Christian Moral Principles Flashcards
“Christian ethics should combine the Bible, Church and reason’ – How far do you agree?” Essay
A: Church important. Heteronomy is a view held by the Catholic magisterium. 2000 years if theological education allowed it to be the pillar of truth. Church is best place to decide. The Pope interprets from modern day issues. Papal encyclical
CA: Hans Kung: challenged heteronomy and papal infallibility. Do not need church. Need agape. Jesus…
E: Cannot rely on individual reason. Too antinomian, discards other rules. Also would discard years of tradition in the church. Discard wise scholars debating. Idolises individual rather than bible and church
A: Apostolic succession: Catholics argue that Jesus gave the church authority to make its own teachings based on the bible when Jesus told Peter to watch over his people. Makes disciples of nations. Bishops left as successors. Should be seen as valid
CA: Calvin - too corrupt to use reason to interpret. Calvin, morals should be theonomous. Can take the teachings at face value. Bonhoeffer - Nazi Germany
E: Barth - committing bibliolatry. Ethics run the risk of becoming to literalist. Prevents flexibility of moral issues. e.g. abortion
“To what extent do Christians actually disagree about what Christian ethics are?” essay
A:
Theonomous Christian ethics scholars/passages/ arguments
Barth: They use the bible as a false idol. The bible is not God. Revelation is on going today
Ten commandments: Old Testament
Sermon on the Mount: New Testament
Luther: Protestant teacher of sola scriptura as thought that the Church was corrupt. People should be subject to correction of the bible. “A single layman armed with scripture is greater than the mightiest pope”. Written with the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Issue of conflicting commandments and teachings: e.g. St.Paul “women submit to your husbands” “Neither male nor female, Jew or sentile…you are all one”
Autonomous scholars/passages/arguments
Fletcher: created situation ethics, only agape. Drawn from Jesus saying “greatest commandment” is to “love thy neighbour as yourself”
Hans Kung: Protestant. responsibility for personal judgments (against rule based ethics, rejects papal infallibility)
William Barclay: S.E gives moral agents too much freedom. For freedom to be good, love needs to be perfect. Has not come of age
John A T Robinson: ‘an ethic for man that has come of age’ (thinks we have come of age)
Heteronomous Christian ethics scholars/ arguments
Carrying on the apostolic succession: Told peter to watch over his people. Jesus tells his disciples to preach “what they have learned” The Catechism interprets this as authority to create it’s own teachings. The succession is meant to continue til the end of time
- core biblical teachings for is distinctive
- agape is distinctive from secular society
- stick to secular society.
