CMP Essay Plan Flashcards
Introduction
- Agape – christian love that reflects the love of God
- The bible – special authority and status for christians
- Tradition – the collective memory of what the church is, where is has come from, what is exists fro and how christians should love and practice faith
- Must be used together when considered from a christian perspective as together they all encourage the right thing but if used alone they do not work
Paragraph 1
Love is the only source of authority :
- Agape – unconditional love
- 1 Corinthians 13: 4 - Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud
- ‘The greatest commandment is love’
- Tillich – love is the most important, it is underpinned by justice and is guided by wisdom, agape is person-centred and should drive the decision in each situation
- Love gives us confidence to follow our instincts
- Love is the only force that can fully recognise the ever-changing moral situation in ones self
Love is not enough - It over simplifies Jesus teachings
- Different people may interpret love in different ways
Paragraph 2
The bible and tradition as the source of authority:
- It is a set of rules and instructions from God – you must obey God’s word
- Jesus teachings and life is a good example to follow
Not a good guide:
- It is no help for modern issues
- Needs to be interpreted – everyone has different reason and ideas so alone is not good
- Jesus criticised the traditions and laws of the Pharisees
- The biblical tradition is shaped exclusively shaped for males – it may need to be interpreted to include the female perspective and to make it relevant for modern women, Rosemary Radford Ruether
Paragraph 3
Use all of them together:
- Love is a key teaching of the bible
- Agape is person centred – helps you make the best decisions for your situation
- Can’t exclude the bible and traditions – you need to use them as they are God’s rules and can’t ignore them
- Follows Jesus and the golden rule
Conclusion
Must use all of them as a source of authority and in conjunction to each other