Christian moral principles

Question 1

what is theonomous ethics?

Answer 1

Holds the belief that Gods truths revealed in the Bible offer all Christians need to live a moral life, it holds a value of scripture since it is the word of God.

Question 2

what is a propositional revelation?

Answer 2

God directly revealing truths that do not require further interpretation

Question 3

what is a non-propositional revelation

Answer 3

a person taking their own interpretation of the bible

Question 4

what would it mean for the Bible to be inspired?

Answer 4

it may not be the literal word of God, but it comes from God through the vehicle of authors

Question 5

define hermeneutics

Answer 5

the practice of interpretating the bible

Question 6

define amanuensis

Answer 6

the authors of the Bible are no more than scribes of God’s word

Question 7

sources of morality in the NT

Answer 7

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount
Parables
Beatitudes

Question 8

how many commandments are in the OT?

Answer 8

613

Question 9

what is the Sermon on the Mount?

Answer 9

Jesus offering a fresh interpretation of the Jewish laws for moral development and inner purity. In the gospels it is recorded as being delivered to a crowd.

Question 10

Example of Jesus’ parables

Answer 10

The good Samaritan
The parable of the prodigal son

Question 11

Timothy 3:16 (scripture being of highest importance)

Answer 11

‘All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching … and training in righteousness’

Question 12

Support of theonomous ethics

Answer 12

• Luther - sola scriptura - by scripture alone - it is an infallible source of Christian authority
• Calvin - scripture is ‘simple and majestic’ - it is self-evident and does not require further interpretation
• St Paul ‘ I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out’ we cannot be rely on ourselves to make moral decisions because we are ontologically sinful (Augustine) thus must turn to the Bible. As it comes from a sinless being.
• aquinas divine law
• objective easy to follow

Question 13

weaknesses of theonomous ethics

Answer 13

• it would be impossible to have a completely objective view of the Bible and thus it would require human reason regardless. Our thought will inform our interpretation
• cherry picking - some of the Bible’s teachings are outdated such as this is unreconcilable with modern standards of morality and justice
• the Bible might not be a true product of amanuensis, there has been evidence of multiple writers in the Bible, even in the first book of Genesis. This may question the Bibles authority because it wasnt Gods words but possibly the product of infallible men who had a hidden agenda (misogny etc)
• there are many contradictory teachings in the Bible such as those in violence, so it requires human reason to interpret which is the most relevant

Question 14

what is heteronomous ethics?

Answer 14

the use of multiple sources of authority fir moral decision making such as the Bible, The church and reason

Question 15

what is apostolic succession?

Answer 15

authority of the church has been passed down from Jesus/the apostles to the current leaders of the RC Church through the ‘laying on of hands’

Question 16

what is papal infallibility?

Answer 16

the pope’s teachings are not subject to error and therefore mean the Church have authority

Question 17

what is magisterium?

Answer 17

the authority of the Church that allows them to form official doctrines using tradition and scripture

Question 18

what is papal encyclical?

Answer 18

a letter sent out to all RC Churches by the pope teaching how Christians should act morally.

Question 19

what is important about human reason?

Answer 19

It is God-given and a part of being made in the imago dei

Question 20

what is natural law?

Answer 20

allows humans to use their God-given reason to derive moral obligations in a changing world

Question 21

what did john henry Newman think about human conscience

Answer 21

it is ‘the voice of God’ talking directly to the believer

Question 22

biblical reference to man having reason

Answer 22

‘God created man in his own image’ Genesis

Question 23

Strengths of the church as authority for Christian moral decision making

Answer 23

• Pope St john Paul II - Whilst Moral law is knowable to all, humans are weak and should have the Church as guidance and the church have papal infallibility
• Pentecost - the church and its followers are guided by the Holy spirit empowering them to interpret scripture. spirit descends on Jesus’ followers.
• Bible describes the church as the body of Christ meaning through the church, we are following the will of Christ
  -Hermeneutics - they’re trained - more qualified

Question 24

Limitations of the church as authority for Christian moral decision making

Answer 24

• church leaders are men and have fallen nature making their authority problematic
• Augustine
• Luthers 95 theses and indulgences from the RC Church - abuse of power
• there is conflict in the church making it not a straightforward way to reach moral conclusions

Question 25

Evaluate human reason as a way to reach ethical decisions

Answer 25

• conscience as the direct word of God holds more authority
• using natural law, we can apply to modern day scenarios
• Augustine - The fall impairs our ability to reason
• Barth - our reason cannot be trusted

Question 26

What is autonomous ethics

Answer 26

agent centred moral decision making where authority is placed on the individual

Question 27

John - scripture - the importance of love

Answer 27

’ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love’

Question 28

strengths of agape as a source of moral guidance

Answer 28

Tillich - love must be central precept since too much of Christian ethics comes from ‘moral puritanism’ too many do nots and negative commandments
fletcher - love applies to situational judgments and not rules
easy to apply - fixed - easy in a changing world
Hans kung - forms a global ethic - loving others leads to care for environment

Question 29

Limitations of using Agape as a source of moral guidance

Answer 29

William Barclay - ‘if man were angels SE would be the perfect ethics’
Agustine/ St Paul and sin - overestimate the human condition
too relative what is love could justify wrong doings

Question 30

what is the document dei verbum?

Answer 30

The second Vatican council’s document Dei Verbum states that the Bible is indeed written by humans but inspired by God via the Holy spirit such that it is “without error” and contains “that truth which God wanted put into sacred writings”.

Question 31

what was the pentecost

Answer 31

the church and its followers are guided by the Holy spirit empowering them to interpret scripture. spirit descends on Jesus’ followers.

Question 32

’ christian ethics is distinictive’

Answer 32

1. one form of christians ethics that is distinctive is theonomous ethics
2. not distinctive could be autonomous ethics

Question 33

’ the bible is a comprehensive moral guide’

Answer 33

1. a01 –> theonomous ethics and the bible (sole scriptura)
2. its not comprehensive bc fallible men so heternomous ethics and may be better because i includes all

Question 34

to what extent is agape sufficient to live a good life?

Answer 34

1. autonomous ethics
2. not sufficient we need the Bible - theonomous ethics

Question 35

christian ethics are more personal than communal

Answer 35

discuss different ethics then in ao1 say what you think