3.2 Sexual Ethics Flashcards
1
Q
modern roman catholism on homosexuality
A
- sexual inclination upon the same sex is not wrong as long as it is not acted upon; it is a test/trial from god
- homosexuals must be treated with compassion and the roman catholic church condemns any violence/persecution
2
Q
homosexuality can be seen as immoral from roman catholic church as
A
- passages from the bible condemn homosexuality, st paul describes same-sex sexual acts as ‘dishonouring their bodies’
- natural law theory argues that the purpose of life is procreation, therefore homosexuality is immoral
3
Q
three main views on sex from the church
A
- sex for procreation within heterosexual marriage (broadly roman catholic view)
- sex within marriage, not necessarily for procreation (broadly evangelical christian view)
- sex as expression of loving, committed relationship (broadly liberal christian view)
4
Q
roman catholicism views on sexual acts
A
- stem from natural law from aquinas, therefore arguing that the purpose of marriage is procreation, because society is ordered, anything that threatens the intuition of marriage is wrong
5
Q
contraception and infertility - roman catholic views
A
- the purpose of sexual intercourse is the bearing of children: means couples should not actively prevent childbearing but should accept when sexual intercourse doesn’t lead to procreation
- roman catholic church believes artificial contraception is sinful, whether it is a method that prevents conception (condom) or early abortion (morning after pill).
- roman catholic church also believe that using contraception encourages immoral behaviour, specially pre-marital sex
6
Q
roman catholic church on artificial means
A
- if donor eggs/sperm are used, goes against unity and integrity of marriage, which is a divine union (sacramentum)
- ivf procedures involve the selection of viable embryos which means some embryos are discarded, equates to killing a human life
7
Q
jack dominian’s critique of roman catholism
A
- marriage reflects god’s love but should be a place where partners find love, understanding, kinship and forgiveness
- couples should be able to access pre-marital counselling, the church should prepare couples for marriage as well as offering counselling
-questions rcc teachings on a range of ethical issues, including contraception and sex before marriage
8
Q
liberal protestantism views on sexual ethics
A
- takes ‘sex within a loving relationship’ view and is more accepting of homosexuality, cohabitation and sexual relationships outside of marriage than roman catholism
- love is central to human relationships and sex is an expression of that love
9
Q
liberal protestantism outlines on marriage
A
- divorce is morally acceptable in cases of irreversible marriage breakdown of adultery
- the quality of the relationship is what determines its moral value
- almost all non-catholic christians believe that any form of contraception should be used as long as it is used to limit the size of the family
10
Q
liberal protestantism - criticism
A
- refers to key biblical teachings on love and justice, sees the teachings of jesus as a message of acceptance rather than condemnation
- as roman catholism argues, it ignores key religious moral laws clearly stated in the bible - liberal protestantism is too reflective an justifies immoral actions
11
Q
evangelical protestantism - what is it?
A
not a formal movement, but represents conservative elements from within numerous mainstream protestant denominations, and independent baptist/bible churches
12
Q
evangelical protestantism - set of beliefs
A
- salvation comes about as the result of god’s through christ rather than human action
- the scriptures are the only source of authority and inspiration
- emphasis on the conversion experience
- mission work is important responsibility for believers
13
Q
evangelical protestantism on homosexuaity
A
- believe homosexuality is a sin, the bible specifically condemns homosexual acts although the salvation of christ can remove all sins
- churches can advocate conversion therapy
- however, they should still be welcomed into the church without homophobia
14
Q
evangelical protestantism on extra-marital sex
A
- argue that marriage is a sacred union because the partners become one flesh through marriage
- sex should only be in heterosexual relationship, within the boundaries of marriage, accepts sex for enjoyment but ultimate purpose is procreation
- however divorce is sometimes a necessary evil as its the breaking of a divine bond
15
Q
evangelical protestantism on fertility
A
- some consensus that ivf and artificial insemination are acceptable
- all evangelical churches agree that surrogacy is wrong because it involves a third party in a much more significant way than donated eggs and sperm, can potentially strike the heart of the family
16
Q
feminist approaches
A
- criticise christian/liberal approaches to sexuality, christian approaches rest on defined cultural role of women, which feminists consider a submissive role that disempowers women
- criticise liberal approaches to sexuality, arguing that these approaches assume a level playing field between the sexes, argue that women may not be as free as men to enter sexual relationships
17
Q
evangelical approaches - middle ground
A
-stands between catholicism and liberal protestantism, less dogmatic than catholicism and more flexible with regard to infertility and contraception
- concerns about its attitude to homosexuality, especially particular about conversion advocated
18
Q
libertarian approaches
A
- believe in maximising individual freedom and minimising state of religious interference in personal matters
- approach to sexual ethics rooted in principles of consent, autonomy and harm prevention rather than religious/moral codes
