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Theology Basics > Christian Moral Principles > Flashcards

Christian Moral Principles Flashcards

1
Q

Specification for Christian moral principles

A

Theonomous ethics (📖)
Heteronomous ethics (📖⛪️🧠)
Autonomous ethics (🩷✝️)

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2
Q

Theonomous Christian ethics 📖

A

Based on God’s commandments in the Bible alone central to morality

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3
Q

Heteronomous Christian ethics 📖⛪️🧠

A

Several sources of authority that lead to a moral life can come from the Church and Reason alongside the BIBLE (always important)

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4
Q

Autonomous Christian ethics 🩷✝️

A

Guided by the law of agape love, places authority entirely on the individual to decide what is most loving situationally.

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5
Q

What approach do many Protestants, especially Calvinists, support?

A

A Theonomous approach 📖 - Sola scriptura

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6
Q

What approach do Protestants, especially Calvinists, support?

A

A Theonomous approach 📖 - Sola scriptura

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7
Q

Other Protestants, such as Anglicans, support which view?

A

A heteronomous approach 🧠⛪️📖 - prima scriptura

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8
Q

Which approach is supported by the Catholic Church

A

Heteronomous approach 🧠⛪️📖 - Church has equal authority to the Bible due to Apostolic succession

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9
Q

What approach does Liberal Christianity support

A

Autonomous 🩷✝️ - the only ruling norm is Love

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10
Q

Fundamentalist approach of the Bible’s authority

A

The Bible is ‘God-breathed’ (2 Timothy), and is infallible and self-authenticating.
HOWEVER it has to be interpreted to some degree

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11
Q

2 Timothy 3:16

A

All scriptures is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,

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12
Q

What do St Paul and Augustine think on human nature?

A

Humans are sinful and ignorant so are incapable of living good lives based on their own powers of reason.

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13
Q

What are the two forms of revelation in Christian moral principles?

A

PROPOSITIONAL - God reveals himself through truth statements (📖)
NON-PROPOSITIONAL - God doesn’t reveal himself in truth statements, they need interpretation by humans/the Church (🧠📖⛪️, 🩷✝️)

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14
Q

What is it important to recognise when discussing Biblicists?

A

Even very conservative Biblicists can recognise that not every verse is literal, such as Jesus’ metaphor ‘if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out’

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15
Q

What does the Mosaic covenant establish about ethics

A

It is both personal and social

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16
Q

What does Jesus focus on in his moral teaching?

A

Inner purity and correct moral motivation

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17
Q

Examples of moral guidance in the Bible

A

Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)
Sermon on the Mount (Matthew)
Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10)
Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25)

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18
Q

Example of Biblical contradiction Old v New

A

View on violence
OT permits war and retributive justice, ‘an eye for an eye’ (Exodus 21:24)
NT focuses on reconciliation and loving your enemies

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19
Q

Example of Biblical contradictions New v New

A

Views on divorce
Matthew’s Gospel, it can be allowed in the case of sexual immorality
Mark’s Gospel, it can not be allowed

20
Q

What is the role of the Church in Protestantism

A

To guide us to the correct interpretation and understanding of the Bible and bring it to a modern context

21
Q

Catholics view of Church authority

A

Morality is underpinned by tradition of the Church, which was given authority by Jesus and underpinned by scripture

22
Q

What is Apostolic Succession

A

When Jesus left his disciples he left them authority, extending to the Pope and Bishops now, so Church teaching has the same CRITERION OF APOSTOLICITY as the Bible.
✝️->👤👤👤👤

23
Q

What is the Magisterium

A

Catholics Church’s teaching authority. They interpret the Bible for new circumstances. Can make infallible statements from the Pope directly to clarify matters of confusion (only had 2)

24
Q

What are Encyclicals

A

Publications of moral principles that were published by the Pope in Books or letters explaining the relevance of Biblical teachings in present day

25
Q

What is Sacred tradition

A

The Word of God that prophets and Apostles received through inspiration of the Holy Spirit

26
Q

What is Sacred Scripture

A

The word of God in writing by the power of the Holy Spirit
Dei Verbum states the Bible is inspired by God through the Holy Spirit and ‘without error’

27
Q

What is the Catechism of the Catholic Church

A

Summary of Catholic Sacred Traditions and teaching on a range of subjects not directly covered in the Bible.

28
Q

What ethical theory does the Catholic Church draw upon

A

Natural Law

29
Q

What does the term conscience mean in the Catholic Church

A

The act of discovering moral law through human reason

30
Q

What Catholic radical ethical theology has caused controversy

A

Liberation Theology

31
Q

Protestant Heteronomy view of the Church

A

Focus has to be on the Bible to avoid the corruption of Catholic Church.
It is governed by Synods and councils that guide people.

32
Q

What constitutes a Church in Protestantism

A

Anywhere there is a gathering of Christians reflecting on the Word of God

33
Q

Protestant heteronomy and reason

A

Reason helps understand the Bible in a modern context and to avoid incorrect interpretations. But reason still points back to the Bible as it holds ULTIMATE AUTHORITY

34
Q

What ethical theory is Autonomous ethics most similar to

A

Situation Ethics 🩷✝️

35
Q

Why is there an emphasis on agape in most examples of Autonomous ethics

A

There is a distinct Biblical focus on sacrificial love, presented through Jesus’ sacrificial love for humanity and command to love.

36
Q

Are Autonomous ✝️🩷 Christian ethics distinctive

A

Yes, because Jesus is distinctive to Christian ethics.

37
Q

Rudolf Bultmann argued that Jesus had no ethics except for…

A

‘Love your neighbour as yourself’

38
Q

To Autonomous Christian Ethics is the Bible a comprehensive moral guide 🩷✝️

A

To the extent that Jesus summarised the law as ‘love God’ and ‘love your neighbour as yourself’
You gain a moral compass from Jesus that you apply using reason

39
Q

How do Quaker Christians approach the Bible

A

A book with great inspiration and insight, but not the direct word of God.
They see God in everyone so value people equally

40
Q

Joseph Fletcher’s autonomous approach✝️🩷

A

Developed situation ethics to show importance of emulating Jesus’ agape love in our actions

41
Q

When did Jesus put the law of love above Religious law

A

‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath’

42
Q

What were the six propositions of agape love according to Fletcher ✝️🩷

A
  1. Intrinsically good
  2. Christian ruling norm
  3. Justice
  4. Blind to who is involved
  5. Measurable by consequence
  6. Different by situation
43
Q

Paul Tillich

A

Lutheran theologian with a huge influence on Fletcher

44
Q

What did Tillich suggest were the three ethical norms 🩷✝️

A

Justice (backbone of love) ⚖️
Love (most important) 🩷
Wisdom (guides love) 🤓

45
Q

What did Tillich criticise rule based moral decision making as being

A

Moral Puritanism.
Preferred a person centred approach

46
Q

How did Tillich say rules should be interpreted

A

Through love

Theology Basics (5 decks)

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