Christian Moral Principles

Question 1

Sources of moral guidance for Christians

Answer 1

The Bible
The Church Tradition
Sacred Tradition

Question 2

The Bible

Answer 2

Contains rules, principles, symbols, parables and a whole paradigm of the human condition and the nature of God

Question 3

Sola Scriptura

Answer 3

Where the Bible alone is used as the main and sole source of ethical commands

Question 4

The Church Tradition

Answer 4

the traditions of how Christian life in community works in worship, practical moral life and prayer of the Church handed down across time

Question 5

Sacred Tradition

Answer 5

the idea that the revelation of Jesus Christ is communicated in two ways. In addition to scripture it is communicated through the apostolic and authoritative teaching of the Church councils and the Pope orally

Question 6

Hermeneutical approach

Answer 6

an approach revolving around interpretation, especially of the Bible or literary texts

Question 7

Richard B. Hays

Answer 7

In his writing “The Moral Vision of the New Testament” he says that when interpreting the Bible we should ask questions relating to the text and the context of the verses such as;

• What range of texts are used
• Are there particular focal images used

Question 8

Richard B. Hays on hermeneutical questions

Answer 8

He then asks questions which draw out how the Christian has appealed to the text;

• Has there been focus on the principles of The Bible
• Has there been focus on the paradigms of the Bible stories or summary accounts

Question 9

Propositional Knowledge

Answer 9

knowing or accepting that something is so

Question 10

Non-propositional knowledge

Answer 10

knowing how to do something and gain skills through the procedures of experience

Question 11

Propositional Approach to the Bible

Answer 11

accepts the truth that the words of the Bible are messages from God. God is revealed directly to the reader through the words on the page

Question 12

Non-Propositional approach to the Bible

Answer 12

is when God revealed Himself in the form of Jesus. He didn’t write the book but came to life, died and resurrected in a series of ‘experiences’ as an experimental approach to the Bible

Question 13

Theonomous Ethics

Answer 13

ethics governed by God’s commands or laws

2 Timothy 3:16

Question 14

Heteronomous Ethics

Answer 14

Ethics is divided from several sources of authority such as Church tradition Bible and Sacred tradition

Question 15

Autonomous Ethics

Answer 15

Ethics where authority is placed on the individual. Christian decisions are ethical choices made by a Christian

Question 16

Why do some Christians take a sola scriptura approach to moral issues

Answer 16

Because some fundamentalists believe that the Bible is the literal word of God written and directed by God

Question 17

Criticisms of sola scriptura

Answer 17

It is impossible to read the Bible straight without making any interpretation of it and apply our own context and experiences

Matthew 5 Sermon on the Mount contradicts previous Hebrew scripture. If God wrote every word why would He not be consistent and cause confusion?

Question 18

Catholic Tradition and The Bible

Answer 18

Catholic Christians believe the Bible grew out of the Church on the grounds that the Church formed the canon scripture aka the Bible. Others believe that the Church stemmed from the Bible making Church tradition a living expression of the Good News

William Siphon and Richard Hays explain the approach that when we read the Bible we are influenced by prior traditions and prior ways of thinking

Question 19

Anglican Approach

Answer 19

Anglican concept of Church tradition refers to both the early traditions of the first Christians and the current traditions of the Church. For Anglicans the Bible comes first but not the only source of understanding

Hays refers to this as the time-honoured practices of worship service and critical reflection

Question 20

The Catholic Sacred Tradition

Answer 20

The canon of sacred scripture. The selection of texts considered by the Church. This stemmed from the first disciples and the early followers of Jesus. In the Catholic church sacred tradition and Church have equal authority as they both spanned from the teachings of Jesus.

Question 21

Reason as a source of moral decision making

Answer 21

Reason can produce different interpretations of the Bible and result in different Church traditions and responses to ethical-decision making. For example the Just War theory was formulated through Reason of the Catholic Church. Similarly the pacifist tradition in the Christian church.

Question 22

Criticisms to the Bible, Church and Reason approach

Answer 22

.Protestants see the traditions of Catholicism and Anglicanism separate from the rule of God. They see process of traditions as a distraction from moral commands in the Bible

.Jesus’ attitude to tradition- Phillip Turner notes that ‘paradosis’ are sometimes criticised by Jesus. Usually regarding the tradition of the Jewish elders

.Exclusion of women’s perspective

Question 23

Agape

Answer 23

Friendly Christian Love

Question 24

How is Agape presented in the Bible

Answer 24

Throughout the New Testament and is the root of all of Jesus’ teachings and actions

• The Greatest Commandment
• “love your enemies and do them good”
• “whoever does not love does not know God for God is love”

Question 25

Orthodox Christian Approach to Agape

Answer 25

2 contrasting types of religion:

• One denies the relevance of love in ordinary moral matters
• Reduce moral behaviour to conformity of tradition and common sense of generations

Question 26

Prophetic Christianity Approach to Agape

Answer 26

Insists on the relevance of the ideal of love to the moral experience of mankind on any conceivable level

Question 27

Paul Tillich’s approach to moral principle of justice, love and wisdom

Answer 27

Tillich describes love as the continuous desire to break through the isolation which is connected to every person. In his “Ethical Principles of moral action” Tillich states love needs to act in the immediate. He sees the laws of religion, nations and society as a blockade between love and situation