abstract • Keenan • StMor 61/2 (2023) 361-382
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Keenan James F., «Pathways to Holiness: Early Christianity and Ethics», in StMor 61/2 (2023) 361-382
Thirty-five years after J. Mahoney published The Making of Moral Theology: A Study of the Roman Catholic Tradition, I published A History of Catholic Theological Ethics. Mahoney’s argument was fundamentally an indictment of the moral tradition arguing that it was primarily focused on sin. Building on his research but also on subsequent research that was published since then I argue that from its inception moral theology was primarily interested in pathways of holiness. Even research on the Irish Penitentials shows that the practice of penance there and then was always with an anamchara, that is, a soul friend who accompanied the penitent monk or nun in their struggles to live their life of discipleship. Rather than being fixated on sin, they were aiming to follow and serve Christ in their love of neighbor.
Keywords: Moral History; Holiness; Discipleship
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Treinta y cinco años después de la publicación del libro de J. Mahoney The Making of Moral Theology: A Study of the Roman Catholic, he publicado A History of Catholic Theological Ethics. El libro de Mohoney era un juicio contra la tradición moral, acusándola de estar primariamente centrada en el pecado. Partiendo de su investigación e también de estudios posteriores, argumento que desde sus inicios la teología moral estuvo interesada en abrir caminos de santidad. Incluso la investigación sobre los Penitenciales irlandeses muestra que la práctica de la penitencia ya entonces tenía lugar en el contexto de diálogo con un anamchara, es decir, con un amigo del alma que acompañaba al monje o monja penitente en sus luchas por vivir una vida de discipulado. Más que estar obsesionado con el pecado, su objetivo era seguir y servir a Cristo en el amor al prójimo.
Palabras clave: Historia de la moral; Santidad; Discipulado
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A trentacinque anni della pubblicazione di The Making of Moral Theology: A Study of the Roman Catholic Tradition di J. Mahoney ho pubblicato A History of Catholic
Theological Ethics. L’argomentazione di Mahoney era fondamentalmente un’accusa alla tradizione morale, concentrata principalmente sul peccato. Basandomi sulla sua ricerca e quelle successive, sostengo che fin dall’inizio la teologia morale era interessata principalmente ai percorsi di santità. Anche la ricerca sui Penitenziali irlandesi mostra che la pratica della penitenza era sempre accompagnata da un anamchara, cioè un’anima amica che accompagnava il monaco o la monaca penitente nella lotta per vivere pienamente il discepolato. Piuttosto che sul peccato, miravano a seguire e servire Cristo nell’amore per il prossimo.
Parole chiave: Storia della morale; Santità; Discepolato
