Blackwell Reference Online

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Accounts of moral agency usually address three subjects: (1) a primal disposition to live a moral life; (2) the capacity to act morally; and (3) sound moral judgment. I will focus on classic Christian and Western philosophical treatments of these subjects, though there are corollaries in other religions and cultures. I will then note contemporary resources that enrich the classic traditions.Classic Christian discussions of moral agency follow two major trajectories. The first employs a theory of natural law for articulating the moral requisites of human flourishing. Drawing upon Aristotle's work, Thomas Aquinas (1966) gave this approach its definitive theological expression. His thought remains pivotal in Roman Catholic moral theology. The second trajectory stresses the intrinsic authority of the moral law. Protestant reformers Martin Luther (1966) and John Calvin (1957) exemplify this trajectory in tradition-dependent forms, focusing on biblical accounts of divine commands. Immanuel Kant (1996, 1998) offered a philosophical parallel, stressing the human capacity to formulate universally binding moral principles. His inquiries have influenced Reformed Judaism and Protestant Christianity. Augustine's (1955a, 1955b) ideas are manifest in both trajectories, especially his attention to original sin, and to the human aspiration for union with God.Interest in a primal moral disposition ... log in or subscribe to read full text