Christianity - Core Ethical Teachings Flashcards
What is the role of Christian ethics?
they dictate how Christians should think and behave in harmony and maintaining their relationship with God, and with humanity
What does it mean to have a right relationship with God ?
to act in line with His teachings
What does it mean to have a right relationship with humanity?
to treat others ethically
What is the main source of Christian Ethics?
The Bible
What is the ethical role of the Ten Commandments?
they provide fundamental ethical teachings of the Old Testament, and form a covenant (promise) between God and His followers
What is the theme of the first four commandments?
they describe how to have a correct relationship with God
What is the theme of the last 6 commandments?
they describe how to have a correct relationship with your neighbours
Where are the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament?
The Ten Commandments are contained in Exodus 20: 1 - 17
Where are the Beatitudes in the New Testament?
they are contained in Matthew 5: 1 - 12
What are the origins of the Beatitudes?
they were delivered by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew
What is the role of the Beatitudes?
they
- outline a series of virtues describing the model of a good Christian
- form the basis of Christian behaviour up to the present by
- dictate how Christians should behave and treat others, in order to be praised, or blessed, by God
What is the origin of the Ten Commandments?
delivered by God to the Prophet Moses (Mosaic Law)
Where is Jesus’ Comman
Jesus’ Commandment of Love is contained in Matthew 22: 34 - 40
Jesus’s commandment of love is the greatest declaration of Christian ethics in the New Testament
Again, Jesus addresses the two aspects of Christian ethics here: maintaining your relationship with God and your relationship with your neighbours
Jesus’ focus on love was revolutionary: it does not appear as a core idea in the Old Testament, and so is distinctly Christian
What are the two key verses in Matthew
22: 34 - 40?
1) “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind”
2) “Love your neighbour”
Guiding behaviour: Ethical teachings guide adherent to act in line with their beliefs in their everyday life. They also guide Christians in cases of extraordinary moral dilemma. In these cases, teachings are normally supplemented by secondary sources, like specific denominational rulings
secondary sources: specific, supplementary denominational rulings and teachings such as
- The Catechism of the Catholic CHurch
- Anglican Synod Documents
Catholic secondary sources =
the text of many
- Catechism of the Catholic Church
- Pope’s Letters ( papal encyclicals)
Anglican/protestant secondary sources =
- sole function, core guidance (Word of God)
Relationship with God is demonstrated through the Relationship with Humanity
Living Christ’s Message:
Christian ethics are based on the nation of humanity created in the “image of God” (Genesis 1:27)
living ethically, as the image og God on Earth is a way for Christians to fulfil Christ’ message