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Christian moral principles - Coggle Diagram
Christian moral principles
theonomous ethics
strengths
only source of truth as human nature is inherently flawed - we must use God's revealed work only
St Paul + Augustine - humans are sinful and ignorant - incapable of living through through reason + own motivation - a good life is lived through God's revelation
using the decalogue - absolute word of God is a clear moral guide
'all scripture is God breathed' - 2 Timothy 3:16
weaknesses
Biblical contradictions
Noah's flood, Job + the plague vs JC's golden rule
Capital punishment for blasphemy vs thou shall not kill
but JC's teaching at olivet discourse should be used as they are the 'fulfilment of the law'
liberalism as a better approach
Bible cannot be taken literally - 'if your right eye offends you, pluck it out and cast it from you'
Karl Barth - Bible isn't the direct word of God as it's written by humans -> fallible
ethics solely based on the Bible - as it's the revealed word of God
e.g the Amish community - see the Bible as the only authority
heteronomous ethics
strengths
flexible and situation dependent
allows use of reason + use of Bible
Bible not taken literally - avoids contradictions
weaknesses
impractical - too many components
Bible interpreted differently - meaning lost?
ethics governed by several sources such as Biblical teaching, Church teaching and human reason
Roman Catholic ethical heteronomy - ethics aren't confined to the Bible - use of natural world, reason, conscience and church authority
natural law
St Paul
we can act morally according to our conscience and the 'law written on our hearts'
Aquinas
theological notion that God gives us all a good and 'natural' purpose -> reason is God - given
the Magisterum
Protestant ethical heteronomy
Stanley Hauerwas - Christian ethics can only be done within the worshipping community - e.g with inspiration from Olivet discourse
autonomous ethics
strengths
utilises human reason - God given
flexible and situation dependent
weaknesses
can excuse immoral behaviour
agape is subjective
ethics done by those who hold a Christian belief - using the Bible as a guide and leading from agapeic love
agape love
'love each other as I have loved you' - John 15: 12
'let love's root be within you, for from that root nothing but good can spring' - Augustine
'love never fails' - 1 corinthians 13:18
Hans Kung (roman Catholic priest) - rejects the doctrine of papal infallibility + advocated a much greater autonomy in ethical decision making