Kdy není teologická etika teologická: problémy v české tradici morální teologie

Abstract

The article questions real theological character of some streams of the older Czech moral theological thought which ended in 1948 (beginning of the communist regime) and after 1989 has never been quoted or mentioned. It was a rationalistic neo-scholastic period of abstract philosophical theology The blind alleys of theology can be traced in such areas as: the Scripture and philosophical speculation; “good” deed being good only as resulting in one’s eternal happiness; personal spiritual life and universally binding moral norms; moral norms and the church and state law; natural ethics; dependence of theology on the political situation; universal validity and particular character of catholic moral theology; moral and religious norms of acting; moral responsibility to one’s conscience and ethical responsibility to a heteronomous authority. As examples of a really theological moral theology the work of Thomas Aquinas and Franz Bockle are presented. Their rationally constructed theology may be opposed by legal or disciplinary measures, religious manipulation, direct arguing by the will of God, or blind obedience. Nevertheless, personal moral responsibility remains undisputed. It is necessary to free oneself from some thought patterns and false traditions to uphold responsibility to the tradition of faith and real theology.

Keywords

• theological ethics
• moral theology
• czech history before 1948
• neo-scholasticism
• blind alleys of theology
• conscience
• personal moral responsibility