Christian moral principles Flashcards
Define ‘Bible scripture’
The collection of books in the Bible that contain the revelation of God
Define ‘Church tradition’
How Christian life in the community works in worship, practical moral life and prayer and the teaching of the Church through time
Define ‘Sacred tradition’
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.
Define ‘apostlic’
In relation to the Apostles and the Pope when he is referred to as the successor to St. Peter
Define ‘agape love’
The unconditional love and only ethical norm in situation ethics
When Christians decide on an approach to moral decision making, they could choose either deontological or situational approaches, describe both.
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
Define ‘sola-scriptura’
When Christians use only the Bible as the one source of ethical commands to be followed
Describe the general beliefs of ‘Bible-believing Christians’
Those who take the Bible to be the literal word of God, Bible-based morality is about obedience to its commands
What do Protestants base their moral decision making on?
The Bible, Church and reason to interpret messages of Jesus
Describe the general Catholic view of moral decision making
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.
What is the main difference between Catholic and Protestant views?
Protestants prioritises the Bible first then tradition and then some reason. The Catholics order their priorities as; tradition, Bible and then reason
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)
- 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?
Hays believes there are four further hermeneutical questions to emphasise how the text has appealed to the Christian using it, name at least two
- 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?
Define ‘propositional knowledge’
Knowing or accepting that something is how it is e.g. knowing when your birthday is or the author of a book
What truth value is displayed in propositional knowledge and how is it conveyed?
- It can be true or false or somewhere in between (it has ‘truth value’)
- Language when statements and claims are made
What is propositional faith?
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
What is non-propositional knowledge?
a.k.a. ‘Procedure knowledge’ - knowing how to do something which can therefore be increased as they are practised e.g. riding a bike
What is non-propositional faith?
Faith and knowledge of God through personal encounter by experiencing a sense of God’s presence through meeting or experiences of nature
Describe a propositional approach to the Bible
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
Describe a non-propositional approach to the Bible
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
Where can the commandments be found in the Bible?
Exodus 20:1-17
Why do some people believe the Bible is the only source of authority for Christians?
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
Give a quote from Jeremiah 1:9
“Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me ‘I have put my words in your mouth”
Which denomination supports sola-scripture and the Bible as the only authority, the most?
Evangelical Protestants
