Why Should You Follow Your Conscience? Wisdom from John Henry Newman - Dr. Christopher Mooney

Prof. Christopher Mooney explores Saint John Henry Newman’s defense of conscience as the immediate apprehension of divine law, arguing that prioritizing this interior voice over social constructs is essential for moral freedom.

This lecture was given on September 24th, 2026, at University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

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About the Speaker:

Dr. Christopher Mooney is an assistant professor of theology at the Augustine Institute Graduate School in St. Louis, Missouri, where he teaches on Catholic theology, scriptural interpretation, and the Church Fathers. His teaching and research specialize in Augustine, the Fathers, and historical theology, and he is the author of Augustine's Theology of Justification by Faith (2026). A native of Connecticut, he studied at Georgetown and Yale Divinity School before receiving his PhD from the University of Notre Dame. He also serves as a theological representative for the USCCB's Catholic-Reformed dialogue. He lives next door to the Augustine Institute's campus with his wife and four children.

This project/publication was made possible through the support of Grant 63391 from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

Keywords: Saint John Henry Newman, Conscience, Moral Theology, Divine Law, Papal Infallibility, Joseph Ratzinger, Moral Freedom, Morals, Conversion