Gallagher, Raphael

The Relevance of Saint Alphonsus of Liguori’s Moral Theology - 2012.


43

Saint Alphonsus de Liguori (1686-1797) is the Patron Saint of Moralists but is now little considered by moral theologians. This article argues in favour of a continuing actuality, in three steps. Firstly, the general status quaestionis is outlined. In the second and longest section, there is an outline, based on texts from Alphonsus, of the elements which suggest his actuality: conscience, liberty, intrinsic argumentation, pastoral prudence, a theology of conversion. The article concludes with an indication of the type of moral theology favoured by Gaudium et spes though the context is completely different to the moral theology of Saint Alphonsus, the author proposes some lines of convergence that would facilitate the actuality of Saint Alphonsus.