The 60-Second Aquinas
Lesson
When Will It Change?
November 1, 1998 (All Saints Day)
Which do you think will come first – the end of the abortion debate or the change in natural law allowing abortion?
If you said the end of the abortion debate, you are correct! If you find this hard to believe, consider this: natural law will never change to allow abortion! The abortion debate will end, even if it is not until the second coming.
According to Aquinas, there are two ways natural law can change: addition or subtraction. Natural law can change by addition, because as the world changes, new issues are faced and natural law grows to consider them.
For instance, prior to abortion, there was no consideration in natural law for abortion.
However, natural law cannot change by subtraction: "A change in the natural law may be understood by way of subtraction, so that what previously was according to the natural law, ceases to be so. In this sense, the natural law is altogether unchangeable in its first principles" (ST I-II, Q. 94, Art. 5).
This is clear when one recalls that the natural law is simply a share of eternal law imprinted upon men’s hearts (ST I-II, Q. 91, Art. 2).
Explanation of The 60-Second Aquinas Lesson
