Francisco Suárez as a moral and political theologian: the case of Conselhos e opinions

Summary

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to present an investigation of Suárez's theological-political thought, rescuing an almost unknown text by the author: Conselhos e seemes, which is part of his writings on legal, moral and political philosophy. In this line, theoretical and pragmatic arguments and evidence emerge that demonstrate the commitment of the intellectual life of the theologian, as a learned counselor inserted in the ideological context of his time and in this case in a complex historical event. For this purpose, I initially rely on a central premise: and that is that the notion of political theory is deeply rooted, both in practices and ideas, in historical culture, which at this point relates the theological and legal dimension of the author. . The discussion will lead to the complex world of ecclesiastical politics, as recorded in the documents and correspondence that make up the miscellaneous work on advice and opinions.
Keywords: Political philosophy, moral theology, legal advice, ecclesiastical mediation.
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to present a research on Suárez's theological - political thought, to rescue an almost unknown text of the author: Advice and opinions. I shall seek to integrate it into his writings on juridical, moral and political philosophy. Thus, I will offer theoretical and pragmatic arguments as evidences to prove the commitment of the intellectual life of the theologian, as learned counselor, inserted in the ideological and political context of his time: with a single case as an example of a historically complex event . For such purpose, I rely initially on a central premise, namely, that the notion of political theory is deeply rooted, both in the practices and the ideas within the historical culture. In this matter, relates the theological and juridical dimension of the author. The discussion will drive to the complex world of the ecclesiastic politics, as it consists of the documents and letters that formed the miscellaneous work on Councils and opinions.
Keywords: Political philosophy, moral theology, legal counseling, ecclesiastic mediation.