Christian Ethics

Christian ethics From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Depicted is the famous Sermon on the Mount ofJesus in which he commented on the Old Covenant. Christians believe that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant.[1] Painting by Carl Heinrich Bloch, Danish painter, d. 1890. Christian ethics is a branch of Christian theology that defines concepts of right (virtuous) and wrong (sinful) behavior from a Christian perspective. Various sources inform Christian ethics, including Judaism and pagan ethics (as well as identifying the limits of the latter), and the life of Jesus.[2] "Comprehensive Christian ethical writings use four distinguishable sources: (1) the Bible and the Christian tradition, (2) philosophical principles and methods, (3) science and other sources of knowledge about the world, and (4) human experience broadly conceived."[3] Although Christian ethics is informed by numerous sources, the Christian Bible, both Old and New Testaments, figures prominently. According to Long, "Christian ethics finds its source in diverse means, but it primarily emerges from the biblical narrative" which includes various accounts in the Old Testament,[4] of which Christians hold different views. According to The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Ethics, "The Bible is the universal and fundamental source of specifically Christian ethics."[5] Christian ethics developed in the first centuries of the Christian Era in the Holy Landand other early centers of Christianity as Christianity emerged from Second Temple Judaism. Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire erupted periodically, beginning with the Crucifixion of Jesus in Roman Judaea (c.30-33 AD) to the time Nero blamed Christians for setting Rome ablaze (64 AD) until Galerius (311 AD) and the Peace of the Church (313 AD). Consequently, early Christian ethics included discussions of how believers should relate to Roman authority and to the empire. In the 13th centuryThomas Aquinas and others derived the Four Cardinal Virtues from Plato (justice, courage, temperance, prudence) and added to them the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity (cf. 1 Corinthians 13), together known as the Seven Virtues. Other schema include the Seven Deadly Sins. Christian ethics have been criticized for a variety of reasons, including Jesus' teachings, even during his earthly ministry, and in theanalysis and interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount. Contents [hide] 1 Definitions 2 Early Church 3 The Bible and Christian ethics 4 Scholasticism 5 Protestant ethics 6 The ethics of Christian Anarchism 7 What would Jesus do? 8 Judeo-Christian ethics 9 Criticism o 9.1 The Old Testament o 9.2 The New Testament 10 See also 11 References 12 Further reading 13 External links [edit]Definitions D. Stephen Long defines Christian ethics as the pursuit of God's goodness by people 'on the way' to a city not built by human hands. It is not a precise science but the cultivation of practical wisdom that comes from diverse sources. It draws on all that is good in God's creation and among the nations. But it also acknowledges that creatures cannot attain their true end without the gift of God's own goodness.[6] [edit]Early Church This section needs additionalcitations for verification.(December 2011) See also: Expounding of the Law, Law of Christ, and Jesus#Teachings and preachings The New Testament generally asserts that all morality flows from the Great Commandment, to love God with all one's heart, mind, strength, and soul, and to love one's neighbor as oneself. In this, Jesus was reaffirming a teaching of the Torah (Deut 6:4-9 and Lev 19:18), commonly referred to as Judeo- Christian ethics. Christ united these commands together and proposed himself as a model of the love required in John 13:12, known also as The New Commandment. The Catholic Encyclopedia article on Ethics[7] makes the following observation: A new epoch in ethics begins with the dawn of Christianity. Ancient paganism never had a clear and definite concept of the relation between God and the world, of the unity of the human race, “ of the destiny of man, of the nature and meaning of the moral law. Christianity first shed full light on these and similar questions. As St. Paul teaches (Romans 2:24 sq.), God has written his moral law in the hearts of all men, even of those outside the influence ofChristian Revelation; this law manifests itself in the conscience of every man and is the norm according to which the whole human race will be judged on the day of reckoning. In consequence of their perverse inclinations, this law had to a great extent become obscured and distorted among the pagans; Christianity, however, restored it to its prestine integrity. Thus, too, ethics received its richest and most fruitful stimulus. Proper ethical methods were now unfolded, and philosophy was in a position to follow up and develop these methods by means supplied from its own store-house. ” Paul is also the source of the phrase "Law of Christ", though its meaning and the relationship of Paul of Tarsus and Judaism are still disputed. Under the Emperor Constantine I (312–337), Christianity became a legal religion. The Edict of Milan made the empire safe for Christian practice and belief. Consequently, issues of Christian doctrine, ethics and church practice were debated openly at the First seven Ecumenical Councils. By the time of Theodosius I (379–395), Christianity had become the State church of the Roman Empire. WithChristianity now in power, ethical concerns broadened and included discussions of the proper role of the state. The Church Fathers had little occasion to treat moral questions from a purely philosophical standpoint and independently of divine revelation, but in the explanation of Christian doctrine their discussions naturally led to philosophical investigations. Ecclesiastical writers, such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Ambrose, Jerome, and Augustine of Hippo all wrote on ethics from a distinctly Christian point of view. They made use of philosophical and ethical principles laid down by their Greek philosopher forbears and the intersection of Greek and Jewish thought known as Hellenistic Judaism. This is particularly true of Augustine, who proceeded to develop thoroughly along philosophical lines and to establish firmly most of the truths of Christian morality. The eternal law (lex aeterna), the original type and source of all temporal laws, the natural law, conscience, the ultimate end of man, the cardinal virtues, sin, marriage, etc. were treated by him in the clearest and most penetrating manner. Broadly speaking, Augustine adapted the philosophy of Plato to Christian principles. His synthesis is called Augustinianism (alternatively, Augustinism). He presents hardly a single portion of ethics to us but what he does present is enriched with his keen philosophical commentaries. Late ecclesiastical writers followed in his footsteps. [edit]The Bible and Christian ethics Much of Christian ethics derives from Biblical scripture. According to the Westminster Dictionary of Christian Ethics, "There is no 'Christian ethics' that would deny the authority of the Bible, for apart from scripture the Christian church has no enduring identity".[8] It further states that Christian churches have always considered it a part of their calling to teach, reprove, correct, and train in righteousness, and they have always considered the Bible 'profitable' for that task. With virtually one voice the churches have declared that the Bible is an authority for moral discernment and judgment. And Christian ethicists—at least those who consider their work part of the common life of the Christian community—have shared this affirmation.[9] There are various views on how to interpret Christian ethics in relation to Biblical scripture. For example, "Many Christian ethicists have claimed that Jesus Christ is the center of the biblical message in its entirety and the key to scripture".[10] Other Christian ethicists "prefer a more Trinitarian rendering of the message of scripture".[11] Some modern Christian ethicists "understand 'liberation' or deliverance from oppression to be the message of scripture".[12] The link between scripture and Christian ethics is further highlighted as follows: "Fundamentalism's identification of the human words of scripture with the word of God has justified an identification of biblical ethics with Christian ethics."[13] "The Prophets ground their appeals for right conduct in God's demand for righteousness."[14] On the other hand, "It is not ... true to say that for the OT writers righteousness is defined by what God does; i.e., an act is not made righteous by the fact that God does it.[15] Also noted as ethical guidelines adhered to by Old Testament figures is "maintenance of the family", "safeguarding of the family property", and "maintenance of the community".[16] Many biblical accounts inform Christian ethics. This includes the Noahic Covenant: the commandments which "were often reduced to three by Christians: avoid fornication, bloodshed, and blasphemy or idolatry"[17]. Augustine identified a movement in Scripture "toward the 'City of God', from which Christian ethics emerges", as illustrated in chapters 11 and 12 of the book of Genesis.[18] Although Christians today "do not feel compelled to observe all 613" of the commandments described in Exodus, the Ten Commandments figure prominently in Christian ethics.[19] Various issues today are informed by biblical passages in the Old and New Testaments.

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