Christian Ethics

(Copied and Adapted from Louise Zavone and Sandy Hollis)

Christian

ethics
Personhood and human dignity
Bioethics
Reproductive

technologies
Edge of life decisions (inc.
cloning, ESC research,
euthanasia)

Ethics
Students learn about:
ONE of the following areas of ethical
teaching in Christianity:

Bioethics
Environmental ethics
Sexual Ethics

Remember, this is the syllabus. Not the

issues. They come later!!!

Ethics
Students learn to:
Describe and explain Christian
ethical teachings on Bioethics OR
Environmental ethics OR Sexual
Ethics

What is ethics?
The

systematic, rational reflection on

what we are to do and who we are to
become.
The justification for the reasoning
behind human moral behaviour
The

principles that explain why some

action or in action is right or wrong
Who decides this? How is it justified?
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What is ethics?
A

search for principles and norms,

relationships, qualities of character
and actions which make us
successful at being human.

Christian

ethics has foundations in

faith and reason

The human person

Made in the image and likeness of God
Rational
Free
Relational
Embodied
Spiritual
We aspire for truth and goodness.
Christian ethics rely upon an authentic
understanding of the human person!
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Christian ethics is founded in:

Natural

law and revealed law.

Authority
-Reason and faith, Philosophy and
theology

Natural law

Given (by God) our intuition

Discovered by human reason
Concerns what makes us good at
being human.
Why do we need this??
(Catholics use this)
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Basic human goods/values

life & health

knowledge
experience of beauty
work
play
friendship (love)
integrity
religion/ worship
marriage/ family
Provide an example for 5 of these
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Do good

Avoid evil

Life & health

Protect life/promote
health

Dont kill/ injure/ torture

Friendship

Love and care for others

Build community

Dont harm/use others

Dont destroy community

Knowledge

Speak the truth

Dont lie/ deceive
Educate yourself & others Dont keep yourself or
others in ignorance

Work

Contribute to the
common good/ be
creative/ use talents

Dont rely solely upon

others/ dont be lazy/
dont bury your gifts

Play

Take time for leisure

Play fairly

Dont overwork
Dont cheat

Religion/ worship

Contemplate and worship

God

Dont worship false gods

Experience of
beauty

Contemplate & cultivate

nature or the arts

Dont desecrate/ destroy

nature or the arts

Integrity

Act in accord with your

convictions

Dont be inauthentic

Marriage/ family

Be faithful in marriage
Care for family members

Dont commit adultery

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Which is most important?

Revealed law and the Natural Law

Have no other Gods beside me

Do not take the name of the
God in vain
Keep holy the Lords day

Religion/ worship

Life; Friendship

Marriage/ family

Friendship

Truth; Friendship

Marriage/ family

Friendship

Do not kill
Do not commit adultery
Do not steal
Do not bear false witness
against your neighbour
Do not covet your neighbours
wife
Do not covet your neighbours
goods

What are the 2 main areas of revealed law for Christians?

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Natural Law
Natural

law underpins Christian ethical

thinking (especially Catholic and
Orthodox)
For example Catholic teaching states that
humans needs grace and revelation in
order that moral and religious truths may
be known (Catechism of the Catholic
Church)
Natural Law would be used to argue the
preservation of life is a good that must be
assured in every situation

Authority
Christian

ethics take as sources of

authority:

Scriptures (Bible)
Tradition (Authority of Church Leaders)
Experience (Inspiration of the Holy Spirit)
Logic (Reason)
Why would the bible not be enough as a
source?

(This

is what Orthodox use)

The sources of Christian Ethics

Different

Christian traditions give

different weight to these sources.
For Catholics, faith and reason help
each other to shed light on the
human good.
and all sources are integrated within
or under the authoritative teaching
of the Magisterium (teaching authority of the
Roman Catholic Church)

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Differences between Protestant

and Catholics

Different Christian variants give different

weight to each of these sources.
Roman Catholic - faith and reason help to shed light
on human good and all sources are integrated within
or under the authoritative teachings of the Church.
Protestants - The primacy of the scriptures over
natural law or Tradition.
Protestants consider the bible very important (New and Old
Testaments)
Protestants are more flexible than Catholics and Orthodox.

Christian ethics is distinctive

Faith radically affects our ability to live a
moral life - it involves living out the
Commandments, the Beatitudes and
Jesus Commandment of Love
Christian morality is not a matter only of
disposing oneself to hear a teaching and
obediently accepting a commandment.
More radically, it involves holding fast to
the very person of Jesus, partaking of his
life and his destiny, sharing in his free and
loving obedience to the will of the Father.
VS 19
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Christian ethics is centered

around human dignity and
personhood
Human

dignity = Inherent and

inestimable value of every human
being

Personhood
Who

= being of moral worth

does this apply to?

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The sanctity of human life is a

key theme of the Christian
scriptures

God created Humans in his image

So God created man in his own image Genesis 1:27

Humans are purposefully called into existence

God blessed them and said to them, be fruitful and increase in
number Genesis 1:28

Human life has intrinsic value because it has been made in

Gods image
Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed;
for in the image of God has God made them. Genesis 9:6

Life is divinely and uniquely ordained from conception

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my
mothers womb Psalm 139:13
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The Christian tradition

challenges adherents to be
radically inclusive

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What questions should we ask

ourselves in trying to discern
who is a person?
Who

counts as human?

The embryo?
The foetus?
The severely disabled?
The persistently unconscious?
The dying?

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