The Alphonsian Academy

It is not unusual for students who finish their licence at the Academy in the month of June to find themselves teaching their first course in fundamental moral theology in October of that same year. For this reason, some students suggested that alongside the courses offered in the Academy it would be useful to organize a kind of “workshop” with a view to the practical preparation of a course in fundamental moral theology at baccalaureate level. Together with a group of “volunteers”, Professors Viva and McKeever prepared a workshop of this kind which was held in the Academy on the 9th of May 2009. This brief report is intended for the participants and other interested parties.
The morning comprised five different elements:
1. An introductory explanation of the scope and method of the workshop.
2. A reflexion on “what is fundamental moral theology?”, focussing in particular on the ‘fundamental’.
3. The examination of two manuals of fundamental moral theology with a view to comparing the modes of presentation.
4. A practical exercise in groups on the best way to structure a course in fundamental moral at baccalaureate level.
5. A plenary session on possibile criteria for guiding the structure of such a course.

Among many useful and stimulating reflexions, the following were central:
• Given the ambiguity of the term ‘fundamental’, it is important that the professor clarifies his or her understanding of this adjective in this context. The adjective may be understood in relation to the foundations of moral theology, in primis to the person of Christ, to Revelation, to the Call to Discipleship, etc. On the other hand, the term ‘fundamental’ can be understood in relation to the specifically moral nature of the discipline and, therefore, in relation to a serious consideration of the fundamental concepts and theories of philosophical ethics. These two approaches do not of course exclude each other, but they can and should be distinguished and they will have an influence on how the course is structured.
• One very practical question is “how to begin the course?” Among the possibilities considered were: how fundamental moral theology understands itself as a discipline?; the history of fundamental moral theology; the person of Christ; the anthropological vision of the human person; the contemporary cultural context. During the work in groups as well as in plenary session, arguments were brought in favour of each of these, as well as other options. De facto, in the results of the group work, a certain convergence was noticable in placing the vision of human anthropology at the centre, either directly or via a consideration of a sociological or cultural nature.
• As regards the arrangement of the central themes a wide range of possibilities was in evidence. While it was recognised that there could be no single ‘recipe’ in this regard, it was also noted that the professor needs to explain both the theological and the antropological dimensions of the overall theme and then explain the logic of the arrangement of the various more specific themes.
• Considering that lived morality is the experience not of christians alone but of all human beings, the question arises as to whether fundamental moral theology should study the moral life of christians or that of all human beings. Once again these approaches are not mutually exclusive, but the professor needs to explain to himself/herself how he understands this relationship and what are the consequences of this for the structure of the course. The question is how to present a faithful account of christian morality without losing sight of the moral life of the majority of mankind.

At the end of the moring the President thanked all those who had participated and invited suggestions as to how we can best continue and develop this initiative.