Customer Reviews

Proportionalism and the Natural Law Tradition

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"Does proportionalism mark a renewal of moral theology, as revisionist theologians claim, or is it a corruption? In his insightful and well-written analysis of proportionalism, Christopher Kaczor attempts to answer this question. ... Kaczor's study is a remarkable achievement. It is simply the best book-length critique of proportionalism currently available. Anyone wishing to understand proportionalism and why it fails as method of moral analysis would do well to read Kaczor's book." The Thomist

"Kaczor explores important differences between proportionalist and Thomistic meanings of intention/foresight, proportionate reason, and the object of human action. ... He handles Thomas deftly, and endevors to reflect the breadth of proportionalist thinnking when he introduces it." Theological Studies

"An instructive critique of proportionalism in Catholic ethics. Against those who insist that it represents a recovery of Thomistic moral reasoning or an outgrowth of the 'spirit of Vatican II,' the author convincingly argues that proportionalism reflects and amplifies the peculiar theoretical weaknesses of the neo-scholasticism that dominated the intellectual life of the Church prior to Vatican II." First Things

"Past critiques of proportionalism have taken various forms. ... Kaczor's scholarly and carefully argued book represents a different genre altogether. Nevertheless, while he avoids the heated rhetoric associated with attacks on proportionalism, his seemingly gentle appraisal and evaluation of proportionalism is a bit misleading. It is, in fact, much more serious and damning than many offered previously. Kaczor deliberately and carefully tries to discredit proportionalism by hitting it where he can cause the most damage. Thus, instead of simply writing it off as an unimportant blip in the history of Catholicism, he acknowledges its importance. Instead of agreeing with those who might claim that proportionalism shares little with the tradition of Catholic moral theology, Kaczor argues that it does, but charts it on the neo-Scholastic branch of the family tree. This book will undoubtedly stimulate many discussions in Catholic moral theology." The Review of Politics