James J. Walter, Ph.D. 

Austin & Ann O'Malley Professor 

of Bioethics 

Chair, The Bioethics Institute

Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts

 

The Bioethics Institute 

Master of Arts in Bioethics

 

 

PUBLICATIONS

BOOKS 

  • Conversion and Discipleship: A Christian Foundation for Ethics and Doctrine (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1986), 229 pages. (Co-authored with Stephen Happel).  Republished in 2007 in the Fortress Press Ex Libris series.  This book has been identified by the Editor-in-Chief and the editorial board as one of the best titles published by Fortress Press in the last 25 years. 
  • Quality of Life: The New Medical Dilemma (New York: Paulist Press, 1990), 357 pages. (Co-edited with Thomas A. Shannon)

 

·         Artificial Nutrition & Hydration and the Permanently Unconscious Patient: The Catholic Debate.  (Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press, 2007), 272 pages.  (Co-edited with Ronald P. Hamel)

 

 

CHAPTERS IN BOOKS 

  • "Response to John C. Finnis: A Theological Critique," in Thomas G. Fuechtmann, ed., Consistent Ethic of Life (Kansas City, MO: Sheed & Ward, 1988), pp. 182-195.
  • "The Foundation and Formulation of Norms," in Charles E. Curran, ed., Moral Theology: Challenges for the Future: Essays in Honor of Richard A. McCormick (New York: Paulist Press, 1990), pp. 125-154.
  • "A Response to Hubert Doucet: 'How Theology Could Contribute to the Redemption of Bioethics: From an Individualist Approach to an Anthropological Sensitivity,'" in Michael Downey, ed., The Catholic Theological Society of America: Proceedings of the Fifty-Third Annual Convention (Atlanta: Mercer University Press, 1998), pp. 67-71.
  • "Theological and Moral Problems Concerning Human Gene Transfer," in Sybille Fritsch-Oppermann, ed., Genes the World Over: Die Bewertung von Gentechnologie an Pflanzen und Tieren in der Sicht verschiedener Kulturen (Loccum, Germany: Evangelische Akademie, 1998), pp. 23-36.
  • "Response to Dr. Darryl Macer's paper 'The International Agenda: Environment, Cultural Diversity and Global Dialogue,'" in Sybille Fritsch-Oppermann, ed., Genes the World Over: Die Bewertung von Gentechnologie an Pflanzen und Tieren in der Sicht verschiedener Kulturen (Loccum, Germany: Evangelische Akademie, 1998), pp. 152-153.
  • "The Relationship Between Faith and Morality: The Debate Over the Uniqueness of Christian Morality," in Mathijs Lamberigts and Leo Kenis, eds., Vatican II and Its Legacy (Leuven, Belgium: Leuven University Press, 2002), pp. 173-186.
  • "Global Trends: Plants, Animals, Humans--The Prospects of Developments in Genetic Engineering," in Sybille  Fritsch-Oppermann, ed., Dialog der Kulturen (Loccum, Germany: Evangelische Akademie, 2003), pp. 145-157.
  • “Theological Perspectives on Cancer Genetics and Gene Therapy: The Roman Catholic Tradition.”  In James J. Walter and Thomas A. Shannon, Contemporary Issues in Bioethics: A Catholic Perspective (Lanham, MD: Sheed & Ward, 2005).
  • “A Catholic Reflection on Embryonic Stem Cell Research.”  In James J. Walter and Thomas A. Shannon, Contemporary Issues in Bioethics: A Catholic Perspective (Lanham, MD: Sheed & Ward, 2005).
  • “Human Germline Therapy: Proper Human Responsibility or Playing God?”  In Ronald Cole-Turner, ed., Design and Destiny: Religious Views on Human Germline Modification (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2008), pp. 119-143.

·        “A Christian Interpretation of Contemporary Issues in Bioethics: The Human Genome Project and the Forgoing/Withdrawal of Medical Treatment at the End of Life.”  In An Intermediary Between Buddhism and Bioethics, ed. Naoki Nabeshima, Malcolm David Eckel and Yoshiyuki Inoue (Kyoto, Japan: Center for Humanities, Science, and Religion: Ryukoku University: Hozokan Publishing Company, 2008), pp. 36-55.  (Published in both English and Japanese)

  • “What Does Horizon Analysis Bring to the Consistent Ethic of Life?  In The Consistent Ethic of Life: Assessing Its Reception and Relevance, ed. by Thomas Nairn (New York: Orbis Press, 2008), pp. 3-15 & 173-75.
  • “Human Germline Therapy: The Intersections Between Science and the Roman Catholic Religion.” Book chapter accepted for publication in an English-Japanese volume and forthcoming in 2008.

 

  • “Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research: A Catholic Christian Perspective.”  Book chapter in an English-Japanese volume forthcoming in Summer 2008.

 

ARTICLES IN JOURNALS

  • "The Church: A Power Structure," The American Ecclesiastical Review 169 (February, 1975): 102-117.
  • "Christian Ethics: Distinctive and Specific?," The American Ecclesiastical Review 169 (September, 1975): 470-489. Reprinted in Charles E. Curran and Richard A. McCormick, S.J., eds., Readings in Moral Theology No. 2: The Distinctiveness of Christian Ethics (New York: Paulist Press, 1980), pp. 90-110.
  • "Joseph Fletcher and the Ends-Means Problematic," The Heythrop Journal 17 (January, 1976): 50-63.
  • "The Dependence of Christian Morality on Faith: A Critical Assessment," Église et Théologie 12 (October, 1981): 237-277.
  • "The Relation Between Faith and Morality: Sources For Christian Ethics," Horizons: The Journal of the College Theology Society 9 (Fall, 1982): 251-270.
  • "Proportionate Reason and Its Three Levels of Inquiry: Structuring the Ongoing Debate," Louvain Studies 10 (Spring, 1984): 30-40. Reprinted in Christopher Kaczor, ed. Proportionalism: For and Against (Milwaukee: Marquette University Press, 2000).
  • "The Foundations of Christian Moral Experience," Église et Théologie 16 (May, 1985): 169-183.
  • "The Foundations of the Professions and of Professional Ethics: A Critical and Constructive Study," Horizons: The Journal of the College Theology Society 12 (Spring, 1985): 91-115.
  • "A Public Policy Option on the Treatment of Severely Handicapped Newborns," Laval Théologique et Philosophique 41 (June, 1985): 239-250.
  • "Food & Water: An Ethical Burden--Withdrawing Artificial Nutrition," Commonweal 113 (November 21, 1986): 616-619.
  • "Charles Curran and the Disputed Issues," UpTurn (October-November, 1986): 4 & 6.
  • "The Meaning and Validity of Quality of Life Judgments in Contemporary Roman Catholic Medical Ethics," Louvain Studies 13 (Fall, 1988): 195-208. This issue of Louvain Studies was a Festschrift celebrating the 80th birthday of Professor Louis Janssens of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. Reprinted in James J. Walter and Thomas A. Shannon, eds., Quality of Life: The New Medical Dilemma (New York: Paulist Press, 1990), pp. 78-88.
  • "The PVS Patient and the Forgoing/Withdrawing of Medical Nutrition and Hydration," Theological Studies 49 (December, 1988): 623-647. (With Thomas A. Shannon) Reprinted in James J. Walter and Thomas A. Shannon, eds., Quality of Life: The New Medical Dilemma (New York: Paulist Press, 1990), pp. 203-223; and reprinted in Thomas A. Shannon, ed., Bioethics: Basic Writings on the Key Ethical Questions That Surround the Major, Modern Biological Possibilities and Problems, 4th Edition (New York: Paulist Press, 1993), pp. 173-198.
  • "Termination of Medical Treatment: The Setting of Moral Limits From Infancy to Old Age," Religious Studies Review 16 (October, 1990): 302-307.
  • "Presuppositions to Moral Judgments on Human Genetic Manipulation," Chicago Studies 33 (November 1994): 228-239. Reprinted in Paul T. Jersild, Dale A. Johnson, Patricia Beattie Jung, and Shannon Jung, eds., Moral Issues & Christian Response, Sixth Edition (New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1998), pp. 345-353 and in the Seventh Edition, 2002.
  • "'Playing God' or Properly Exercising Human Responsibility?: Some Theological Reflections on Human Germ-line Therapy," New Theology Review 10 (November 1997): 39-59.  Reprinted in Timothy Shanahan & Robin Wang, ed.  Reason & Insight: Western and Eastern Perspectives on the Pursuit of Moral Wisdom (New York: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2002), pp. 379-388.
  • "Notes on Moral Theology: Issues in Genetics," Theological Studies 60 (March 1999): 111-147. With Thomas A. Shannon & M. Cathleen Kaveny.
  • “One Map Down … One to Go,”  Vistas  4(October 2000): 18-21.
  • "Human Gene Transfer: Some Theological Contributions to the Ethical Debate," The Linacre Quarterly: A Journal of the Philosophy and Ethics of Medical Practice 68(November 2001): 314-334.
  • “Signs of the Times: Implications of the New Genetics,”  New Theology Review 15(February 2002): 64-69.
  • "The Bioenginee