Natural Law

The natural law is the moral law written in the heart of every human being by the Creator — the rational creature's participation in the eternal law of God. It is not rules imposed from outside but the moral order embedded in human nature itself, accessible to all by reason (CCC 1954–1960).

What Natural Law Is

The natural law is the sum of moral truths that human reason can know without divine revelation — truths like the wrongness of murder, theft, and injustice; the duty to care for one's children; the obligation to respect others. These are not Catholic rules — they are the universal moral framework inscribed in human nature by God (CCC 1954–1960).

Foundation for Moral Dialogue

Because natural law is accessible to all human beings by reason — regardless of faith — it provides a common moral language between Catholics and non-believers. The Church appeals to it when engaging secular culture on issues like abortion, euthanasia, and marriage: pointing to what reason itself reveals about human nature (CCC 1956).

Natural Law and Divine Positive Law

Natural law is supplemented by divine positive law — the specific commandments God has given through revelation, such as the Ten Commandments and the New Law of the Gospel. Divine law goes beyond what nature alone can know, ordering human beings toward their supernatural end (CCC 1961).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the Church say natural law is knowable by all if so many people disagree about morality? The Church acknowledges that conscience can be obscured by sin, cultural conditioning, and intellectual error. Natural law's fundamental principles are inscribed in human nature and experienced universally — but their application requires reason, reflection, and often, divine revelation to clarify (CCC 1960).