Module 1 - The Human Person As Moral Agent

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CHRISTIAN COMMITMENT IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY

MODULE 1: THE HUMAN PERSON AS MORAL AGENT
THE HUMAN PERSON (Sway)

a. LOCAL: based on myths and legends
b. SCIENTIFIC: based on facts and theories
c. BIBLICAL: based on faith and traditions
LOCAL: Myths and Legends

a. Malakas at Maganda
b. God’s Baking
c. Woman’s Pounding
SCIENTIFIC: Facts and Theories

BIG BANG: Accidental events
EVOLUTION:
1. Bone Structures
2. Hairy Bodies
3. Walking Lifestyles
BIBLICAL: Faith and Traditions

1. Created in the IMAGE AND LIKENESS of God
- Body (Physical) and Soul (Spirit)
- Reason: human person is capable to understand
- Freedom: is capable of directing himself/herself – “to do good.”
- Therefore, with these powers, human being can become the best in God’s creation
that make us different from/ superior to animals.
- And when these powers used to the purpose of God, it promotes one’s dignity.
2. Human being is ESSENTIALLY GOOD
- Human person is by nature, good. It’s only because of circumstance when we
become evil.
- Gen. 1:31 – “God looked at everything He had made, and He found it good.”
- Human person is essentially good because he/she is made in the image/likeness of
God.
- He/she is born with a natural inclination to do good and avoid evil and with the
capacity to distinguish between right and wrong.
- Human person as an image of God reflects God’s goodness:
o The more the person acts according to the way he/she is made, the more
he/she reflects the Creator.
o A person gives glory to God by being man/woman.
o St. Irenaeus, “the glory of God is man/woman fully alive.”
3. Human person HAS FREEDOM
- God gave man human freedom:
o Meaning: the power rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this
or that, and to perform deliberate actions anchored to one’s responsibility.
o True/Authentic Freedom: freedom at the service of what is good and just.
o Dinitatis Humanae: “… people should act on their own judgement, enjoying
and making use of responsible freedom, not driven by coercion but motivated
by sense of duty.”:
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o Catechism of the Catholic Church: “… is not ‘the right to say and do anything’
but to ‘do good.’” (communal dimension of freedom).
o John 8:32 – Jesus said, “the truth will set you free.”
- The freedom of the human person is limited:
o “Man is certainly free, in as much as he can understand and accept God’s
commands. But his freedom is not unlimited.”
- “Freedom From” means release from any: Physical barriers, such as, matter, energy,
space and time.
o Psychological barriers, such as, disordered passions, fears, personality defects,
prejudices or psychological imbalances.
o Spiritual barriers, such as habits, or vices.
- “Freedom For” means an authentic freedom growing as full persons and children of
God, sharing in the life of Christ, Our Liberator through the Spirit. It is the freedom
found in authentic love.
o It is attaining the fullness of life or happiness.
- What is Christian Freedom?
o Jesus said, “Know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
o But what is free? It is “free from guilt”, “free to sin”; as Paul says, shall we sin,
because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid! Rom 6:15.
- Concept of Fundamental Freedom
o Freedom is at the center of human person where he/she makes moral
decision (good or evil).
o Joseph Boyle (Summary)
 Fundamental Freedom is exercised at the very core of human person,
the locus of self-determination and moral responsibility.
 Its object is not a particular action but the entire self in its relation to
God.
 Fundamental Freedom is not an action but a preference. Preference is
more like a stance or an attitude than an act of choosing.
- Human person has a free choice
o St. Thomas Aquinas: “It is through free choice that human persons are
masters of their action.”
o Council of Trent: “Human persons are free to choose… to become the
persons that they want to be.”
o Vatican II: “Free choice is an exceptional sign of the divine image within
human persons.”
o Pope John Paul II: “Self-determining character of free choice.” Freedom of
choice – is a decision about oneself and a setting of one’s own life for or
against the Good, for and against the truth, and ultimately, for or against
God.”
- The moral dimension of Christian Faith resides in responding to God’s grace by a
whole-hearted “YES” to all dimensions of life.
o We gradually become what we morally are by what we morally do.
- Freedom and responsibility
o “With great power comes great responsibility.”
o When God said: “Eat all you can,” – Freedom
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o But he also said: “Except the Forbidden Fruit” – Limited Freedom

(Responsibility)
o Doing evil is not freedom, nor a part of freedom, but only a sign that we have
the capability to choose.
o Man, gains dignity when he freely chooses what is good.
o The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes.
- External freedom refers to the freedom of action, the freedom to do whatever we
want to do.
- Inner freedom refers to freedom to become all we can possibly be.
- As Christians, responsible freedom leads us to the fruits of the spirit:
o Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control.
- Guide of Christians for Responsible Decision-Making (St. Paul)
o Respect for yourself.
o Respect for fellow Christians.
o Respect for the Church.
o Respect for the outsiders.
4. Human person IS RELATIONAL.
- Persons is relational by nature
o Being BY others (conception, birth, upbringing)
o Being WITH others (family, friends, neighbors, etc.)
o Being FOR others (love and sacrifice)
- Relationship with himself/herself
o YES to ourselves – seeing ourselves rooted in God, meaningful relationship
with God.
o YES to others – compassion, acceptance, mercy, forgiveness, availability,
service, justice, and love. YES to their dignity as persons.
- Relationship with other human beings and nature
o To live in the community/social groups with appropriate structure and
institution (e.g., government, education, and health care provide venues for
human interaction, cooperation, and solidarity)
o Social morality ought to look into this institution if they promote the growth
of human beings as person and contribute to the common good.
- A useful dominion
o All things are meant for man/woman’s use and service
o Not to do with these things as they please, but to use these things reasonably
and responsibly to satisfy their needs according to God’s plans
- Relationship with GOD
o God has created us to share with Him the endless happiness which our hearts
naturally desires:
 “God has place happiness in the huma heart in order to draw man to
the One who alone can fulfill it. God alone satisfies.”
- Principle of Stewardship (Gen. 1:26-28)
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o Human person is given a certain responsibility over all creatures. All things
were created in the service and use of huma beings. But human beings are
accountable for what they have received.
o Useful dominion: all things are meant for their use and service – not to do
with these things as they please, but to use things reasonably and
responsibly.
- Accountable stewardship over a person’s life:
o Human life is a gift from God. Huma beings are accountable to God for what
they are and for what they make of themselves.
o In God’s plan, a huma person must realize his/her mission “to develop the
talents and potentialities to the fullest and to reach the perfection he/she is
called to attain.
5. Human person as FAITHFUL TO GOD
- Human persons must be faithful to God’s call.
o Therefore, human life becomes the basic and fundamental requirement for
persons to carry out their mission (e.g., occasions that destroy life especially
in the practice of medicine).
- Human person as redeemed in Christ.
o “Who Am I?” – the answer to the question is grounded on Jesus Christ. He
reveals how the dignity of persons is grounded directly on their origin,
meaning, and destiny.
o Catechism of the Catholic Church: “By his passion Christ delivered us from
Satan and from sin. His grace restores what sin had damaged in us.”
o Vatican II: “Fully reveals man/woman to himself…”
o John Paul II: “Jesus, in his very person, fulfills the law, brings it to perfection,
and reveals to man his/her noble calling.”
o Thus, the moral life ultimately means following Christ.

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D-REED003

CHRISTIAN COMMITMENT IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY

THE HUMAN PERSON (Sway)

LOCAL: Myths and Legends

SCIENTIFIC: Facts and Theories

BIBLICAL: Faith and Traditions

o But he also said: “Except the Forbidden Fruit” – Limited Freedom

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