From these orders the practice of private confession developed. Confession to a priest properly ordained in particular became institutionalized.
Finally, the practice was enshrined at the Fourth Lateran Council requiring every Church member to confess once a year on pains of mortal sin.
Mahoney recounts more of the history involved in other parts of the volume. Themes include legalistic or juridical approaches to sin, the place of subjectivity, kinds of sins or the effects on the soul, or the practices of penance addressed above.
The end of the book covers recent developments since Vatican II which called for the renewal of the discipline. Liberation theology or feminist ethics for example challenge the more conservative views of the subject.
The Making of Moral Theology is an interesting read for theologians or readers with an interest in history. Overall, the book is more interesting in terms of history than non-narrative accounts that treat the material strictly in terms of theology.
February 17, 2009
Another HATE book. This guy thinks he can insult someones intell. by using other hate books as his sources. Full of foot notes but if you look them up, they are coming from sources other than Catholic sources. He says one thing is wrong about the Catholic Church and then does the same, says he can back his up and they cant..then will give you a white wash where he cant deliver. One of these books written by a guy who more than likely has not even had a foot in the Catholic Church. This was no more than a Bash and Hate book towards the church itself. Almost to the point it was offensive. But then the humor comes in, you have to laugh at this guy, he just doesn't get it. WASTE OF TIME, even as a loaner from your local Library.
November 3, 2024
First 4 chapters were interesting, last 4 were off the rails many times.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews