The Truth in Things (And Love in the World): Accessing the Natural Law's Metaphysical and Theological Foundation

Abstract

Troubled by the fruits of contemporary philosophical and spiritual nihilism and having discerned the inadequacies of positivism, a growing number of people experience profound dissatisfaction with modernity and are renewing the search for "the truth in hings," as Anselme of Canterbury once stated. Some seek a corrective element through a traditional understanding of natural law, and a number of Catholic scholars have made it their task to re-appropriate and articulate the natural law for the modern age, both with varied success. This article traces some of the foundational notions that ground natural law thinking. It illustrates how the natural law might be better recovered and clarified in light of modern philosophical assumptions. Finally, the article suggests that the natural law must be viewed through the theological lens of Christian charity for its full substance to be apparent.