Love (agape) as the only Christian ethical principle which governs Christian practices Flashcards
(11 cards)
Introduction
- Outline
- LOA
• Christian ethics draws on multiple sources: the Bible, Church authority, reason, and individual conscience.
• The principle of agape (selfless love), especially in Jesus’ teaching (“Love thy neighbour as thyself” – Mark 12:31), is often claimed as the sole Christian ethical principle.
• But Christian ethics also involves rules and authority beyond love alone.
• Line of argument: Agape love is central but insufficient alone to govern Christian ethics; other sources like Scripture and Church tradition are necessary to provide guidance, consistency, and avoid moral relativism.
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Paragraph 1: Agape (love) as the sole Christian ethical principle
Paragraph 1: Agape (love) as the sole Christian ethical principle
A01 : Situation Ethics and the primacy of love
• Fletcher’s situation ethics focuses on acting out of agape love as the only absolute.
• Rooted in Jesus’ “no greater commandment” (Mark 12:31).
• Overrides fixed biblical rules or Church laws if breaking them produces more loving outcomes.
• Emphasises individual reasoning and contextual judgement.
Paragraph 1: Agape (love) as the sole Christian ethical principle
Strengths
• Faithful to Jesus’ radical command of unconditional love, making love the heart of ethics.
• Flexible and practical: can adapt to complex situations where rigid rules fail.
• Encourages moral agency and responsibility of individuals.
Paragraph 1: Agape (love) as the sole Christian ethical principle
Weaknesses
• Subjectivity and relativism: Different people define “most loving” differently, causing inconsistent and contradictory moral choices.
• Undermines Scriptural authority: Overrules explicit Bible commands (e.g., “Thou shalt not kill”), which many Christians regard as divinely authoritative.
• Flawed human reason: Christian doctrine (Augustine, Calvin) highlights the Fall’s corruption of human nature and reasoning, meaning individual judgement might deviate from God’s will.
• Neglects communal tradition: Ignores the role of Church teaching and tradition in safeguarding and interpreting Christian ethics.
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Paragraph 2: Other Christian ethical sources complicating agape as the only principle
Paragraph 2: Other Christian ethical sources complicating agape as the only principle
AO1: Theonomous and heteronomous approaches
• Theonomous: Bible alone is sole authority (Protestant tradition, e.g., Calvin); rejects Church and reason as flawed.
• Heteronomous: Bible, Church authority, and reason together (Catholicism); Church claims authority from Jesus (Matthew 16:16-19).
• Church tradition and reason (e.g., Aquinas’ conscientia) apply divine law practically.
• Provide moral rules and communal ethical guidance.
Paragraph 2: Other Christian ethical sources complicating agape as the only principle
Strengths
• Provide objective moral frameworks rooted in divine revelation and communal tradition, preventing subjective relativism.
• Scripture’s progressive revelation can be interpreted to harmonise apparent contradictions, centring love within a broader moral system.
• Church authority can reform and correct errors, preserving core Christian moral truths.
• These frameworks protect Christian ethics from being reduced to personal opinion.
Paragraph 2: Other Christian ethical sources complicating agape as the only principle
Weaknesses
• Contradictions and rigidity: Bible contains conflicting laws (slavery in Leviticus vs equality in Galatians), and Church rules can seem inflexible or legalistic, sometimes clashing with the spirit of agape.
• Potential corruption of Church authority: Historical abuses (e.g., indulgences) challenge the Church’s moral infallibility.
• Lack of flexibility: Fixed rules sometimes prevent the most loving action in particular situations (e.g., Church condemnation of euthanasia vs a loving response).
• May risk losing the centrality of love by focusing too much on legalistic obedience.
Conclusion
• Agape is the heart of Christian ethics but cannot stand alone.
• Sole reliance on agape risks moral relativism and ignores Scripture and Church guidance.
• Conversely, Scripture and Church provide necessary objective standards but can be rigid or corrupt.
Final LOA
Final line of argument: Love (agape) must be the guiding principle but works best within a framework supported by Scripture and Church authority to govern Christian practices consistently and faithfully.
