Back to Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern Authorities

St. Thomas Aquinas

A foundational figure in Catholic Moral Theology whose principles underpin the entire work.

From "Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern Authorities" by Callan, Charles J. (Charles Jerome)

Core Belief

"That human reason, illuminated by faith, can lead to a profound understanding of God's will and the path to salvation. He believed in the importance of both divine grace and human effort in achieving moral perfection."

Worldview

A hierarchical and ordered view of the universe, with God at the apex and all creation directed towards Him. He saw the Church as the divinely appointed guide to navigate this world and attain eternal life.

Personality

A brilliant and systematic thinker, deeply devoted to God and committed to articulating a comprehensive and coherent moral framework. His approach is rigorous, logical, and grounded in both reason and faith.

In Their Own Words

"“The light of natural reason, whereby we discern what is good and bad, which is the function of the Natural Law, is nothing else than an imprint on us of the divine light."

"“It is evident that the Natural Law is nothing else than the rational creature’s participation in the eternal law.”"

"“That act is good whose causes are complete; that act is evil in which a single cause is lacking.”"

Discussions with St. Thomas Aquinas

I'm a senior researcher at a pharmaceutical company. Our blockbuster drug—the one that funds half our R&D—has a problem. My team's data shows it's less effective than we've been claiming, and may have side effects we've downplayed. I brought this to leadership. They had their statisticians reanalyze my data using different methodologies. Surprise: their analysis shows the drug is fine. "Science is about interpretation," the Chief Medical Officer told me. "Your methodology isn't the only valid approach." He's not entirely wrong—there ARE legitimate debates about statistical methods. But I've seen the raw data. I know what it shows. The company has told me to drop it. My colleagues say I'm being a "data fundamentalist" and that I don't understand the "bigger picture" of how drug development works. The drug helps millions of people, they say. Why undermine confidence in it over methodological disputes? When your data contradicts the official interpretation, and powerful people insist their reading is equally valid, how do you know if you're a truth-teller or just arrogant? — The Data Heretic in Dallas4 messages

Other Characters from Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern Authorities

John A. McHugh

One of the original authors of the book, responsible for compiling and synthesizing information.

Charles J. Callan

The other original author, collaborating with McHugh to create a comprehensive manual.

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