Basic Questions of Morality and The Need for Religion in Culture

Describe Ryan N.S. Topping’s central thesis in Rebuilding Catholic Culture. Is it correct or relevant?

Culture cannot thrive without the proper and perpetual actualization of the Christian religion.[1] There is little overstating its correctness and relevance. This fundamental quality of life in Christ is essential if we would have ourselves on the path to Heaven.[2] Secularist modernity sees religion as a hindrance to desire. If the only verse you find regarding the truth of this is “Take up your cross daily”, the discussion would stop at that point.[3] On the contrary, we must now realize that if any are to truly follow Jesus, there must be more to religion, and indeed, Christian life than suffering. Further, this must be to such a degree that even should suffering be a daily and likewise familiar reality, that continuing in such a path proves more than just “worth it”. In each of our lives, if we have chosen belief in God, and this question of the difficulty of the path to Heaven does not stop us; then, clearly, we at least intuit there is something more to what Jesus preaches than the suffering itself. In nearly every Biblical narrative and certainly in the writings of the Apostles, there is present a certain joy in suffering however not sheer masochism. Contrarily, it is the hope of Heaven which so guides on our way, and not by our will alone but with/in/through God and His goodness.[4] Therefore, we know that secularist modernity has made an egregious mistake because we recognize this completeness of the human experience in terms of suffering alone presented. What can a created thing do to gain what it lacks without understanding itself well in any way? Further, how must it do so without incorporating its Creator? If culture forms us, should we not want our Creator to form culture, as opposed to one who lacks knowledge of what good truly is in universal and particular?[5]

How do our moral acts relate to life in Christ? Is an understanding of objective morality necessary for a Christian?

In terms of logical flow, I have chosen to answer this prompt second. John of the Cross and Saint Paul, remind us it is love/charity which is our ultimate end, and it is in this light which we will be judged.6 If an act is truly done in charity it is morally conscious, for it is done for the good of all affected without self-reference.[7] We cannot say we have life in Christ if we do not love.[8] We can neither consistently claim ignorance in such regard.[9] If we are to formed into Christ and certainly obey His command and Saint Paul’s insistence that we become “perfect”, we must be morally formed.[10] As far as the Biblical narrative is concerned with morality, the Old Testament contains a prodigious amount of laws and the New Testament gives almost constant instruction in ethics (i.e. Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, St. Paul’s Epistles).

FN:

1 Topping, Ryan. Introduction. In Rebuilding Catholic Culture: How the "Catechism" Can Shape Our Common Life. Manchester, England: Sophia Institute Press, 2013.; Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd ed. (Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference, 2000), 1883-1886

2 CCC, 1886.

3 The New American Bible, Revised Edition (Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2011), at United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, www.usccb.org, Matthew 16:24.

4 NABRE,Philippians 4:13, 2 Corinthians 7:4, Matthew 11:28, 1 John 5:3, Psalm 34:19, 2 Corinthians 4:8-11, cf. 1 Peter 1:7, Hebrews 11:17, Revelation 2:10.

5 CCC, 882.

6 NABRE,1 Corinthians 13:2.; CCC, 1022

7 Cf. CCC, 1822.

8 Cf. NABRE, 1 Corinthians 13:2, 1 John 4:20.

9 CCC, 1859-60.

10 NABRE, Matthew 5:48, John 15:12, Romans 12:10, 13:8, 15:7; Galatians 5:13.