What is moral theology, and where does it fit in our spiritual lives? Fr. James Martin, S.J. asks these questions to James Keenan, a Jesuit priest and one of the world's leading Catholic moral theologians on “The Spiritual Life” podcast. He is the Canisius professor of theology at Boston College, where he also serves as director of the Jesuit Institute and Vice Provost for Global Engagement. He has written and edited over a dozen books, covering everything from church leadership to moral life to bioethics, and more.

Chapters:
00:00 Who is Fr. James Keenan, S.J.?
4:15 Mercy and vulnerability
6:10 Sin is "not bothering"
9:10 What sins are Jesus concerned with?
10:35 Becoming a moral theologian
15:15 Morality and birth control
18:40 What is moral theology?
22:30 What is conscience?
26:23 Conscience and church teaching
30:05 Understanding the Good Samaritan
41:00 Fr. Keenan's spiritual practices
45:10 Audience question: Conscience in difficult decisions

Spiritual advice column for this episode by Maggi and Fr. Jim: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2026/10/06/father-james-martin-keenan-conscience-spiritual-life

Other links:
The liberating work of mercy: Banning ‘servile work’: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2024/10/11/keenan-works-mercy-servants-248983
James F. Keenan, S.J., on guidance for the LGBTQ Catholic conscience: https://outreach.faith/2026/06/james-f-keenan-s-j-on-guidance-for-the-lgbtq-catholic-conscience
Focusing on the individual is not enough to face today’s crises. We need collective moral agency: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith-and-reason/2025/10/01/individual-collective-moral-agency
Pope Leo’s powerful lesson in vulnerable leadership: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith-and-reason/2026/04/22/pope-leo-trump-leadership
The Moral Life: https://press.georgetown.edu/Book/The-Moral-Life

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