Grace

Grace
Sku: 66400V0E070
Archival Number: TV 664
Author: Lonergan, B.
Language(s): English
Decade: 1970

Description:
An interview conducted by Eric O’Connor at Thomas More Institute, 31 December 1971. The title given for the interview is ‘Grace,’ but it is largely a continuation of the preceding interview of the same day, and so would better be called ‘The Total Context of Action: Part 2.’ Discussion resumes with the Enlightenment, deists, and Comte and moves briefly to the conception of God as working through human instrumentality. Eric O’Connor goes on to genral bias, and Lonergan moves the Keynes. Shortsightedness is a defense mechanism against the hard work of coming to understand. Evident evils can reinforce the need at the level of sensitive response. The environmental problem is the fruit of laissez-faire. Lonergan narrates something of the origins of his work in economics, seeking an economics that yields moral precepts. The mistakes of the Social Credit party in Canada is reviewed, in light of Lonergan’s two phases of the economy, which Social Credit did not recognize. The conversation returns to the context of action, and Lonergan points to the interdisciplinary work that is used to settle such problems as the environment and then to questions of collaboration in general. ‘Philosophy of action’ for Lonergan means the role of the level of deliberation, evaluation, decision, and action, a level that guides intellectual work itself. ‘Philosophy of action’ is thus contrasted with a philosophy or ‘pure reason,’ which doesn’t exist. Only at the end does the doctrine of grace arrive, and the question has to do with the relation of grace to the search for meaning, reform of society, resisting evil. For Lonergan it is the most fundamental thing in human life. The discernment of possible values by people who are in love is the source of good. The distinction is drawn of love of intimacy, love of humanity, and the love of God, which is God’s gift establishing our orientation to the universe. Editing and restoration by Greg Lauzon. Database and descriptions © Copyright 2017 by Robert M. Doran

Transcription:

No transcription available.