Ethics is repeatedly identified as an essential passage in the Ecumenical path, as well as a place of shelter against new potential divisions, it is imperative to further explore its importance.
The one day workshop organized by the San Bernardino Institute proposed to explore the profiles of Ethics by three Catholic denominations, in view of working out possible pathways of dialogue. It was not only matter of examining the position of the different Churches on specific themes, rather of extracting forms and fundamental structures proper to individual moral teachings.
During the session, moderated by professor Simone Morandini (ISE), four speeches were presented in succession, each concluding with an open discussion involving the assembly (teachers and students from ISE).
The first speaker, professor Antonio Autiero, a teacher of Theological Ethics from the University of Münster, presented the profile of the Catholic Ethics through an exhibition of four profiles, as defined by the author himself: St. Augustine, St. Thomas, the Council of Trent, and Second Vatican Council. Catholic theological Ethics must unfold three specific tasks: to favour the connection between moral principles and the realistic necessities in the vital world of people; to develop a theory of action to recover the traditionally 'prudential' orientation of Catholic morality; to stress the necessity of an everlasting revision of our moral judgements due to the inexhaustibility of the ethical fact in correspondence with the intention motivating it.
Professor Fulvio Ferrario, a teacher at the Waldensian Faculty of Theology in Rome, developed an observation concerning the centrality of the category of God's commandment for the evangelical Ethics, of which the practical and direct dimension toward the believer is paramount. Professor Fulvio Ferrario underlined the need for Ethics of Biblical inspiration not to cease to have a public relevance in our times, through the testimony of Christians and the proposal of its content in the participation to Ethical debate in a pluralistic society.
Professor Basilio Petrà, from the Theological Faculty of Central Italy, presented the main facts of Orthodox moral Theology, in particular the intention to be in continuance with the tradition of their Greek and Byzantine forefathers. In this perspective, the relation between Ethics and Christology plays a leading role. This was especially considered important in the XX century when the distinctive Orthodox identity was recovered. The search for the original Orthodox identity led as well to underline the centrality of the Church's living tradition towards moral reflection, this centrality is expressed, furthermore, through the relevance of Episcopal teachings and the deliberations of the Councils collected in the holy canons.
Lastly, professor Placido Sgroi (ISE) expanded his thought on the possibility of reconstructing an Ecumenical profile on Christian Ethics productively interacting with moral traditions of the different Churches. The observation of an increasing difficulty in the relation among Churches divided on moral issues guided the identification of the resources offered by the Ecumenical movement to confront this new position. Such resources issued from bilateral dialogues and from study results of the Ecumenical Council of the Churches, brought to light tendencies to carry on the dialogue on ethical issues in order to envisage a clearing of the current Ecumenical difficulties.
The discussion following each presentation prompted relevant development of the themes and ideas proposed. The moderator himself, professor Morandini, at the end, pointed out the fruitful results of the meeting derived from the diverse points of view and the richness of the meeting derived from the diverse points of view and the richness of the discussion and he wished for a chance to continue the Ecumenical debate on ethical issues.
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