Premium
Natural law, Aquinas and the Magisterium
Author(s) -
Charlton William
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
new blackfriars
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1741-2005
pISSN - 0028-4289
DOI - 10.1111/nbfr.12108
Subject(s) - magisterium , natural law , natural (archaeology) , law , enlightenment , philosophy , divine law , natural order , epistemology , sociology , theology , comparative law , political science , philosophy of law , history , black letter law , private law , archaeology
Abstract The Catholic Church claims that its ethical teaching, especially on sex, is based upon natural law. I first show that natural law theories prior to the Middle Ages provide no authority for the Church's teaching on sex. I then examine Aquinas's teaching on natural functions and natural law in the two Summae . I suggest that he partly anticipates Enlightenment thinking about law and morals. I compare his theory of natural law with that of Germain Grisez and John Finnis. Finally, I examine the notion of a principle of practical reasoning and indicate how such principles could be formulated to correspond to elements in human nature.