Strand: Christian Ethics – Personal and Social (CEL7-8E1)
Levels 7 and 8
From the Christian perspective, human beings are made in the image of God and through informed conscience can make choices enabling them to grow in the likeness of God. Other religions and philosophies also inform choices made by human persons.
Explore the concept of an informed conscience and explain how it relates to an understanding of being made in the image and likeness of God.
Elaborations
Every person develops a conscience which is described as the capacity to make a moral judgement, deciding whether an action is right or wrong. One’s moral judgement can be based on one’s faith, personal experience, knowledge and moral code and these are subject to constant growth and review.
It is important that individuals have a conscience that is properly formed and informed. Having formed their conscience it is a person’s moral obligation to follow faithfully what is known to be just and right. Within the Catholic tradition, conscience is described as a person’s most secret core and sanctuary. It is the experience of a person as a moral agent passing judgements. It flows from a person’s self-understanding as a rational and free human being.
Choosing a life path, one’s stance on contemporary issues, lifestyle, simply living in today’s pluralistic society requires reflection and choices based on a wide range of values.
See Learning Lites: Catholic Anthropology, Informed Conscience.
More Information
See Learning Lites: Catholic Anthropology, Informed Conscience.