Christian moral principles

Question 1

Define ‘Bible scripture’

Answer 1

The collection of books in the Bible that contain the revelation of God

Question 2

Define ‘Church tradition’

Answer 2

How Christian life in the community works in worship, practical moral life and prayer and the teaching of the Church through time

Question 3

Define ‘Sacred tradition’

Answer 3

The idea that the revelation of Jesus Christ is communicated in two ways, in addition to scripture, it is also through apostolic and authoritative teaching of the Church and religious authorities.

Question 4

Define ‘apostlic’

Answer 4

In relation to the Apostles and the Pope when he is referred to as the successor to St. Peter

Question 5

Define ‘agape love’

Answer 5

The unconditional love and only ethical norm in situation ethics

Question 6

When Christians decide on an approach to moral decision making, they could choose either deontological or situational approaches, describe both.

Answer 6

Deontological - Bible for commands of God or on Church tradition and reason to guide and understand the moral rules of the Bible
Situational - Guide of love rather than traditional rules

Question 7

Define ‘sola-scriptura’

Answer 7

When Christians use only the Bible as the one source of ethical commands to be followed

Question 8

Describe the general beliefs of ‘Bible-believing Christians’

Answer 8

Those who take the Bible to be the literal word of God, Bible-based morality is about obedience to its commands

Question 9

What do Protestants base their moral decision making on?

Answer 9

The Bible, Church and reason to interpret messages of Jesus

Question 10

Describe the general Catholic view of moral decision making

Answer 10

Sacred tradition is a separate stem of moral guidance, passed down through word-of-mouth by Jesus by authorities. Reason offers direct access to God’s moral teachings as another stem. The two stems cannot be conflicting and must be mutually interpreting.

Question 11

What is the main difference between Catholic and Protestant views?

Answer 11

Protestants prioritises the Bible first then tradition and then some reason. The Catholics order their priorities as; tradition, Bible and then reason

Question 12

Richard B. Hays says that there are five questions to reveal the factors that contribute to decision making, what are they? (Give at least two)

Answer 12

• How accurate is the text being used?
• What range of texts are used?
• Is there a Bible within a Bible? (Does particular section tend to be used rather than the Bible as a whole?)
• How are the different texts managed?
• Are there particular focal images used?

Question 13

Hays believes there are four further hermeneutical questions to emphasise how the text has appealed to the Christian using it, name at least two

Answer 13

• Have they focused on the direct rules and commands?
• Have they focused on the principles of the Bible?
• Have they focused on the stories or summary accounts of characters who are examples of positive or negative conduct?
• Have they focused on the Bible’s symbolic meaning?

Question 14

Define ‘propositional knowledge’

Answer 14

Knowing or accepting that something is how it is e.g. knowing when your birthday is or the author of a book

Question 15

What truth value is displayed in propositional knowledge and how is it conveyed?

Answer 15

• It can be true or false or somewhere in between (it has ‘truth value’)
• Language when statements and claims are made

Question 16

What is propositional faith?

Answer 16

Faith and revelation accepted as truth revealed by God so propositions are accepted and so is not accessible through reason or experience of the world

Question 17

What is non-propositional knowledge?

Answer 17

a.k.a. ‘Procedure knowledge’ - knowing how to do something which can therefore be increased as they are practised e.g. riding a bike

Question 18

What is non-propositional faith?

Answer 18

Faith and knowledge of God through personal encounter by experiencing a sense of God’s presence through meeting or experiences of nature

Question 19

Describe a propositional approach to the Bible

Answer 19

The Bible are the honest words of God directly revealed to the reader to view the commandments as fixed moral principles and the stories as actual events

Question 20

Describe a non-propositional approach to the Bible

Answer 20

God revealed himself through Jesus who lived and died a human life didn’t write a book or set of principles, these followers believe that Jesus’ life speaks to their life as a whole and the Bible is a gateway into encountering the living God

Question 21

Where can the commandments be found in the Bible?

Answer 21

Exodus 20:1-17

Question 22

Why do some people believe the Bible is the only source of authority for Christians?

Answer 22

It is self-authenticating and so its meaning does not need an interpreter because it is obvious to the rational reader as the literal word of God

Question 23

Give a quote from Jeremiah 1:9

Answer 23

“Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me ‘I have put my words in your mouth”

Question 24

Which denomination supports sola-scripture and the Bible as the only authority, the most?

Answer 24

Evangelical Protestants

Question 25

Define ‘Divine inspiration in Biblical literature’

Answer 25

Usually refers to a text’s character as divine revelation without taking away the character of the authors such as Paul’s letters. Divine revelation comes from authors with their own personalities and cultural dimensions

Question 26

What is the main advantage of believing the Bible is the literal word of God?

Answer 26

It is reliable and trustworthy for readers and would give undeniable guidance in moral situations

Question 27

How does Richard Mouw criticise those who take a situationalist approach?

Answer 27

Just because there is one commandment of a law of love does not mean that there are other commandments concerning other matters which can be seen as inferior.

Question 28

Why does Mouw argue that some commandments are not relevant for today’s society?

Answer 28

E.g. God told Abraham to leave his home for the promised land but this is not necessarily applicable to Christians today

Question 29

Why does Mouw argue that the Bible is not a list of commands?

Answer 29

Moral decision making is not just based on the commandments but also longer passages and scriptures e.g. homeosexuality influenced by Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament) or Paul’s letters.

Question 30

Why do some people criticise the Bible for being the word of God due to contradictions?

Answer 30

E.g. Matthew 5: Jesus sermon on the Mount contradicts the Old Testament

Question 31

Describe the Anglican tradition

Answer 31

• ‘Prima scriptura’ - The Bible first but not the only source of understanding
• Tradition is an interpretation of scripture and should be practised

Question 32

What is the key idea of the Methodist way of thinking in regards to tradition?

Answer 32

Tradition is the connection between modern Christian communities and the first Christian community so key idea is the influences are combined for moral decision making

Question 33

How does Hays define ‘Church tradition’?

Answer 33

“Time-honoured practices of worship, service and critical reflection”

Question 34

In what three ways can scripture be linked to tradition?

Answer 34

• Church tradition is how the community worships and uses scripture
• Bible started tradition
• Bible has already been interpreted by tradition

Question 35

The Gospels were written after the formation of the early Church, give an example of the difficult times Christians were living through and the calming storm

Answer 35

• Destruction of the temple (John 2:19)
• Miracle of the calming storm (Matthew 8:23-27)
• Reflects on the dangerous experiences of the early Church and the effect of the words of Jesus