Pope Francis has encouraged a means of theological renewal on many fronts but perhaps nowhere more significant than within the realm of theological ethics and moral theology. In 4 of his landmark papal documents—“Evangelii Gaudium” (2013), “Laudato Si’” (2015), “Amoris Laetitia” (2016) and “Veritatis Gaudium” (2018)—and in countless speeches, catechetical talks and homilies throughout his papacy, he has revived the church’s longstanding tradition of the primacy of a person’s informed conscience and, amongst others, the role of discernment in moral decision-making.
The pope’s teachings in these authoritative documents have influenced how theology is taught in Catholic universities and seminaries throughout the world and have also given church scholars much sought-after permission and freedom to explore latest horizons in Catholic theology. Under the current papacy, theologians are empowered to ask complex questions that touch on the messy, real-life issues that affect the faithful without fear of being silenced. However the pope’s efforts to revitalize the Catholic Church’s understanding and approach to the moral life could take one more major breakthrough.
A latest essay titled “Rileggere l’etica teologica della vita,” which translates to English as “Re-reading the theological ethics of life” and was published June 30 in La Civilta’ Cattolica—the Jesuit-led periodical whose content is approved by the Vatican’s Secretariat of State before publication—could place renewed emphasis on this often fraught area of reflection within the lifetime of the church. Interesting times lie ahead if the reflections reported within the essay speak to what could also be afoot on the Vatican.
“It’s legitimate to ask if Pope Francis will give us a latest encyclical or apostolic exhortation on bioethics that is perhaps called ‘Gaudium Vitae.’ [‘The Joy of Life’],” said Jorge José Ferrer, S.J., the writer of the essay, a priest and professor of ethical theology on the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. Were such a papal document forthcoming it will spark a wide-ranging reflection on the ethics of human life that could lead on to a latest and definitive papal teaching document on issues as polarizing as contraception, assisted procreation and palliative care.
Were a papal document forthcoming it could lead on to a latest and definitive papal teaching document on issues as polarizing as contraception and palliative care.
The essay offers an outline of the contents of a 528-page book that incorporates the proceedings of a three-day interdisciplinary seminar convened by the Pontifical Academy for Life on the Vatican from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 in 2021 and was published last month by Libreria Editrice Vaticana, the Vatican publishing house, under the title Etica teologica della vita: Scrittura, tradizione, sfide, pratiche (Theological Ethics of Life: Writing, Tradition, Practical Challenges).
The departure point for this seminar was to listen attentively to the magisterium of Pope Francis and, after careful study, to reflect on theological ethics, and bioethics specifically, in a very dialogical way, while still recognizing the decisive role of the pope’s teaching authority.
“We followed a path of study and reflection that led us to see the problems of bioethics in a latest light, starting with the role of discernment and the formed conscience of the moral agent,” Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, said in an interview concerning the book with Vatican Media. “We did this not only in an environment of parrhesia [a bold and courageous freedom of speech] that stimulates and empowers theologians, academics and students. But additionally with a procedure just like the quaestiones disputatae: to pose a thesis and open it as much as debate.” The quaestiones disputatae is a medieval approach to philosophical and theological discussion to dispute issues pertinent to society, where one scholar presents a thesis and one other responds in dispute.
Greater than 20 theologians, amongst them clerics, consecrated religious, lay ladies and men, gathered for the seminar. A lot of the participants were from Europe, but two were from Latin America, one from Africa and one the US. Two consultors from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith—which under the brand new reform of the Roman Curia is now the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith—were present on the seminar in addition to three cardinals: Luis Antonio Tagle (Philippines), Mario Grech (Malta) and Marcello Semeraro (Italy).
The seminar was itself convened as a response to the work of eight theologians (men and ladies) who had been commissioned by the identical pontifical academy a 12 months before the seminar to reflect on fundamental facets of the moral theology of life and bioethical concerns that touch on such contentious issues as contraception, in vitro fertilization and the suspension of nutrition and hydration for terminally ailing individuals. It also took account of what the several disciplines of recent science and technology needed to contribute to the discussion at hand.
Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia: We followed a path of study and reflection that led us to see the problems of bioethics in a latest light.
To higher understand the importance of those two initiatives promoted by the pontifical academy and their potential contribution to papal teaching and to the continued renewal of theological ethics, I interviewed Carlo Casalone, S.J., a former provincial of the Jesuits in Italy, from 2008 to 2014, a visiting professor in moral theology and bioethics on the Pontifical Gregorian University since 2019 and the president of the Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini Foundation. He was appointed as a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life in October 2017 and works in its scientific section. He participated within the drafting of the discussion text for the seminar and within the seminar from which the book has resulted.
I asked Father Casalone to elucidate what he and his fellow theologians linked to the pontifical academy try to do:
Our aim is to hearken to what Pope Francis is saying to theologians in a more comprehensive way, and since we’re moral theologians dealing mainly with global bioethical issues, we attempt to make explicit what “Evangelii Gaudium,” “Amoris Laetitia,” “Laudato Si’” and “Veritatis Gaudium”—the document for the renewal of the colleges and theological studies—mean for our theological reflection.
Father Casalone noted that folks, not infrequently, take a sentence or statement from what Francis says but fail to understand his organic vision.
The issue is that we only hearken to some things Francis says but to not others. And sometimes we take his remarks out of context. The query is: Are we able to offer a holistic listening to what Francis says?
Once I noted that Francis appears to have revolutionized the approach to many questions in moral theology and the ethics of life, the Jesuit theologian, searching for to be more precise, said:
I might fairly say that Francis has highlighted facets of the patrimony of the tradition of ethical theology which were ignored within the interventions of the recent magisterium. This becomes clear when you transcend merely pondering that Francis has made what seem like only small changes and consider as a substitute the broader implications of those changes with a systemic approach; then you definately will understand that they’re indeed very major changes. In case you put together all that Francis has said, then you definately will see that there are very latest accentuations, for instance, in relation to conscience versus the norm [and] ethical discernment (in its reference to spiritual discernment), and that is each latest and in continuity with tradition. That is what we try to say.
The issue is that we only hearken to some things Francis says but to not others. And sometimes we take his remarks out of context.
He recalled that the preliminary text for discussion sought to present the magisterium of Pope Francis in an integrated and comprehensive way. To this end, he said, the participants addressed such fundamental issues as“the relation between nature and culture,” “the understanding of conscience in relation to law and discernment,” “the usage of an approach to the characteristics of phenomena through the assorted disciplines,” “the inseparable link of theology and pastoral experience,” “the understanding of history within the elaboration of ethical theology” and “the relativityof all language—because it cannot pretend to repair without end the understanding of the religion.”
The group also reviewed controversial bioethical issues which have arisen because the promulgation of three previous papal teaching documents: “Humanae Vitae” (1968), on responsible parenthood and contraception, “Donum Vitae” (1987), which deals with the connection between natural moral law and reproductive technologies equivalent to in vitro fertilization, and “Samaritanus Bonus” (2020), on the care of individuals within the terminally and critically ailing stages of life.
“As moral theologians,” Father Casalone said:
We must ask ourselves the the explanation why these vexed issues proceed to be a motive for unease and even desolation amongst believers. We realized that to achieve a greater understanding of those questions we needed to open a dialogue; and on this dialogical approach we must consider what the people of God understand and feel about them….
Furthermore, we saw it obligatory for us to hearken to one another as theologians, after which let the magisterium do its work. It just isn’t for the academy to make a magisterial statement….
[At the pontifical academy,] we felt the best thing to do at this moment in history is to open a dialogue, including on these controversial issues since the space for any such open discussion was not there in past many years. Indeed, it was difficult to debate these questions openly.
Father Casalone gave the impression to be alluding to the proven fact that since “Humanae Vitae” and, especially, through the pontificates of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, it was difficult to seek out an area to debate such themes as contraception, I.V.F. and end-of-life treatment in a relaxed and reasoned way, as one risked being judged unorthodox by the mere raising of questions regarding such subjects.
By inviting to the seminar theologians “with different, even contrasting approaches to those issues,” Father Casalone said, the pontifical academy opened an area for such free discussions following the logic of synodality as encouraged by Pope Francis. Due to this fact, the resultant publication of the seminar’s proceedings, he said, “just isn’t the presentation of a one-sided approach to moral theology of those controversial issues.”
“We intended to create a dialogue,” Archbishop Paglia said within the interview, “between different opinions on even controversial topics, proposing many insights for discussion.” The academy’s role “just isn’t limited to explaining texts of the magisterium,” he said. “Our perspective was to render a service to the magisterium by opening up an area for dialogue that makes research possible and encourages it.”
Pope Francis, in line with Archbishop Paglia, had been fully informed of the method and knew concerning the preliminary text and the discussion on the seminar, and agreed that its proceedings be published in book form. The reflection was also prompted partly by the twenty fifth anniversary of “Evangelium Vitae.” The archbishop said the academy desired to commemorate this milestone by “rereading the principal topics covered in St. John Paul II’s encyclical after so a few years,” and “by inviting theologians and experts in numerous fields to a study seminar.”
The book is split into 12 chapters, Father Casalone explained, and every chapter is structured in line with the themes presented within the preliminary text.
The topic that’s prone to draw most attention is the revisiting of the query regarding the usage of artificial contraceptives, discussed within the seventh chapter. Using contraceptives was rejected by “Humanae Vitae,” but that teaching was to a big extent not accepted in much of the Catholic world. Each within the seminar and within the book it’s affirmed that a pair could make a “clever alternative” by having recourse to contraceptive techniques, “obviously excluding those which are abortive,” in situations where the “conditions and practical circumstances would make it irresponsible to decide on to procreate.” Whether Pope Francis will endorse this position stays to be seen.
The topic that’s prone to draw most attention is the revisiting of the query regarding the usage of artificial contraceptives, discussed within the seventh chapter of the book.
Father Casalone noted the primary chapter, on the enjoyment of human life, collects probably the most significant statements of Pope Francis on this subject and seeks to bring them together in an organic synthesis that inspires and directs the remainder of the reflection. The second chapter reviews what the Old and Recent Testament teach about life, culminating within the incarnation and the resurrection of Jesus.
Chapter three examines our current cultural situation and seeks to discover what the Second Vatican Council called “the signs of the times” because all theological reflection takes place at a selected place and time and is rooted in a selected culture and in an ongoing conversation with the currents of philosophical and scientific considered its own era. Father Casalone recalled that Benedict XVI had described tradition as “the living river that links us to the origins; the living river by which the origins are ever present.” And, Father Casalone added: “Because it resides, such tradition can be continually in motion; it all the time stays unfinished and open to further development.”
Chapters 4 and five are of great importance for moral theology today, the Jesuit professor explained. The fourth chapter examines in a critical manner how the Catholic moral tradition, the magisterium and theology have treated the fifth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” over the centuries.
Commenting on this, Father Casalone said:
History shows that the Catholic moral theology tradition regarding this norm just isn’t monolithic. This norm has been interpreted through different philosophical and theological concepts and inside a historical interpretation. Different sensibilities have led to different interpretations. Killings were admitted in certain circumstances.
“Now we have a historical plurality of interpretations of the commandment ‘Don’t kill,’” he added, pointing to the reasoning given on such issues because the death penalty by St. Thomas Aquinas, the Council of Trent, the Second Vatican Council and more recently within the magisterium of Pope Francis.
Father Carlo Casalone, S.J.: History shows that the Catholic moral theology tradition regarding this norm just isn’t monolithic.
“Traditionally, each the magisterium and theological reflection have held that the negative norms bind with greater force,” Father Ferrer wrote in his essay for La Civilta’ Cattolica, “with none exception, independent of the circumstances and consequences.” He said, “This doctrine was vigorously reaffirmed” by John Paul II in his encyclicals ‘Veritatis Splendor’ (1993) and ‘Evangelium Vitae’ (1995).” But, the Puerto Rican Jesuit noted, the text drafted by the theologians of pontifical academy for discussion concludes that this rigorist position has been criticized in recent many years by moral theologians who say it’s excessively “rationalist” and results in “a limited understanding of the moral norm and of the role of conscience.”
Father Casalone agreed along with his Jesuit confrere, Father Ferrer, and added that Pope Francis in his teachings in “Amoris Laetitia” and other writings has emphasized the importance of the connection between “conscience, norm and discernment.” He insisted, nevertheless, that “Francis just isn’t just changing the role of a norm,” he said. “No. He’s rehabilitating something that’s typical of the Catholic tradition but has since been overshadowed.”
This concentrate on conscience, norm and discernment is of the utmost importance and is handled in chapter five of the book, he said:
Moral tradition shows us that norms formulated normally terms cannot cover the concrete situation; and so there’s a necessity for the interpretation of conscience, a discernment is required within the situation.…”
That is the trail Pope Francis followed in “Amoris Laetitia,” where he emphasized the relation between conscience and the norm, and the necessity to offer attention to the circumstances and to practice discernment. The norms remain an indispensable point of reference to assist individuals do what’s the most effective good for them of their concrete circumstances, throughout the community they belong to. It’s the relation between culture, conscience and the law.
The opposite chapters of the book take care of specific questions related to the experiences of generating life, sexuality, suffering, dying and their related ethical implications. Specific issues are also addressed, including the environment and the use of recent scientific technologies on this whole field of life ethics.
Whether Pope Francis will publish an exhortation or encyclical on theological ethics that addresses these and other urgent topics in our human history stays to be seen.