other sources on conscience

Steve mentioned that there are two traditions on conscience. This reminded me of a time several years ago when I had a discussion with a Monsignor about an issue of Church teaching. This priest commented--"You have Ratzinger and I have McBrien." On the issue of conscience, it is certainly true that the views of McCormick and McBrien and Curran have been held by many. Yet, the other understanding has been put forth in authoritative Church documents. The key Vatican II statement on conscience is in Gaudium et Spes, and of course Veritatis Splendor discusses this at length. They key in Veritatis Splendor is that freedom and conscience are linked to truth. Our consciences do not create good and evil. Our consciences, if properly formed, enable us to discern the truth.

Particularly helpful in this regard is the discussion of conscience by Servais Pinckaers OP, which I cited in my paper on Development of Doctrine, and also Germain Grisez's discussion in Volume 1 of his The Way of the Lord Jesus. The relevant discussion is in Chapter 3, which is entitled "Conscience: Knowledge of Moral Truth."

Richard