The Identity of Christian Morality Ann Marie Mealey The Iden TITy of Chr IsTIan Moral ITy This book argues that moral theology has yet to embrace the recommendations of the second Vatican Council concerning the ways in which it is to be renewed. one of the reasons for this is the lack of consensus between theologians regarding the nature, content and uniqueness of Christian morality. after highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the so-called autonomy and faith ethic schools of thought, Mealey argues that there is little dividing them and that, in some instances, both schools are simply defending one aspect of a hermeneutical dialectic. In an attempt to move away from the divisions between proponents of the faith-ethic and autonomy positions, Mealey enlists the help of the hermeneutical theory of Paul r icoeur. she argues that many of the disagreements arising from the Christian proprium debate can be overcome if scholars look to the possibilities opened up by r icoeur’s hermeneutics of interpretation. Mealey also argues that the uniqueness of Christian morality is more adequately explained in terms of a speci.c identity (self) that is constantly subject to change and revision in light of many, often conflicting, moral sources. She advocates a move away from attempts to explain the uniqueness of Christian morality in terms of one specific, unchanging context, motivation, norm, divine command or value. By embracing the possibilities opened up by r icoeurian hermeneutics, Mealey explains how concepts such as revelation, tradition, orthodoxy and moral conscience may be understood in a hermeneutical way without being deemed sectarian or unorthodox. ash GaTe ne W Cr ITICal ThInKInG In rel IGIon , Theolo Gy and BIBl ICal sTUdIes The Ashgate New Critical Thinking in Religion, Theology and Biblical Studies series brings high quality research monograph publishing back into focus for authors, international libraries, and student, academic and research readers. headed by an international editorial advisory board of acclaimed scholars spanning the breadth of religious studies, theology and biblical studies, this open- ended monograph series presents cutting-edge research from both established and new authors in the field. With specialist focus yet clear contextual presentation of contemporary research, books in the series take research into important new directions and open the field to new critical debate within the discipline, in areas of related study, and in key areas for contemporary society. Series Editorial Board: david Jasper, University of Glasgow, UK James Beckford, University of Warwick, UK r aymond Williams, Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Usa Geoffrey samuel, University of newcastle, australia r ichard hutch, University of Queensland, australia Paul fiddes, r egent’s Park College, University of oxford, UK anthony Thiselton, University of nottingham, UK Tim Gorringe, University of exeter, UK adrian Thatcher, College of st Mark and st John, UK alan Torrance, University of st andrews, UK Judith l ieu, Kings College l ondon, UK Terrance Tilley, University of dayton, Usa Miroslav Volf, yale divinity school, Usa stanley Grenz, Baylor University and Truett seminary, Usa Vincent Brummer, University of Utrecht, The netherlands Gerhard sauter, University of Bonn, Germany Other Titles in the Series: Anamnesis and the Eucharist Contemporary Anglican Approaches Julie Gittoes Exodus Church and Civil Society Public Theology and Social Theory in the Work of Jürgen Moltmann scott r . Paeth The Identity of Christian Morality a nn Mar Ie Mealey Leeds Trinity and All Saints, UK © ann Marie Mealey 2009 all rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. ann Marie Mealey has asserted her moral right under the Copyright, designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work. Published by ashgate Publishing limited ashgate Publishing Company Wey Court east suite 420 Union r oad 101 Cherry street farnham Burlington surrey, GU9 7PT VT 05401-4405 england Usa www.ashgate.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Mealey, ann Marie The identity of Christian morality – (Ashgate new critical thinking in religion, theology and biblical studies) 1. Ricoeur, Paul 2. Christian ethics 3. Identity (Psychology) – Religious aspects – Chris- tianity I. Title 241 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Mealey, ann Marie The identity of Christian morality / ann Marie Mealey. p. cm. – (Ashgate new critical thinking in religion, theology and biblical studies) ISBN 978-0-7546-6073-6 (hardcover: alk. paper) 1. Christian ethics. I. Title. BJ1251.M475 2008 241–dc22 2008024030 IsBn 978-0-7546-6073-6 Contents Preface vii Introduction 1 1 The emergence of the Christian Proprium debate 13 2 r icoeurian hermeneutics and the r esponsible Christian self 41 3 Christian Ethics and the Gospels: A Ricoeurian Approach 61 4 Christian Identity: A Quest for Goodness and Holiness 89 5 Toward a Hermeneutic of Christian Identity: The Role of Tradition 113 6 The l imits of a r icoeurian approach to Christian ethics 139 Conclusion 169 Bibliography 173 Index 181 This page has been left blank intentionally Preface The uniqueness of Christian morality is a vexed question. Traditionally, Catholic moral theologians have attempted to explain the ‘extra’ of Christian morality, broadly speaking, either in terms of ‘divine commands’ or in terms of a specifically Christian motivation or inspiration for action. Consequently, theologians have come to rally around two schools of thought, known more commonly as the ‘faith ethic’ and ‘autonomy’ schools. In recent decades, many Catholic theologians have tried to move away from these divisions and focus on the more general task of renewing moral theology according to the recommendations made by the second Vatican Council. however, this task is still unfinished largely because there is no genuine consensus between theologians as to what distinguishes Christian morality from secular morality. yet, the Catholic magisterium continues to issue moral teachings that it claims to have discovered ‘in the light of faith and revelation’ and ‘in the light of the teachings of holy scripture.’ statements such as these indicate that the more orthodox Catholic position seems to support the faith ethic school of thought, even though Catholic scholarship indicates that most theologians believe that the content of Christian morality is identical to that of human morality. This work is an attempt to revise the debate on the uniqueness of Christian morality, in order to move Catholic moral theology away from division to embrace more fully the possibilities opened up by hermeneutics. Using the work of the french philosopher Paul r icoeur, it will be argued here that the apparent impasse that exists between the so-called faith-ethic and autonomy schools can be mediated if we turn to concepts such as selfhood and identity. In so doing, the work will show that Christian ethics can be offered a richer presentation, one that is more competent to carry out the tasks of renewing moral theology in light of second Vatican Council’s recommendations without being sectarian, secular, or disrespectful towards the functioning of the teaching office of the Catholic Church. Given that many theologians find it difficult to read and to understand the work of Paul r icoeur, I have tried to express his ideas and philosophical arguments as clearly and as simply as possible. I hope that my emphasis on clarity of expression does not lead to a superficial account of Ricoeur‘s contribution to Christian ethics, but that it will, at the very least, generate greater interest in his work amongst Catholic theologians. I owe a debt of gratitude to a number of people whose help was invaluable throughout the process of writing this book. dr William Tomkiss, a former colleague at Trinity and all saints, l eeds, read the whole manuscript on several occasions, while his wife, dr Monica Tomkiss, provided much emotional support viii The Identity of Christian Morality and encouragement during the final stages of writing. I am also grateful to the IRCHSS (Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences) for funding this project when it was at doctoral stage. Thanks are also owed to Sarah Lloyd, Ann Newell and Lianne Sherlock at Ashgate for welcoming my project with open arms and for supporting me throughout the process. The individuals named above are in no way responsible for the shortcomings of this book; I am. ann Marie Mealey Introduction Being Christian implies that we have a particular identity and that we belong to a community of people who are gathered together out of a shared belief. When we are born into the Christian tradition and raised as Christians, we turn to that tradition in order to answer the bigger questions in life, such as, ‘why should I love my neighbour?’; ‘why is it wrong to steal?’; ‘why should I not covet my neighbour’s wife?’ or ‘why should I respect my parents?’ In this sense, our tradition can help to educate us morally and to assist us in our quest to flourish as human beings in our communities. But moral decision-making is not purely determined by faith or by tradition; human reason also plays a role in the search for moral truth. This must be the case, otherwise we run the risk of suggesting that there is a Christian ethic that is reserved for Christians and no one else, and that there is a rational ethic, which may or may not be accessible to Christians. To put it simply, we run the risk of suggesting that the Christian thing to do might not be the rational thing to do, or that the rational thing to do might not be the Christian thing to do. of course, we must admit that both positions could lead us to the same conclusions, but what is certain is that the relationship between faith and reason is a complex one. Most Christians would agree that there is such a thing as ‘Christian ethics’, but what this entails is not easy to determine. Indeed, it is not uncommon to see postgraduate degree programmes in Christian ethics, which would seem to suggest that the Christian tradition has something to say about what is good or what is human. Nor is it uncommon to find statements in papal encyclicals which claim that faith contributes in a particular way to our search for truth and goodness. for instance, the encyclical letter Deus Caritas Est (1996) asserts that ‘being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction’.1 The teaching of Humanae Vitae (1968) is considered to be the result of the natural law but ‘illuminated and enriched by divine r evelation’.2 The Declaration on Procured Abortion (1974) claims that its moral principles are expounded ‘in the light of faith’, and that these may also be justified by appealing to Sacred Scripture,3 1 BBeenneeddiicctt ��VVII,, eennccyycclliiccaall lleettteterr Deus Caritas Est, 1996, n. 1 [Vatican archive], www.vaticanarchive.com (12 January 2008). 2 PPaauull VVII,, eennccyycclliiccaall lleettteterr Humanae Vitae, trans. Vatican Polyglot Press, 1968, n. 4. 3 Declaration on Procured Abortion issued by the sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (English trans. Osservatore Romano, 25/26 November 1975), n. 4.