La naturaleza de la conciencia moral en Santo Tomás de Aquino y su evolución en la teología

Abstract

This research is based on a doctrinal and thomistic horizon to understand the notion of moral conscience in theology. Doctrinal because it studies moral conscience from the history of theology and the teachings of the Magisterium. And thomistic, because it is based on the writings of Doctor Angelicus to expose his theological approach. Saint Thomas understands moral conscience as an act of reason that judges the morality of the particular actions of human behavior, which can be perfected in a natural and supernatural way. For him, truth and good constitute the axes of moral conscience, in such a way that following his opinion is an unquestionable obligation to order our actions to God. And for this purpose, the moral conscience values the truth about the good we wish to obtain in our particular actions. Throughout the history of Theology, the vision of Saint Thomas on moral conscience has encountered several difficulties to be well understood. This journey is influenced by several milestones ranging from the moral of the obligation of William of Ockham, to the autonomous morality. Only theologians after the Second Vatican Council and the publications of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the encyclical Veritatis Splendor who follow the guidelines of the Magisterium, return more faithfully to the thought of Saint Thomas to teach the theology of moral conscience.