Transcript Law as a Guide to Freedom

Chapter 3
LAW AS A GUIDE TO FREEDOM
FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY
Humans have the capacity to
think and to choose.
 Humans have the capacity to
love.
 To possess freedom means to
be responsible for our choices
and actions, either good or evil.

CHARACTERISTICS OF FREEDOM
There are those who believe in determinism –
that humans do not really choose, but that
every event, action, and decision is a result of
forces outside of ourselves – such as the stars,
environment, chemical imbalance, society,
upbringing, education etc.
 The Church rejects this kind of strict
determinism.

KINDS OF FREEDOM: EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL
External Freedom – being free from outside
factors that threaten our ability to choose – i.e.
poverty and oppression.
 Internal Freedom – being free from interior
factors that limits our ability to choose – i.e.
fear, addiction
 True freedom frees us to develop our God given
gifts and talents in a responsible way so that
we can choose good, avoid evil, serve others,
and love God.

LIMITS OF FREEDOM
Freedom is not about “doing
what I want to do.” Freedom
is not license.
 True freedom elevates our
humanity, not demean.

ABUSES AGAINST FREEDOM
There are limits to human freedom – physically,
intellectually, and emotionally.
 Impediments to freedom – these can limit our
level of responsibility:

Ignorance
 Inadvertence
 Duress
 Inordinate attachments
 Fear
 Habit


These impediments do not have to enslave us, we
can overcome them by cultivating good habits and
virtues, and above all prayer and God’s grace.
RESPONSIBILITY
Our actions also have consequences – good
and bad.
 By owning up to our mistakes we grow and
learn from them.
 We must accept full responsibility for the sinful
behaviors we voluntarily, freely, and willfully
commit.
 Some actions are not totally voluntary (such as
negligence or ignorance).
 Mature Christians use self-discipline and virtue.

EMOTIONS AND MORALITY
Emotions are morally neutral –
but depending on how we
engage our emotions, can
determine whether they lead
us to something good or bad.
 What we do with our feelings in
important.
 As Christians, our emotions
should be channeled to
something good or positive
actions.

LAW AND MORALITY
A good law can help keep us
focus; it protects us from
doing our own thing
regardless of consequences.
 Law provides us with an
objective standard or
measure. It warns us of
pitfalls and consequences.

The laws of morality are
rooted in God’s law as
revealed to us in
Scriptures and Tradition.
 St Thomas Aquinas
identified four types of
laws – Eternal Law, Natural
Law, Revealed Law, Civil
and Church Law.

FOUR TYPES OF LAWS

St. Thomas defined Law as – “an ordinance of
reason for the common good, promulgated by
the one in charge of the community” (CCC,
1976).
 Law
is reasonable – it makes sense and it’s fair
 Law is for the common good – it’s to build up each
other and care for the human community
 Law comes from competent authority – appointed
authorities can make and enforce laws.
 Law must be promulgated – it must be made
known and advertised.
NATURAL LAW
Divine Law is highest for of law. It’s source is
from God. Natural Law is our participation on
Divine Law.
 NL teaches us what to do and what to avoid -a basic understanding of right and wrong.

NL is implanted in our hearts. It
is universal and unchanging for
all people at all times
 It is the foundation and basis for
civil laws and moral rules.
 Weakened nature can make it
difficult to discern natural law.
 Scriptures and Tradition can
help fill this gap.

CIVIL LAW
A specific application of the natural law
according to their customs and circumstances.
 Not all civil laws are good laws.
 Laws have been passed that violate the dignity
of humans
 A civil law is only morally good insofar as they
conform to natural law and divine law.
 We are not required to obey unjust or evil civil
laws, and we have the duty to do all we can to
change it.

CHURCH LAW
Church Law (i.e. Canon Law) is an application of
Divine Law – to assist us in living our moral life.
 Catholics are minimally required to meet the
obligations of the precepts of the Church:

Attend Mass on Sundays
 Confess sins at least once a year
 Receive Holy Communion at least once a year
 Keep holy the holydays of obligation
 Observe the required days of fasting and abstinence.
 Provide for the material needs of the Church, according
to your ability.
