Confronting the Truth: Conscience in the Catholic Tradition

Linda Hogan's book is a balanced and clearly written examination of conscience in the Catholic tradition. "Although," she writes, "Vatican II sought to promote individual responsibility and autonomy in the moral realm, the politics and teaching of the church in subsequent years has undermined this." The result is an inevitable tension between conscience and other moral authorities in Catholicism.

The author explores the development of this tension historically, reviews its contemporary manifestations and finally constructs a positive theology of conscience that seeks to resolve this tension while remaining deeply rooted in Catholic tradition. This scholarly work, which draws upon the insights of classic and contemporary moral theologians, is an ideal college text, or ancillary text in courses on conscience and moral questions. But its accessible style will broaden its appeal to a wider audience.

Linda Hogan, who holds a Ph.D. from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, is presently lecturer in theology in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Leeds, England.