preview

Conscience in Christian Tradition Essay

Better Essays

Introduction.

`Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its voice ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil...'Gaudium et Spes (64). This opening quote from the Second Vatican Council is a good place to start in attempting to explore the complex subject of conscience. It indicates that conscience is something that can be known, based on love and is not just an individual personal thing. Conscience and having a soul are two of the distinguishing features of our humanity that set us apart from other species. Every religious code believes in a higher power and a morality that can be known or deduced by human reason. We are free rational agents …show more content…

It is not so much that we have a conscience, as that we are a conscience. When we describe conscience in others, we may say that they have a sensitive conscience, that they are aware of the moral issues around them. Others a lax conscience or a dulled conscience, in that, no matter what decisions or choices may face them, they just forge ahead, justifying everything in terms of materialism or secularism. A modern way of thinking about moral choice is `if it feels okay for me then it is okay.' Others have a scrupulous conscience, in that any moral issues that face them, they are unable to deal with it due to some underlying anxiety, which causes them to feel immense guilt. Guilt can be healthy, but only if it is appropriate. There is also the psychological notion of conscience which is termed the superego, a person who spends all their lives struggling with the `have-tos' and `should' in terms of authority. Each person is born with the makings of a conscience; we are born with a capacity for thinking and feeling. This in its due course is `educated', or `informed' and allows us to distinguish between good and evil, between right and wrong and to make our choices accordingly. It is up to each individual, to inform their conscience, not to remain childlike in their judgement as they grow into consciousness. In our development of conscience, there will be many external influences many of which we are required to seek and learn from.

Beginnings of

Get Access