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Christianity is not merely a system of beliefs about God — it is a way of life shaped by moral commitments. But what are the foundations of Christian ethics? How do Christians decide what is right and wrong? This lesson examines the central moral principles of love and justice, the role of the Bible in ethical decision-making, the Sermon on the Mount, and the thought of Dietrich Bonhoeffer on ethics and discipleship.
Key Definition: Agape is the Greek word used in the New Testament for self-giving, unconditional love. It is distinguished from eros (romantic love), philia (friendship), and storge (familial affection). Agape is the love that God has for humanity and that Christians are called to have for one another and for their enemies.
The centrality of love in Christianity is established by Jesus himself:
Joseph Fletcher (1905–1991), in Situation Ethics (1966), argued that agape is the only absolute moral principle. Every ethical decision should be judged solely by whether it maximises love in the particular situation. Fletcher rejected legalistic ethics (rigid rules) and antinomian ethics (no rules), proposing a middle way that uses rules as guidelines but sets them aside when love demands it.
| Strengths of Situation Ethics | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Flexible and person-centred | Subjective — how do we measure love? |
| Consistent with Jesus' approach (e.g., healing on the Sabbath) | Could be used to justify almost anything |
| Takes seriously the complexity of real moral dilemmas | Undermines the authority of moral rules |
Key Definition: Liberation theology is a movement, originating in Latin America in the 1960s and 1970s, that interprets the Christian faith through the experience of the poor and oppressed. It insists that God has a preferential option for the poor and that theology must lead to practical action (praxis) for social justice.
Gustavo Gutiérrez (1928–2024), a Peruvian Catholic priest, is the founder of liberation theology. In A Theology of Liberation (1971), he argued that:
| Strengths of Liberation Theology | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Recovers the Bible's concern for the poor and marginalised (e.g., Amos, Luke's Gospel) | Criticised for reducing theology to politics (Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI) |
| Challenges the Church to practise what it preaches | The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (1984) warned against uncritical use of Marxist analysis |
| Has inspired practical movements for social justice worldwide | Can be overly optimistic about the possibility of political transformation |
Christians have always looked to the Bible for moral guidance, but using the Bible ethically is far from straightforward.
| Issue | Problem |
|---|---|
| Diverse genres | The Bible contains narrative, law, prophecy, poetry, and epistle — each requires different hermeneutical approaches |
| Cultural context | Some biblical commands reflect the culture of the ancient Near East or first-century Mediterranean world (e.g., rules about slavery, women's head-coverings) |
| Apparently conflicting texts | The Old Testament permits polygamy and capital punishment for adultery; the New Testament does not. How do Christians adjudicate? |
| Old Testament law | Many Christians distinguish between moral law (still binding), ceremonial law (fulfilled in Christ), and civil law (specific to ancient Israel) — but this distinction is itself debated |
Exam Tip: When discussing the Bible and ethics, avoid the simplistic claim that Christians "just follow the Bible." The best answers explain how different Christians use the Bible ethically and why they reach different conclusions.
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) is the most concentrated collection of Jesus' ethical teaching. It has been interpreted in radically different ways.
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