Conscience
Oftentimes, we are confronted with situations
where we have to choose and make moral
decisions. There is such an inner voice that tells
us what to do which we called as conscience.
The nature of conscience
Etymology: con (with) scientia (to know or
knowledge) – with knowledge
Conscience as an inner voice of God Objective dimension
• Conscience is a law written in the core ➢ Refers to the objective moral norms
of our being by God calling us to do (laws and commandments) and values
good and avoid evil. Through or as the bases of the moral judgement
conscience, God built in us with an inner of your conscience
awareness of what is right and wrong
in an inclination to do right. Instead,
God spoke to him in a “still small voice”
also translated “a gentle whisper” (1 kgs
19:9-12). God often speaks to us by the
inner witness of the Holy Spirit to our
spirit (Romans 2:12-16) (1 Timothy 4:2)
What conscience is NOT
• It is not the super ego – the super ego
is the term psychologists use to describe
the list of “should” and “have to” that Relational dimension
we received from parental figures
while were growing up ➢ Refers to the person in contact with us
influence the development of our
Conscience conscience
• Our subjective norm of moral
behavior
• Applying the objective moral norms to
particular acts
• Summoning us to do good and avoid
evil
Dimensions of conscience
Subjective dimension
➢ Refers to the agent or doer of a moral
act, the person acting. We are Therefore, the work of conscience is not simply
responsible for what we decide and how knowing what is good or evil. It is our subjective
we decide norm of moral behavior which determines how
we should act by applying objective moral norms
to a specific moral act
Conscience at work
• Conscience therefore is a judgement of
reason whereby the human person
recognizes the morality of an act
whether it is good or evil then applying
objective moral norms to our
particular acts, and thus commanding:
do this, shun that
How do we experience conscience in our life
as we grow?
→ Instinctive level – concerned basically
with reward and punishment; is more
other-directed
→ Moral level – regard acts as morally
good or evil in themselves, the act is
motivated by ethical principles
→ Religious level – is informed and
animated by faith, a Christian
conscience seek to follow Christ
Lesson Synthesis:
❖ Deep within us is a law inscribed by God
in our hearts. Conscience is our
subjective norm of moral behavior which
helps us to judge whether an act is good
or evil and determines how we should act
by applying objective moral norms to a
specific moral act
❖ Through our individual conscience, we
become aware of our deeply held moral
principles, we are motivated to act upon
them, and we assess our character, our
behavior and ultimately our self against
those principles
