010109 SE Theories of Value in Contemporary Theological Ethics (2019W)

For an extended period of time between the Council of Trent and the Second Vatican Council, moral theology focused on developing detailed taxonomies of sins as a tool to be used in the confessional practice. The undue emphasis on ´what has been done´ (the act or the object of the act) thus hindered the theological reflection on what are we actually aiming at and what are the ends or values we are trying to achieve. In the aftermath of the Second Vatican Council and its call for renewal of moral theology, this issue resurfaced as many theologians realised that becoming clearer on what we are trying to achieve (the good or the value) should not only be considered the starting point of the renewal of moral theology, but is also indispensible for settling questions about what one ought to do (the right). This seminar will track that development through some of the most prominent theories of value in contemporary theological ethics and offer students a chance to analyse and compare them in order to detect where the points of contention lie and to reach an understanding of this significant aspect of the post-conciliar discussion in theological ethics.