dialogue Flashcards
(20 cards)
How is Christianity important to a British Society?
- Christian calendar influences: school terms arranged around Christmas and Easter, and Christian influencing British traditions (eg. St Valentine’s Day, Pancake/Shrove Tuesday) + 4/8 Public Holidays are Christian - Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day (St)
- Many Christian rites of passage, celebrated by non-Christians in Churches/a Christian manner (marriages/funerals)
- Services marking key events include Christian practices like hymns and prayers (Rememberance + Parliament meetings)
- The seven-day week, with restriction on hours of Sundays - reflects creation.
- Despite England being religiously diverse, England’s religion is the ESTABLISHED Church of England, meaning the Church has strong links with the State influencing law, education, military etc.
SOWA : CHRISTIANITY IS THE LARGEST RELIGION, 31MILLION 2011, BUT IS FALLING - by 12% between 2001 and 2011 - AND 40.6% OF ENGLAND NOT CHRISTIAN, INCLUDING MUSLIMS, HINDUS, SIKHS etc AS OF 2011
Role of the Monarch and Church in British Society?
- Monarch is both the Head of State, and Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and Defender of the Faith
- They make decisions with/in parliament - approving the appointment of senior religious clerics (eg. Archbishops/Deans), opens sessions of the General Synod (who propose laws that may be passed after being accepted by Parliament and Royal Assent [Monarch]), and keeps the vows made at coronation to maintain the Church and Anglicism but also its duty to protect all faiths.
- The House of Lords is comprised of 26 Lord Spirituals, who are all bishops - all laws must be approved by them, meaning CoE bishops have a significant role in the governance of the country
- WALES : Church of Wales, which was once part of CoE, but felt marginalised so disestablished now.
- SCOTLAND : Presbyterian Church of Scotland, never having had connections with CoE.
- NORTHERN IRELAND : Established Church of Ireland, once part of CoE, but disestablished now.
SOWA : “Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God, the things that are God’s.”
Standing of Church Schools?
Most people in general don’t have an issue with religious teachings - since it is a religious country anyway, all schools by law must teach religious education and have a daily act of worship. An issue however, arises with being against the principle that religious groups should be able to promote religion AND use public money to run these schools.
AGAINST CHURCH SCHOOLS:
- If Christians want faith schools, they should fund them themselves
- It is wrong that children should not be allowed to attend local school because of religious views
- Faith schools select pupils from the wealthiest families, and so do not represent their local communities
FOR CHURCH SCHOOLS:
- Parents should be able to choose schools for their children to share the same values
- If the families are wealthy, they pay higher taxes anyway, contributing more than most people - they are technically funding them themselves
- Historical Significance - the first schools were attached to cathedrals, and also the CoE were responsible for most educational establishments - gratitude.
Secularism
- Secularism is the idea that religious beliefs, practices and organisations are becoming less important in society. Evidence of this is that: religious teachings are no longer respected, it has become a private matter, people relying on material comforts for happiness instead of religion, and religion becoming a leisure pursuit.
- Numbers of religious people has fallen drastically, CoE suffering the biggest decline from 40% of the population to 17% in 30 years. Religions other than Christianity are growing, but the fastest growing group are those with no religion.
- Sociologists say secularism has grown due to three processes: rationalisation (people using science to explain the universe), differentiation (organisations OTHER than churches controlling places and parts of people’s lives), decline of community (as means of communication have improved, people don’t live in small communities anymore)
- ARGUMENTS FOR SECULARISATION TAKING PLACE: fewer people attending/working in church // fewer people getting married/baptised/confirmed // losing the Christian significance of Christmas/easter - people just like time off
- ARGUMENTS AGAINST SECULARISATION TAKING PLACE: most people still hold religious beliefs // religion is not declining in other parts of the world - eg. Latin America, Middle East // religion is very important in the lives of minority ethnic groups - eg Muslims
Humanism - type of secularisation
- Humanism is seeing and reacting to the world using science, logic and reason, rejecting religious ideas
- Humanists share three simple principles: a scientific view of the universe, a concern for human/animal welfare based on reason, and a need for each person to create meaning in their life without a belief in the afterlife.
SOWA: “Dare to know! Have courage to use your own reason!” - Immanuel Kant
Different opinions on aims of religious education and collective worship
- CoE:
- reflecting critically on the truth claims of Christian belief
- recognising that faith is based on commitment to understanding God and the world
- seeing how the truth of Christianity is relevant today
- Catholic:
- enables pupils to deepen their theological understanding
- making pupils aware of the demands of religious commitment in everyday life
- NSS believe that non-religious and humanist world views should be taught alongside religions
SOWA : Collective worship -
- Department of Education : “Collective worship in schools should aim to provide the opportunity for pupils to worship God … to explore their own beliefs … to develop community spirit …”
VS
- British Humanist Association : “ In demanding Collective Worship … the law is incoherent … It ignores the right of children below the sixth form to freedom of belief”
Potential clashes and responses to marriage
- CIVIL MARRIAGE (a legal union) : CoE recognises it, and RCC accepts, but believes marriage is spiritual and must take place in a church
- SAME-SEX MARRIAGE : Legal and recognised in UK [except NI], CoE is opposed but recognises the validity, and RCC does not recognise at all
- DIVORCE : Completely legal and recognised in UK, CoE accepts it may be inevitable, and RCC does not recognise at all (therefore no remarriage) to maintain permanency
- ANNULMENT : Is legal and allowed, even by RCC - IF was not conducted by Christian priest/there was an impediment - should have not been allowed/there was a defect in the consent to marry - eg drugs/mental
- FORCED/ARRANGED MARRIAGES : Arranged is generally okay if consensual, but forced is illegal and condemned + RCC grounds for an annulments
- CHILD MARRIAGES : Legally those 16 can marry with parental permission, and at 18 without, and RCC law allows males to marry at 16 and females at 14, but bishops are allowed to set own rules - in UK, in line with law
SOWA : “a cord of three strands is not easily broken”
Potential clashes and responses to equality
- Christianity teaches that all people are equal, because everyone is God’s Creation, is loved by God, and was created in His image, so everyone shares characteristics of spirituality, creativity and love
- Some people believe that they contradict this by not allowing roles of women in the Church - CoE allowed it after many years of debate, but the RCC still does not
- The Equality Act 2010 requires equal treatment of men and women in access to employment, but religious ministers are exempt.
Attitudes to euthanasia
- Euthanasia can either be voluntary/involuntary (unable to request so family member) and passive (withholding treatment)/active (e.g lethal drugs)
- Assisted suicide is helping a terminally ill patient take their life, which is illegal, but actual suicide isn’t.
- Public opinion is generally in favour of euthanasia, but most Christians believe it is wrong - sanctity of life, murder is forbidden and there is a duty to care for those who are suffering
- RCC : deliberate killing is unacceptable, only God has the right to take a life / CoE : personal autonomy BUT sanctity of life, so offering compassionate care is better than assisting / QUAKERS : Love and support should be made available to people that think suicide is their final option
- NON-RELIGIOUS OPPOSE : doctor’s duty is to preserve life, medical advancements mean cure is likely, euthanasia might only be chosen as to not burden family
- NON-RELIGIOUS AGREE: A person’s life is their own - they should have the right to self-determination.
- RELIGIOUS OPPOSE : A person’s life is not their own but GOD’s + HUME : and since people are given mental powers, if these lead a person to take their life for ease or happiness, suicide is allowable
SOWA: “The life of man is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster” HUME
Attitudes to abortion
- When do foetus’ gain rights?
- NON-RELIGIOUS AGREE : it is the woman’s absolute right, as it is her life that is affected
- NON-RELIGIOUS OPOOSE: moment of conception marks the beginning of life, and abortion is “murder”
OTHERS BELIEVE A BALANCE SHOULD BE STRUCK BETWEEN WOMAN’S RIGHTS AND FOETUS’ - so in SOME circumstances or at SOME stages of pregnancy it is okay - RCC - abortion is never acceptable, unless to save the mother’s life, when the intention is the mother’s safety, not to end the pregnancy. foetus is human from conception, and has a right to life / CoE - generally opposed to abortion, unless in certain situations eg rape, health, disabled foetus. alternatives should be seemed if possible, but they act with compassion
SOWA: “for you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb” / “do not murder”
Attitudes to genetic manipulation + Creation of life
- Therapeutic cloning : growing an embryo with the purpose of growing stem cells to replace damaged cells/organs
- RCC - completely wrong, as an embryo made for this purpose and being destructed after is harming life // CoE - acknowledges embryo could be seen as a human, but also not quite one yet
- Artificial Insemination : Directly inserting sperm into a uterus non-sexually
- RCC - no. Conception should happen through sexual union only
- IVF : Test tube babies
- RCC - conception is not taking place through an act of love, and spare embryos being destroyed is harming life // CoE - accepted, but understand opposition. also allows testing on embryos for FOURTEEN DAYS until it becomes human
SOWA: “It is gravely immoral to sacrifice human life for therapeutic ends.” Dignitas Personae
Exclusivism
- Exclusivism : The view that only one religion is true and all others are false. Christians believe salvation is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ, and all others go to hell, or at best, NOT heaven …
- Inter-faith Exclusivism : The idea of Exclusivism of an entire religion over all others, RCC and some Protestants believe in this
- Intra-faith Exclusivism : The idea of Exclusivism between DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS (eg Catholics>Protestants by Bloody Mary) Ecumenicalism is decreasing this over time though.
SOWA: “The Church of Christ… exist fully only in the Catholic Church” Pope John Paul II // “Everyone who trusts in the Lord will be saved.” Romans
Inclusivism
- Christian Inclusivism : Christianity is the only true religion, but non-Christians can also go to heaven - faith in Jesus and Church is not necessary
- Came about because of : God is omnibenevolent / People who lived before Jesus WERE saved in fact / God is fair, what if a person hasn’t heard of Jesus?
- KARL RAHNER : The “Anonymous Christian” - individuals do not have to be conscious of God’s grace for it to affect them. this grace causes the person to behave ethically, LIKE A CHRISTIAN WITHOUT BEING ONE. this only appears to someone who is unaware of Christianity, (not one that refuses to accept it but still acts morally)
- Critics say this is still Exclusivism, because Christianity is still the only true religion.
SOWA: “The Christian religion…has a beginning point…it has not always and everywhere been the way of salvation for men.” Karl Rahner
Pluralism
- Pluralism : God has revealed himself through all the worlds religions, so agree win Exclusivists and Inclusivists to say that Christianity is just another valid response to God
- JOHN HICK : all faiths claim to have experiences that came from God but no faith can prove it is the one and only true religion. Therefore, all religions have truth in them, no one is better than anyone else and all deserve the same respect. Differences arise form different cultures, BUT they all experience the same God. Christian Exclusivism isn’t right - it’s unfair and disproven
- Critics say Hick ignores contradicting differences. All religious followers hold their beliefs to be completely true, so they can’t be “close” or “similar”
Ecumenicalism
- Ecumenicalism : The unity of Christian Churches. Not uniformity necessarily, but different churches co-operating to serve humanity.
- WCC works to increase understanding, dialogue and communication / work together to help those in need
- Christinans may be against Ecumenicalism because find it difficult to accept other denominations on equal terms/want to remain distinct from other Church groups
- Inter-faith dialogue between religions aims to form social ties and friendships/educating about divergent beliefs/engaging in projects or events to help other people
- PCID (Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue) aims to do the above
- CoE runs programme with four key principles : people meet each other / mutual understanding and trust grows / sharing in service to community / medium of authentic witness (spreading faith)
SOWA: “Interreligious dialogue is a necessary condition for peace in the world” / “You are joined together with peace through the spirit.”
Religion and national identity
- Religion and ethnic/national groupings have historically been closely Iinked, but modernisation has challenged this.
- Examples where it hasn’t though : Iran is a theocracy, ruled by religious Shi’a leaders / Sri Lanka/Thailand identifying Buddhism as their foremost religions though Buddhism isn’t technically their state religion.
- England is Christian, but how much recently? (Refer to beginning of chapter)
Proselytisation
- Proselytisation : Christians that tell others about their faith and convert them too - calling themselves EVANGELISTS
- It’s controversial, because there is a fine line between sharing a faith, and imposing it on them. As far as the evangelist is concerned, they are just spreading the joy and happiness Christianity brought them, but the one being evangelised has no duty to be part of it. they may also feel their current views are not being respected - causing tension
SOWA : “Go and make followers of al people in the world. Baptise the, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have told you to do.” Jesus’ last recorded words
Atheism/Agnosticism
- Atheists : Those who believe there is no God. Believers should be able to prove God exists, but they have not and cannot.
- Agnostic : It is impossible to know if God exists, because believers can’t prove He exists, but atheists can’t prove He DOESN’T exist.
- Some of both are secularists, and some are humanists, but they maintain morality, reason and respect either way.
Shared values between all
- Compassion
- Support for those in need
- Peace over war
- Protection of the environment
Areas of disagreement between all
- Marriage
- Co-habitation
- Parenting
- Education
- Equality
- Abortion
- Euthanasia
EVERYTHING WITH MORAL AMBIGUITY. - in certain examples, one side takes precedence - blasphemy: religion>secular
