Table of Contents
Introduction 1
1 Cultures and the Contemporary World 5
Primal Culture 9
African American Culture 11
Hispanic American Culture 14
Asian American Culture 15
Classical Culture 16
Modern or Scientific Culture 22
Postmodernism/Postmodernity 26
2 Current Trends and the Church 35
Globalization 35
Migration 44
Ecology 48
Migration and Relations with Other World Religions 51
Confucianism 52
Hinduism 53
Buddhism 53
Islam 54
Shift in the Center of Christianity from North to South 56
Christianity in the Twenty-First Century 59
3 The Bible and Christian Moral Life 63
The Old Testament and Morality 66
The New Testament and Morality 71
4 Moral Theology and Ethics: A Historical Survey 85
Patristic Period 85
The High Middle Ages 88
Origins of Modern Moral Theology 93
Catholic Moral Theology and Protestant Ethics: Early Distinctions 98
Moral Theology in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries 100
Moral Theology in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries 101
Initiating Reform 104
5 A Virtuous Church 113
Virtue Ethics 113
Ecclesiology: Historical Background 114
The Parish 138
The Diocese 142
Episcopal Conferences 145
The Universal Church 145
Some Tentative Conclusions 148
6 A Virtuous Liturgy and Sacramental Practice 151
Models of the Church and Sacramental Implications 152
Christology and Liturgy 153
Trinitarian Communion Ecclesiology 156
Worship in Spirit and Truth 157
The Paschal Foundation of All Christian Life 160
A Virtuous Life and the Sacraments 167
Christian Initiation 168
Confirmation 174
Eucharist 177
Ordained Priesthood 182
Marriage 186
Reconciliation 188
Pastoral Care of the Sick: Rites of Anointing and Viaticum 191
Other Liturgical and Worship Issues 193
Ecclesial and Liturgical Impasse and the Response of Lament 195
Conclusion 199
Notes 203
Reference List 231
Index 243
