Excursus: The Roman Catholic Tradition
Excursus: What is “good” according to the Roman Catholic Tradition? (Ref. Gula, Richard. 1989. Faith Informed By Reason)
The nature of the concept good is the full realization of any beings’ potential, or to achieve perfection.
The innate tendency within the human person to seek perfection is the ontological basis for the fundamental moral obligation – to realize one’s potential, or to be all I can be.
Actions are moral when it arise from this innate tendency and contribute to the full actualization of human potential.
The Christian sees God as the fullness of being and sees God’s actions as good because they flow from the divine nature – which is love.
The Christian convictions about the good are governed by the religious beliefs …show more content…
Humanism / Secular Humanism
a) Morris B. Storer ( an excellent representative of secular humanism) describes the humanists as those
“who have set aside faith in revelation and dogmatic authority and have settled for human experience and reason as grounds for belief and action, putting human good – the good of self and others in their life on earth – as ultimate criterion of right and wrong, with due concern for other living creature”.
Humanism, therefore, emphasizes the centrality of humankind in the universe. This means that the human race can control its destiny and other human beings are of supreme value.
Humanists do not find any belief in a divine power necessary to explain the origin of the universe or its operations. They see human beings both as part of the natural order and as unique in that order. What people do in manipulating that order should be done for the benefit of humankind.
Judgments about good and bad, right or wrong, must be made in relationship to their impact upon human beings.
b) Paul Kurtz, a secular humanist characterizes humanism as
1. based primarily on science
2. committed to the use of critical intelligence and rational inquiry in understanding the world and solving …show more content…
Humans share in the glory and majesty of God; hence, he has to act on earth as God acted with regard to the universe and manifested the same qualities in creation – mercy, life-giving, peace-keeping and justice-doing. Despite sin, man still has the quality of reflecting the qualities of God when he exercises dominion.
2. Ordered to God
The Bible speaks of man as created in the image of God, predestined in the glory of Christ as God’s Son. This implies a dignity and value that can never be denied of humans and also an orientation to God. Since a person is created in the image of God, the very dimension of his being must call out for God and for the experience of God.
The religious aspect of persons is as natural as the air he breathes. Faith assures us that man is ordered to God and is somehow is culpable if he refuses that orientation. Faith also tells us that God is good and gives himself in total freedom to his creation, and he respects the freedom of his creatures.
3. Person in
The nature of the concept good is the full realization of any beings’ potential, or to achieve perfection.
The innate tendency within the human person to seek perfection is the ontological basis for the fundamental moral obligation – to realize one’s potential, or to be all I can be.
Actions are moral when it arise from this innate tendency and contribute to the full actualization of human potential.
The Christian sees God as the fullness of being and sees God’s actions as good because they flow from the divine nature – which is love.
The Christian convictions about the good are governed by the religious beliefs …show more content…
Humanism / Secular Humanism
a) Morris B. Storer ( an excellent representative of secular humanism) describes the humanists as those
“who have set aside faith in revelation and dogmatic authority and have settled for human experience and reason as grounds for belief and action, putting human good – the good of self and others in their life on earth – as ultimate criterion of right and wrong, with due concern for other living creature”.
Humanism, therefore, emphasizes the centrality of humankind in the universe. This means that the human race can control its destiny and other human beings are of supreme value.
Humanists do not find any belief in a divine power necessary to explain the origin of the universe or its operations. They see human beings both as part of the natural order and as unique in that order. What people do in manipulating that order should be done for the benefit of humankind.
Judgments about good and bad, right or wrong, must be made in relationship to their impact upon human beings.
b) Paul Kurtz, a secular humanist characterizes humanism as
1. based primarily on science
2. committed to the use of critical intelligence and rational inquiry in understanding the world and solving …show more content…
Humans share in the glory and majesty of God; hence, he has to act on earth as God acted with regard to the universe and manifested the same qualities in creation – mercy, life-giving, peace-keeping and justice-doing. Despite sin, man still has the quality of reflecting the qualities of God when he exercises dominion.
2. Ordered to God
The Bible speaks of man as created in the image of God, predestined in the glory of Christ as God’s Son. This implies a dignity and value that can never be denied of humans and also an orientation to God. Since a person is created in the image of God, the very dimension of his being must call out for God and for the experience of God.
The religious aspect of persons is as natural as the air he breathes. Faith assures us that man is ordered to God and is somehow is culpable if he refuses that orientation. Faith also tells us that God is good and gives himself in total freedom to his creation, and he respects the freedom of his creatures.
3. Person in