Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern AuthoritiesCallan, Charles J. (Charles Jerome)
Religion
Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern Authorities
Callan, Charles J. (Charles Jerome)
Christian ethics -- Catholic authors
(b) Culpable ignorance is not distinct from its effect (i.e., from
a sin committed on account of the ignorance), if the truth one is
ignorant of has to be known only on account of some passing duty that
must be performed here and now; for in such a case the knowledge is
required, not for its own sake, but for the sake of the duty. Hence,
ignorance of fact or of a particular law is not distinct as a sin from
the sin that results from it. Examples: Titus knows that he should not
take money that belongs to another; but through his own carelessness he
is ignorant of the fact that the money before him belongs to another,
and takes the money. Balbus knows that the precept of the Church on
fasting is obligatory; but through his own negligence he is unaware
that today is a fast day, and does not fast. Titus and Balbus committed
one sin apiece.
(c) Culpable ignorance is distinct from its effect, if the truth one
is ignorant of has to be known for its own sake; for in such a case
one sins against the virtue of studiosity (see 905) by not knowing
something which one should know habitually, and also against some other
virtue by violating its precepts as a result of one’s sinful ignorance.
Truths one is obliged to know for their own sake are the mysteries of
faith, the Commandments of the Decalogue, the Precepts of the Church,
and the duties of one’s own state. Examples: Sempronius through his own
carelessness does not know the mystery of the Incarnation, and as a
result blasphemes Christ. Titus does not know that stealing is a sin,
and therefore he steals. In both cases two sins are committed, the sin
of ignorance and the sin that resulted from ignorance.
908. Cases in which ignorance in matters of faith is not culpable are
the following: (a) if one has used sufficient diligence to acquire
knowledge, one is not responsible for one’s ignorance; (b) if one
has not used sufficient diligence to acquire knowledge, one is not
responsible for one’s ignorance, if the lack of diligence is not one’s
fault.
909. Sufficient diligence is a broad term and has to be understood with
relation to the mental ability of the person and the importance and
difficulty of the truth in question. What is sufficient diligence in
an illiterate person, or with regard to a matter of minor importance,
would be insufficient in a learned person, or in a matter of greater
importance. However, the following general rules can be given:
(a) To be sufficient, diligence need not be as a rule supreme (i.e.,
it is not necessary that one employ every possible means to acquire
instruction), for even the most conscientious persons feel they have
used sufficient diligence when they have employed the usual means for
obtaining religious instruction;
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