The putative primacy of conscience

I've gotten good feedback from prominent ecclesiastics for an article I wrote for Pontifications: "The Primacy of Conscience: Real and Imagined." The imagined primacy of conscience has probably been the single biggest justification used by Catholics, clerical as well as lay, for dissent from definitive Church teachings, especially on moral issues. The real primacy of conscience is indeed definitive Catholic teaching. But it's vital to understand the difference.

At Zenit yesterday and today, Fr. Jospeh Koterski, Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University, has given an interview in which he applies the real teaching to some controversial issues of the day. Both Part I and Part II are well worth reading. A lot of confusion would be dispelled if people took such words to heart.