Human Nature: Moral Norm
by Francis Etheredge
There is a ‘difference, both anthropological and moral, between contraception and recourse to the rhythm of the cycle: it is a difference which is much wider and deeper than is usually thought, one which involves in the final analysis two irreconcilable concepts of the human person and human sexuality’ (St. John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, 32).
Human Nature: Moral Norm wades through a cultural mixture of challenging ideas which are either turning to sludge or starting to make sense, as if coming into clear water, enabling the whole book to find its central focus: Is it true that the human being is so well woven that the precept, “be open to life”, is inherent in the very psychosomatic language of a spousal love? In other words, although at times it is almost impossible to summarize or simplify the question under investigation, it nevertheless emerges that it is truly necessary “to be open to life” even when it is deliberately intended to avoid the conception of a child; and, at the same time, that this is a discovery of the content of the human inclinations, psychological structure and spiritual reality of the “one flesh” of marriage. Thus, in a word, the moral norm which is entailed in the reciprocal gift of self in marriage is neither foreign to “being-in-relationship” nor an imposition upon it; rather, “being open to life” is as natural to spousal love as the breath is to breathing. Indeed, the moral norm of being open to life is as integral to human nature as heat is to a flame – as the flame of life and love is to the divine spark which ignites it.
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Table of Contents
Preface: A Synthesis; An Incomplete or a Complete Gift of Self; More Personally
Acknowledgements
A Brief Biography of and a General Foreword by Monsignor Livio Melina (An English translation with subheadings, by Stefan Kaminski, and then the original text in Italian).
General Introduction: A Comment on the Structure of the Book as a Whole (I); But Why write a Book that Draws on Humanae Vitae? (II); and an Introduction to Each Chapter (III)
Dr. Thomas D. Williams: A Biography and Complementary Account of the Difference between Contraception and Being Open: “An Introduction to: Theology of the Body and Humanae Vitae”
PART I
Part I: Being, Metaphysics, Soul and Body (Comprising Chapter 1)
Chapter One: Who is in Dialogue? Anthropology Comes into Focus: An Opening Word on Humanae Vitae (I); The Focus of this Book: A compound of Sense and Spirit (II); A Note on the Controversy surrounding Humanae Vitae (III); Two Naturalistic Fallacies: George Moore – but particularly David Hume (IV); St. Thomas Aquinas; St. John Paul II; and A Starting Point: The Language of the Body (V)
Suzanne Scheller: A Biography and Complementary Contribution to Part I: “How can one discover the truth about Humanae Vitae?”
PART II
Part II: The Naturalistic Fallacy: A Flawed Account of Human Nature and towards the Healing of the Fallacy of Uniformity (Comprising Chapters 2-3)
Chapter Two: Flaws and Fragments of an Answer: The Naturalistic Fallacy and its Flaw: Hume’s Naturalistic Fallacy (I); An Evaluation of Hume’s Fallacy (II); A Variety of References to Hume’s Fallacy (III); A Response to Hume: The First Act of Practical Reasoning (IV); The Possibility that Values are Integral to Facts (V)
Chapter Three: Types of Dualism Point to the Moment of Human Origin: The Fact-Norm Distinction and the Answering Nature of Man: The Fact-Norm Distinction as a type of Dualism (I); Dualism and Finality: Two Problems with Theories of Evolution (II); Other Traces of a Body-Soul Dualism (III)
Sr. Hanna Klaus: A Biography and Complementary Contribution to Part II: “How learning and practicing the Billings Ovulation Method (OM) enhanced the value of the person”
PART III
Part III: Drawing on the Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity: A Metaphysical Foundation to the Relationship of Human Action to Human Being (Comprising Chapter 4 and “Beginning to Go Forward)
Chapter Four: The unity-in-diversity of human being is an answer to the fallacy of uniformity: Restating the Problem: From fact to moral norm (I); God Reveals man to himself (II); The unity-in-diversity of law as embodied in human being (III); A metaphysical structure of Good, Right and True to human being (IV); and, Finally, the Personalization of Human Love goes beyond a comparison with animals to the mystery of the Blessed Trinity (V)
Beginning to go Forward: A “Watershed Summary” and “Three Objections to the Argument of the Book”
Dr. John Purk: A Biography and Complementary Contribution to Part III: : Dr. John Purk: “Openness to Life and Communion with The Most Holy Trinity”
PART IV
Part IV: A Spirituality of Being Open to Life (Comprising Chapters 5-6
Opening Chapter Five: The Founding Act of the Human Person: Being is a Unity-in-Diversity (I); Conception and the Actus Essendi of the Human Person (II); Confirmation of this View of Conception (III)
Closing Chapter Five: The Attitude-in-Action of Procreation: The Inclination to Procreation (I); the Person-as-Gift is Interior to Spousal Love and Procreation (II); The Bodily-Personal Action of Procreation (III)
Chapter Six: Be Open to Life: The Spiritual Significance of Being Open to Life: The Covenant of the Flesh (I); The Activity of the Holy Spirit (II); A Spirituality of Being Open to Life (III); The Christo-Trinitarian Significance of this ‘Openness’ (IV); and, Finally, the Social and Inseparably Eschatological Dimension of Being Open to Life (V)
Dr. Moira McQueen: A Biography and Complementary Contribution to Part IV: “The McQueen Family: 2XX 5XY”
PART V
Part V: The Word of Truth-in-Love and Conscience (Comprising Chapter 7)
Dr. Mary Shivanandan: A Complimentary Contribution to Part V: A Biography and Personal Journey: “My Experience with Natural Family Planning”
A Postscript and References by Francis Etheredge
A Further, Triptych of Experience: Part I of III: Being Open to Life: Being Open to Being-in-Relationship: Wrongdoing and psychology; Sin, Salvation, Suffering and the Marriage Covenant; The Mystery of the Marriage Covenant; and Natural Family Planning
A Touch of Experience: Part II of III: Where Are You? Contraception and Abortion as the Denial of “Relationship”; Rediscovering the Value of Evidence; Evidence and Sex-Trafficking; Evidence and the Environment; In the Case of an Abortion; Does “not being pregnant” Define a Man?; Hope and Forgiveness: Forgiveness and Hope
Dr. Christine M. W. Ward: Biography and “The Lived Experience of Contraception”: Part III of III: The Lived Experience of Contraception; A Different Act; Love’s watermark: the total self-gift
Chapter Seven: Conscience-as-Relationship Entailing Recovery from Error: The first part of the chapter follows with a specific consideration of principles and experience (I). It will then go on and develop an account of the conscience as integral to the person and as a witness to the truth of our relationships (II). Drawing on saints and scholars it is possible that conscience and the word of God entails a dynamic relationship that could prompt, possibly, the “un-doing” development of an erroneous conscience (III)
“A Pain-Breaking Word” of Encouragement (Prose and Poem)
CONCLUSION
Dr. Richard Spinello: Biography and an “End Word”
“Humanae Vitae, the Magisterium, and Justice to the Creator
REVIEWS
“Being Open to Life: Being Open to Being-in-Relationship,” Catholic Medical Quarterly Volume 72(1) February 2022. Click here.
TESTIMONIALS
“What a wonderful book! What a tour de force!!! I have fallen in love with Etheredge’s Human Nature: Moral Norm: it is a fresh and often poetic new look at deep fundamentals. This is an analysis that transcends such categories as phenomenological/traditional metaphysics with a new and compelling synthesis. I want to pass it on to some professor who is still teaching ethics regularly. Glory!” – Dr. Ronda Chervin, Emerita Professor of Philosophy, Holy Apostles College and Seminary, and author of numerous books about Catholic ethics and spirituality
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mr. Francis Etheredge is married with eight children, plus three in heaven.
Francis is currently a freelance writer and speaker and his “Posts” on LinkedIn can be viewed here. Poetry; short articles; autobiographical blog; excerpts from books; and “Philosophize: A Ten Minute Write.”
For a list of all of Francis’ books published by En Route Books and Media, click here.
See Francis’ other books, too, entitled Scripture: A Unique Word, From Truth and truth: Volume I-Faithful Reason, From Truth and truth: Volume II: Faith and Reason in Dialogue, From Truth and truth: Volume III: Faith is Married Reason.
He has earned a BA Div (Hons), MA in Catholic Theology, PGC in Biblical Studies, PGC in Higher Education, and an MA in Marriage and Family (Distinction).
Enjoy these additional articles by Francis Etheredge:
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