The Christocentricity of the Virtues in St. Bonaventure: Mining the Tradition for the Renewal of Moral Theology in Light of Veritatis Splendor

Vatican II called for the renewal of Moral Theology. Special care must be given to the perfecting of moral theology. Its scientific exposition nourished more on the teaching of the Bible should shed light on the loftiness of the calling of the faithful in Christ and the obligation that is theirs of bearing fruit in charity for the life of the world (Decree on Priestly Formation 16). St. John Paul II repeated this call in Veritatis Splendor 29 and lamented there have developed certain interpretations of Christian morality which are not consistent with 'sound teaching' (2 Tim 4:3). The teleogistic moral theories of consequentialism and proportionalism which dominated Christian ethics in the post-conciliar period are rooted in a casuistry that can be traced to the period of the moral manuals. The return to the vision of moral theology as life in Christ prevalent in the scholastic period is very much needed. Servais Pinckaers has shown the path for the renewal of Moral Theology based on the work of Saint Thomas. St. Bonaventure also offers fruitful insight for this project specifically his teaching on the christocentricity of the virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit.