Catholic Moral Theology in the United States

A History

Charles Curran

Narrated by 5395 Media LLC

Available from Audible

Book published by Georgetown University Press

In this magisterial volume Charles E. Curran surveys the historical development of Catholic moral theology in the United States from its 19th century roots to the present day. He begins by tracing the development of pre-Vatican II moral theology that, with the exception of social ethics, had the limited purpose of training future confessors to know what actions are sinful and the degree of sinfulness.

Curran then explores and illuminates the post-Vatican II era with chapters on the effect of the Council on the scope and substance of moral theology, the impact of Humanae vitae, Pope Paul VI's encyclical condemning artificial contraception, fundamental moral theology, sexuality and marriage, bioethics, and social ethics.

Curran's perspective is unique: For nearly 50 years, he has been a major influence on the development of the field and has witnessed first-hand the dramatic increase in the number and diversity of moral theologians in the academy and the Church. No one is more qualified to write this first and only comprehensive history of Catholic moral theology in the United States.

Charles Curran , a Roman Catholic priest, is Elizabeth Scurlock University Professor of Human Values at Southern Methodist University. He was president of the Catholic Theological Society of America, the Society of Christian Ethics, and the American Theological Society, and is the author of numerous books, including Catholic Moral Theology in the United States: A History, which won the 2008 American Publishers Award for Professional and Scholarly Excellence in Theology and Religion.

REVIEWS:

“Curran covers a tremendous amount of ground in these chapters, over complex and controversial territory .... He is to be given high marks for the way he summarizes carefully and fairly the theological arguments with which he has disagreed .... I am grateful for Curran's scholarly work in this book. As a 'participant observer,' Charles Curran has chronicled history fairly and clearly—no small accomplishment for someone whose own voice has been such an important part of the story.”

—America

“The book is a wonderful gift to the church that could come only from one so deeply involved in the very development of the field as both a careful observer of events but also as one of the most significant moral theologians of our time."”

—Conscience

“This volume deserves serious consideration for any student of theology because it is threaded through with thought-provoking comments ... Ultimately the great merit of this significant and fascinating book is to draw attention to the fact that moral theology is part of a living tradition and in the process open ups a rich vein of wisdom and insight that can help us address many of our most pressing problems today."”

—Doctrine & Life

“The thematic chapters provide a literature review that is striking both for its compendious range and for its commitment to fairness ... Curran's text provides a much-needed framework for analyzing the past and tracing the trajectories of U.S. Catholic ethical reflection. This account of the discipline's development will serve as a standard resource for both theological education and historical research.”

—Theological Studies

“The sheer breadth of this historical survey of Catholic moral theology in the United States would be daunting to any theologian except Curran, whose synthetic mind and critical grasp of the discipline make possible a succinct analysis of key figures as well as newer scholars.”

—Religious Studies Review

“The book is to be commended for the thorough way in which it covers, or at least mentions, almost every significant writer in Catholic moral theology during this period.... [This] book would serve well in introductory undergraduate and graduate courses on Catholic moral theology and the history of American Catholicism.”

—Church History

“This volume needs to be in every university and college library. Nothing compares to the breadth and depth of this historical study of United States moral theology. Any who teach in the discipline of theology need to read the book, even if their specialty is not moral theology.”

—Horizons

“Published in the well-known Moral Traditions series, this is an excellent book on the recent history of Catholic moral theology in the United States.... This is a highly readable account, written by an expert, and is suitable for undergraduates and the general reader.”

—Theological Book Review