Cross Religion Study 2



Catholic Ethics

Background to the Catholic Ethical System

• St. Thomas Aquinas & Natural Law Theory

• Proportionalism

Natural Law Theory

Has very ancient beginnings. Cicero, an ancient historian and thinker described natural law as: True law is right reason in agreement with nature.

For our purposes, Aristotle is responsible for the development of this approach to ethics.

Aristotle established a hierarchy of species:

Human

Animal then

Plant

He also established that we could cultivate in ourselves virtues which would result in us making decisions that were ultimately good.

Therefore just action, that is justice (the constant and ready will to give to every person what is due to them), naturally flows from decisions that are innately good.

St. Thomas Aquinas – believed that natural law was the moral code which human beings are naturally inclined towards.

In this model, God has revealed specific commands to humanity, but these do not go against natural law. In fact, God’s commands develop natural law.

Aquinas argued that the first priority of natural law was the preservation on self, in this life and the next (eternal life).

But the starting point for natural law is to work out the purpose of life.

St. Thomas Aquinas - was born in Italy in 1225.

He was sent to the monastery of Monte Cassino at the age of five for an education.

He joined the Dominicans in 1244.

He later taught in Paris.

Thomas was named a saint in 1567.

In 1880 Pope Leo XIII made him the patron of all the church’s schools.

Pope Leo also made it a requirement for all students in seminaries to study his teachings as the official philosophy of the church.

He is acknowledged as the greatest master of church thought, and named the Angelic Doctor.

New Testament Ethics

Jesus Christ

As the foundational figure of Christianity, the teachings of Jesus Christ are key to understanding the development of all Christian ethics. Although, it is important to remember that Jesus the man was in fact a Jew. He looked to the spirit within the ethics of his time and it is this that forms the foundation of his teachings. These concepts continue to be the underlying philosophy of all Christian ethics.

Activity

• Read the following passages:

Mk 12: 30 - 31

Mt 5 – 7

Jn 13: 34 - 35

* Identify the 3 most important ethical statements to come out of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

* Explain the central premise of these ethical statements.

* Complete the following diagram of the central ethical sources for Catholic Christianity

Christian Ethical System

Basis of Christian Ethics

Christian morality is based on many sources of revelation, but particularly on key passages from the Scriptures.

The foundation of Christian ethics are found in the Bible:

• Ten Commandments (Decalogue- 10 Teachings) Ex. 20: 1-17 & Duet. 5

• Sermon on the Mount (8 Beatitudes) Mt. 5-7

• The ‘Golden Rule’ Mt. 22

• St. Paul’s writings 1 Cor. & Rom. 8, 15 & Gal.6

For Christians, their ethical teachings are primarily those of Jesus Christ. If we were to sum up these ethical teachings of Jesus they would fall under three headings:

• repentance and forgiveness as the bases of the ethical life

• the radical, demanding nature of God’s ethical call based on God’s reign

• the centrality of the love commandment

* St. Augustine – love and do what you will.

Most Christians share common ethical ideals. Different denominations, however, have some variations in their manner of justifying ethical understanding.

Biblical Foundation of ethical teaching found in the Christian tradition:

1. Identify the Ten Commandments (Decalogue- 10 Teachings) from Ex. 20: 1-17.

They refer generally to three key ethical areas. Place each commandment into one of the three categories:

1) Relationship to God

2) Relationship to others

3) Relationship to self

[pic]

| |Definition |Catholic |Anglican |

|Natural Law |-Anything in nature should not be changed |Mentioned in the Veritas Splendor in 1993 – |N/A – why? Because it is superceded by |

| |-The purpose of human life |this is the key bioethical statement |situation ethics |

| |-Derived from St. Thomas Aquinas |certain acts are intrinsically (internally) |Looks to the bible |

| |-What is morally and ethically correct |evil. | |

| | |Principle of Double effect – in doing good evil| |

| | |occurs | |

|Biblical ethics|revelation from God (directly) divinely |- Catechism (1st source) – informed by the |Bible (1st source) |

| |inspired – therefore should not be modified|bible. |( love |

| | | |Three types of love: agape, philia and |

| |Stems from the 10 commandments | |___eros____ |

| |Catholics – larger range of books (within | |Community, justice and compassion (foundation |

| |the Old Testament) | |of ethics). |

| |Mostly about coming to know God better – | | |

| |developing a greater understanding | | |

|Situation | Based on love and justice |- N/A |- Fletcher 1965 |

|Ethics |Different outcomes for different | |- Humans should always act out of love |

| |circumstances | |- Action may vary depending on the situation |

| |Negotiation of law | | |

|Proporti-onalis|derived from Natural Law |mostly relevant to ‘Just War Theory’ |linked to situation ethics |

|m |Combination of Situational and Natural Law |moral rules in which to justify reasons (from | |

| |Exceptions made with certain situations |another authority source e.g. biblical | |

| |One exception can be war |teachings) | |

|Magest-erium |teaching authority embedded into variant |teaching authority of ordained ministers, Pope,|don’t officially use the word magesterium |

| | |dogma (undeniable elements of faith) i.e. |Within synod explanation of teaching, where |

| | |doctrine, canon law), stems from Christs’ |they stand on issues etc. |

| | |institution of Peter | |

References for Abortion:

Write the passages out after doing a bible search:



1) Genesis 38: 24

2) Exodus 20: 13

3) Exodus 21: 22

4) Romans 2: 14-15

5)

a) With reference to the Bible and other sources of ethical teaching, explain the teachings of Christianity in relation to bioethics. Bioethics:



b) Using as a starting point construct a table which classifies the range of ethical views that Christian churches hold regarding abortion (bioethics).

6) Discuss the ethical teachings and how this influences church teaching. See Bible references for Abortion above.

7) Using Living Religion Activities page 324 in conjunction with the websites listed.

Text: Living Religion (Morrissey et. al)



1) Identify and explain ten terms related to Christianity and bioethics (for example, bioethics, in-vitro fertilisation IVF, dialysis, and unitive).

2) Describe the principal ethical teachings that determine Christian approaches to bioethics. In your answer refer to the sanctity of life, stewardship and other factors.

3) Explain how the application of Christian ethical teaching is applied to one issue of bioethics covered in this section or emerging from your own research.

8) Select one issue from the Bioethics world congress website and discuss and justify a Christian response to it.

Bioethics World Congress website:



9) Writing Task:

Describe the ethical teachings of Christianity in relation to Abortion or Euthanasia using references from sacred texts.

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Sources of ethics for Catholic Christianity

Orthodox Christian Churches in general stress the reliance on biblical authority, for example the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount.

Protestant Churches have the Biblical concept of ‘love’ as the ethical foundation for morality. Christian love:

• Caring

• Compassion

• Self giving

They also stress the importance of social justice

The Roman Catholic ethical system is derived from a variety of sources;

* Bible *Councils of the Church

* Decrees of Popes * Code of Cannon law

* Works of the Fathers of the Church

* Works of moral theologians

* Use and practice of the Church

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