Conscience

[marccatholic]

Can someone explain to me if conscience is indeed Gods'voice? What is the church's teaching about it? I read an article of a Pauline priest that he stood firm to his conclusion that the conscience is not God's voice because conscience can err, may bring false alarms, and also can be inactive. With these, it doesn't define God because God cannot and do not commit mistakes because He is perfect, am I right? The conscience controversy was based on Paul's letters. Sorry, I can't give you the verses but I am confidently sure that it was the stand of the priest and he explained it with Paul's writings. I'll find for the article for it for more details. Looking for your positive reply. Thanks. God bless.

Edited March 14, 2009 by marccatholic

[CatherineM]

Gaudium et Spes (GS) stands for "the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World". GS was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on December 7, 1965.

Referring to conscience, GS #16 says:

It is a law within a person laid down by God

A voice in the heart echoed in the depths

Urges one to do good and avoid evil

Calls upon one to love God and love one's neighbor

Discover the law and obey

Listen to the voice and respond

The Dignity of a person depends on following the voice and obeying the law

Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a man.

From the Catechism:

1783 Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings.

1784 The education of the conscience is a lifelong task. From the earliest years, it awakens the child to the knowledge and practice of the interior law recognized by conscience. Prudent education teaches virtue; it prevents or cures fear, selfishness and pride, resentment arising from guilt, and feelings of complacency, born of human weakness and faults. The education of the conscience guarantees freedom and engenders peace of heart.

1785 In the formation of conscience the Word of God is the light for our path, we must assimilate it in faith and prayer and put it into practice. We must also examine our conscience before the Lord's Cross. We are assisted by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, aided by the witness or advice of others and guided by the authoritative teaching of the Church.

[cappie]

Cardinal Newman's view of conscience has a transcendent importance: Conscience is the normal means by which most people know of the existence of God. ...

People from across the theological spectrum would agree with Newman that conscience is "a connecting principle between the creature and his Creator" ("Grammar of Assent," Chapter 5).

Conscience is simply the mind thinking practically, thinking morally; the mind thinks well when we understand moral principles and apply them in clear and reasonable ways; the mind thinks badly when we ignore or reinvent moral principles, or apply them in ambiguous and unreasonable ways.

"Good conscience" simply means good grasp and good application of moral truths — it is the truth that is primary, it is the truth that is grasped and applied by the practical mind, or, if you prefer, by the conscience. ...

In the famous passage of the "Letter to the Duke of Norfolk" (Part 5), which the Catechism (1778) part-quotes, he writes: "Conscience is not a long-sighted selfishness, nor a desire to be consistent with oneself; but it is a messenger from Him, Who, both in nature and grace, speaks to us behind a veil, and teaches and rules us by His representatives. Conscience is the aboriginal Vicar of Christ."