Human Conscience

• Conscience


  Fundamentally an act of self-judgment, a reflexive act of man which presupposes introspection
• Types of conscience


  • Lax
  • Doubtful
  • Certain
  • Scrupulous
  • Erroneous
  • True
• Conscience


  A judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act that he/she is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or has already completed
• Christians are expected to form their conscience according to the teachings and examples of Jesus Christ as contained in the Scripture (especially in the Gospel accounts), and according to the teachings of the Church
• Process of coming to a moral judgment

  1. Discerning stage

  2. Demand stage

  3. Judgment/Decision stage
• Discerning stage


  1. Search for possible solutions or means

  2. Think of reasons

  3. Consult Others who are knowledgeable and expert and have a good spirituality

  4. Pray for the Spirit of knowledge, wisdom and love so that whatever is being searched and thought of, is motivated by God's Spirit
• Demand stage


  Bring the pertinent moral norm for the use of our conscience. Conscience works with the accepted moral norm to judge this or that is good or evil
• Judgment/Decision stage


  The judgment of conscience we make on the morality of any proposed action, and our consequent decision to follow this dictate of our conscience or not
• Augustine: 'Our consciences always work on accepted moral norms. They never act as a law unto themselves. Likewise, moral norms and commandments touch us only through our consciences'
• Conscience is fundamentally an act of self-judgment, a reflexive act of man which presupposes introspection
• The types of conscience are lax, doubtful, certain, scrupulous, erroneous, and true
• Conscience is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act that he/she is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or has already completed
• The process of coming to a moral judgment includes three stages: discerning, demand, and judgment/decision stage