On Conscience (Bioethics & Culture) [Hardcover]

Pope Benedict XVI (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 26, 2007 | Series: Bioethics & Culture

Prepared and co-published by the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia, this book is a combination of two lengthy essays written by Cardinal Ratzinger and delivered in talks when he was head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Both talks deal with the importance of conscience and its exercise in particular circumstances.

Ratzinger's reflections show that contemporary debates over the nature of conscience have deep historical and philosophical roots. He says that a person is bound to act in accord with his conscience, but he makes it clear that there must be reliable, proven sources for the judgment of conscience in moral issues, other than the subjective reflections of each individual.

The always unique and profound insights that the new Pope Benedict XVI brings to perennial problems reminds the reader of his strong warning before the recent Papal conclave of the great dangers today of the "dictatorship of relativism."

Editorial Reviews

Review

John Haas has collected here two seminal essays of Joseph Ratzinger, one from 1991 and one from 1984, both on the nature of conscience as understood in moral theology. These essays are brief, to the point, and abidingly instructive in providing a full understanding of what conscience means. -- Fr. James Schall, S.J.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 82 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Press; . edition (January 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586171607
• ISBN-13: 978-1586171605
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #517,237 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in 1927 in Germany as Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI has been head of the Roman Catholic Church since April 2005. A prolific author, theologian and university professor, Ratzinger served as an "expert" at the Second Vatican Council, and was tapped in 1977 by Pope Paul VI to lead the German Archdiocese of Munich and Freising. In 1981, Pope John Paul II called him to Rome to head the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, where he served until his papal election.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spectacular Reflections on Conscience!, April 2, 2007

By 

D. Horan "Franciscan Friar" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Conscience (Bioethics & Culture) (Hardcover)

To the best of my knowledge, these essays were presented in English (both were keynote addresses to bishops' workshops.) and it may partly this fact - their lack of translation by a second party - that makes the texts so wonderfully approachable. Having studied a great amount of Ratzinger's work from his more than forty-year career, I feel that I have a decent grasp of his world-view, approach and theological method. Absolutely consistent with his previous and following work, the essays reprinted in "On Conscience" (one from 1984, the other 1991) are real gems.

What is perhaps the most interesting and significant feature of these texts is the insider's view one obtains from the 1991 address. Written just under a year before the publication of the new Catechism of the Catholic Church, of which Ratzinger was primary editor, this address highlights almost verbatim much of what is written in the CCC under the heading of conscience. I have to wonder whether or not the bishops at the time really appreciated the preview they were privy to.

Both texts and the introduction total around 85 pages, so this is a very short read. I highly recommend it, especially for it's clear language and well articulated views.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading for All People Trying to Act Rightly, May 14, 2007

By 

David J. Fladlien - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Conscience (Bioethics & Culture) (Hardcover)

On Conscience is an essential book for anyone trying to figure out how to know the right thing to do in any given situation. Today there are many who -- while continuing to recognize that acting rightly (whatever that means) is still important -- a large number seem also to believe that anything is right as long as they sincerely think it is right. Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) shows very clearly, and very dramatically and convincingly, that this can not be true. While continuing to honor the ancient tradition that a certain conscience must be followed, he shows that there also must be a serious effort to form a correct conscience, and illustrates from recent human history what can happen if this effort to cultivate a correct conscience is not taken. This book deals directly with the apparent conflict between individual conscience and external authority. The only shortcoming of the book is that some of the explanations are unduly long, and make for dry reading as a result. Well worth the effort anyhow.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Benedict in Clear English, April 19, 2008

By 

Billyjack D'Urberville (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On Conscience (Bioethics & Culture) (Hardcover)

This small book ought to be near the top of the list for people who want to begin reading Pope Benedict. It has three distinct advantages as such an introductory text. First, the two talks on conscience are close to the center of his overall message, distinguishing personal subjective concepts of conscience and morality from objective truth. This of course has been restated many times since his papacy, but the second advantage here is its brevity and concentration on essences.

But the real advantage here is the third -- these are 2 talks originally in English, no translation is necessary. Benedict's English is clear, direct and thereby modern -- also subtly colored without sounding merely academic, an effect sometimes left even after the best of translations. It is one of the best Benedict items in the Ignatius Press catalog, and amply speaks for itself and in rich dimensionality, belying its length.