Christian Moral Principles

Question 1

Specification for Christian moral principles

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Theonomous Christian ethics 📖

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Heteronomous Christian ethics 📖⛪️🧠

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Autonomous Christian ethics 🩷✝️

Answer 4

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

Question 5

What approach do many Protestants, especially Calvinists, support?

Answer 5

A Theonomous approach 📖 - Sola scriptura

Question 6

What approach do Protestants, especially Calvinists, support?

Answer 6

A Theonomous approach 📖 - Sola scriptura

Question 7

Other Protestants, such as Anglicans, support which view?

Answer 7

A heteronomous approach 🧠⛪️📖 - prima scriptura

Question 8

Which approach is supported by the Catholic Church

Answer 8

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

Question 9

What approach does Liberal Christianity support

Answer 9

Autonomous 🩷✝️ - the only ruling norm is Love

Question 10

Fundamentalist approach of the Bible’s authority

Answer 10

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

Question 11

2 Timothy 3:16

Answer 11

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

Question 12

What do St Paul and Augustine think on human nature?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

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

Answer 13

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

Question 14

What is it important to recognise when discussing Biblicists?

Answer 14

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’

Question 15

What does the Mosaic covenant establish about ethics

Answer 15

It is both personal and social

Question 16

What does Jesus focus on in his moral teaching?

Answer 16

Inner purity and correct moral motivation

Question 17

Examples of moral guidance in the Bible

Answer 17

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)

Question 18

Example of Biblical contradiction Old v New

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Example of Biblical contradictions New v New

Answer 19

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

Question 20

What is the role of the Church in Protestantism

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Catholics view of Church authority

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What is Apostolic Succession

Answer 22

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.
✝️->👤👤👤👤

Question 23

What is the Magisterium

Answer 23

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)

Question 24

What are Encyclicals

Answer 24

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

Question 25

What is Sacred tradition

Answer 25

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

Question 26

What is Sacred Scripture

Answer 26

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’

Question 27

What is the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Answer 27

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

Question 28

What ethical theory does the Catholic Church draw upon

Answer 28

Natural Law

Question 29

What does the term conscience mean in the Catholic Church

Answer 29

The act of discovering moral law through human reason

Question 30

What Catholic radical ethical theology has caused controversy

Answer 30

Liberation Theology

Question 31

Protestant Heteronomy view of the Church

Answer 31

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

Question 32

What constitutes a Church in Protestantism

Answer 32

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

Question 33

Protestant heteronomy and reason

Answer 33

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

Question 34

What ethical theory is Autonomous ethics most similar to

Answer 34

Situation Ethics 🩷✝️

Question 35

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

Answer 35

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

Question 36

Are Autonomous ✝️🩷 Christian ethics distinctive

Answer 36

Yes, because Jesus is distinctive to Christian ethics.

Question 37

Rudolf Bultmann argued that Jesus had no ethics except for…

Answer 37

‘Love your neighbour as yourself’

Question 38

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

Answer 38

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

Question 39

How do Quaker Christians approach the Bible

Answer 39

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

Question 40

Joseph Fletcher’s autonomous approach✝️🩷

Answer 40

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

Question 41

When did Jesus put the law of love above Religious law

Answer 41

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

Question 42

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

Answer 42

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

Question 43

Paul Tillich

Answer 43

Lutheran theologian with a huge influence on Fletcher

Question 44

What did Tillich suggest were the three ethical norms 🩷✝️

Answer 44

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

Question 45

What did Tillich criticise rule based moral decision making as being

Answer 45

Moral Puritanism. Preferred a person centred approach

Question 46

How did Tillich say rules should be interpreted

Answer 46

Through love

Question 47

Where do new interpretations of God's moral law come from in Protestantism?

Answer 47

The Synod

Question 48

What is the Synod (Protestantism)?

Answer 48

Church councils which are made up of clergy and laity (Church members). They have more of an advisory role

Question 49

Where do new interpretations of God's moral law come from in Catholicism?

Answer 49

The Magisterium, made up of the clergy (Pope and his bishops)