Sexual ethics Flashcards
CHRISTIAN SEXUAL ETHICS
o Ethics are a demonstration of a person’s beliefs in action.
o A system of moral principles by which human actions may be judged to be right or wrong
o Religious ethics teaches a system of thinking, which provides a standard of thinking, which affords a standard of conduct to justify human moral behavior.
o Christian ethical systems explain and regulate moral behaviour of its followers and provide a “guide” for Christians so that their daily lives reflect the scriptures and help bring about God’s reign.
SOURCES
o Christian ethical decision-making is a result based on the ethical teachings on Jesus as well as Christian doctrine and church history.
o When making moral decisions they recall the teachings of jesus, in particular they are guided by the 10 commandments, the Beatitudes, Jesus’ Commandment of love.
o In addition, doctrine, conscience, natural law and the historical teachings of the church help to form structures upon which Christians pin moral decisions.
o May differ slightly from denomination to denomination, but in essence Christianity’s main ethical goals = preservation and respect of all life.
o All Christians would hold that teachings found in the Bible are fundamental sources for determining ethical behaviour. The Scriptures are an authoritative source for Christian sexual ethics as they are for all Christian ethics.
SOURCES 1. The Ten Commandments
(provide Christians a compendium of moral practices & contain a number of positive values including the need for the respect for the life of others, for family values, for personal integrity, justice and the property of others
SOURCES 2. The Beatitudes
(set out in detail Jesus’ own outline of the Christian life – presents a positive image of the way that Christians should live in the world)
SOURCES 3. Jesus’ commandments of love:
o “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and the most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself.’ Matthew 22:37-39
o ”And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34
Christian ethical teachings also are founded
founded on FAITH and REASON, PHILOSOPHY and NATURAL LAW and TRADITION
o Protestant Churches would emphasise the authority of the Bible (sola scriptura). Anglican, Orthodox and Catholic ethical authority is also found through the Church leadership- the Pope, Archbishops, Bishops or Patriarchs
Natural Law Law (associated with Thomas Aquinas): Our own sense of right and wrong reflecting the balance evident in nature. Used mainly in Catholic and Orthodox churches.
o Natural law theory is the most important philosophical defense of traditional sexual practices. Its basic position is that the natural purpose of sex is reproduction, and non-traditional sexual activity is morally wrong since it conflicts with that aim.
o Aquinas posed the question after presuming that reproduction is one of the primary purposes of humanity, “What is the natural purpose of the sex organs?” = reproduction!
o According to Aquinas’ theory, God implanted within human nature a set of instincts that define our purpose as human beings and establish what is morally right.
o For Aquinas, this rules out adultery, fornication, and homosexuality, each of which involves sexual relations that are not for purposes of reproduction.
o Such sexual misconduct, according to Aquinas, is a serious sin, second only to murder since, while murder destroys life, sexual misconduct prevents the creation of life.
TEACHINGS ALL branches (variants) realise that sex is a gift from God demanding responsibility, commitment and love
o
Genesis 1:31 God looked at everything he had made, and he was very pleased. Evening passed and morning came—that was the sixth day.
Sex is the deepest expression of a loving, life-long union (marriage) between two people.
Christians are encouraged to enjoy sexual relations within the confines of a loving, adult, heterosexual, married relationship.
Christian sexual ethical actions are focused on maintaining right relationship with God, one’s neighbour and oneself
ISSUES - ADULTERY
Sex is a gift from God that should not be abused or misused. Adultery does not sanctify the gift of sexual union from God as it is not within the bounds of faith, love, commitment and marriage.
ISSUES - ADULTERY - SCRIPTURE
o Matthew 5:28 “But now I tell you: anyone who looks at a woman and wants to possess her is guilty of committing adultery with her in his heart.”
o John 8: 7-10 “Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her.” “Where are they? Is there no one left to condemn you?”
o 1 Corinthians 6:18 “The man who is guilty of sexual immorality sins against his own body.”
o Ephesians 5:3 “Since you are God’s people, it is not right that any matters of sexual immorality or indecency or greed should even be mentioned among you.”
variants -ADULTERY
o All denominations consider adultery a grave sin, living in accordance with the Scripture - “You shall not commit adultery” (Ex 20:4)
o Catholicism: Extra-marital sex is therefore a sin, since it is performed without the intention of procreation within a family
- “Natural law and purpose of sex is procreation” (Thomas Aquinas -Catholic priest & philosopher
- “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1:28)
Other sources -ADULTERY
o “The vow of celibacy is a matter of keeping one’s word to Christ and the Church. A duty and a proof of the priest’s inner maturity; it is the expression of his personal dignity”. (Pope John Paul ll)
o Papal Encyclical – Casti Connubii (Christian Marriage) “The chaste honour existing between man and wife, the due subjection of wife to husband, and the true love which binds both parties together… It follows therefore that they must not destroy mutual fidelity”
CONTRACEPTION
The deliberate use of artificial methods or other techniques to prevent pregnancy because of sexual intercourse. The major forms of artificial contraception are barrier methods, of which the commonest is the condom or sheath; the contraceptive pill, which contains synthetic sex hormones which prevent ovulation in the female; intrauterine devices, such as the coil, which prevent the fertilized ovum from implanting in the uterus; and male or female sterilization.
CONTRACEPTION - scripture/teachings
o Marriage and sex are meant for the purpose of procreation
o The Catholic Church has strict teachings that all unnatural forms of contraception are impermissible, based on natural law. Catholics view sex and fertility as a part of nature and view it as wrong to unnaturally prevent the conceiving and life of a new human being, and thus, even within a marriage, unnatural products such as condoms and the pill are not allowed. However, the Catholic Church does permit natural methods of birth control such as rhythm control and allows for unnatural contraception to be used to treat sexual medical conditions only.
o it is a commandment to marry and have children - ‘Be fruitful and multiply’ (Genesis I:28).
o “God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral” (Hebrews 13:4)
o Conscience = free will, choice to decide
o it is forbidden to ‘waste seed’ (to emit semen while at the same time preventing conception) - “he let the semen spill on the ground, so that there would be no children for his brother. What he did displeased the Lord” (Genesis 38:9-10)
