Good Conduct and Moral Principles
Catechism (CC): “God predestines no one to go to hell.”
Martin Luther on the Catholic Church: Had too much power and couldn't be the
exclusive mediator between God and humanity - he believed in the 'Priesthood of People are made ‘imago dei’ - in his image
all believers'. All people were equal in their relationship with God to the priests. Genesis 1 ‘God created man in his own image’
He set out a simpler religion based on scripture alone and the personal faith of As God is omniscient, he knows what individuals will freely choose.
the individual believer. He taught that the faith of the believer is passive;
justification comes by what God achieves through the atoning death of Jesus - Boethius on predestination: God exists in a ‘simultaneous present’. Outside space/time.
‘sola fide. It reaffirms the importance of Jesus - recognises the nature of humans
St Augustine on predestination: Single predestination: can logically deduce who
as imperfect - gives hope we will be saved. Wrote the ‘95 Thesis’ - criticising
goes to hell.
corruption in the catholic church.
Pelagius - Believed predestination contradicts belief in free will.
Justified. by Faith Critics: Epistle of James, Jesus’ example - Parable of sheep
and goats, needs literalist understanding of the fall, unfair to us. How can God be omnibenevolent if he predestined people to go to hell
World is in a ‘fallen state’ - disharmony between heaven and earth Hell can be viewed as a self imposed exile from God.
Why are all humans born with a predisposition to sin - We are present in the loins
of Adam, so implicated by his disobedience. Humans are inherently sinful and Against predestination: Good deeds are futile if destination has been decided.
have a predisposition to be selfish / commit sin.
Strong/ Weak Sanctity of Life vs Quality (secular, subjective)
Single/Double (Calvin) Predestination: Decided ‘the elect’ and ‘the damned’
Jus Ad Vellum - When going to war might be justifiable → Declared by a
Original Sin: Baptists don’t believe in original sin
legitimate author, just cause, right, last resort, reasonable chance of success.
Epistle of James: “Faith without works is dead”
Jus In Bello - Criteria for how a war must be fought → Don’t target innocent
Parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25) - justification by works civilians, Use proportionate force.
"Whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me"
Pacifists - (eg. MLK), Jesus “Blessed are the peacemakers”
St Paul Criticism of justified by works: if we could earn salvation by following
laws, the Jesus died for nothing (minimises importance of Jesus’ life and Stewardship - Adam and Eve are placed in the Garden to ‘take care of it’
teachings)
Linzey: Criticised anthropocentrism of christian ethics - view on animals should
Catholic Church: Faith is the beginning - it enables good works to complete be replaced by a theocentric one - they are not ours to use, they are ultimately
justification - Justification by faith and works. Gods.
Infant Baptism is the ‘gateway to the life in the spirit’ - strengthened by the holy Aquinas - Humans have dominion over all animals, they exist to fulfil our needs.
spirit to perform good works and do sacraments → Justification Genesis 9: “Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you”
(Emphasises church’s role)
Justification: God's gift to humanity through the atoning death of Jesusand Justification by Faith: Salvation is not earned through good deeds, but received
through baptism, when the Holy Spirit begins the process of transforming our as the free gift of God’s grace through Jesus Christ.
lives.
, God Consolidation Apostles creed - 'I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and
“Apart from me there is no God” - Isaiah 44:6 earth'
Sinai Covenant: God tells Moses the Israelites to keep his law, and if they do he God as King: Monarchs had absolute power - depicted on a throne.
will be with them and protect them. - involves upholding the 10 commandments.
‘Kingdom’ used 162 times in the New Testament
Ethical Monotheism: Belief in one God includes following the moral codes linked
1 John 4:8 “God is love” - Agape is taught and modelled by Jesus.
to that belief.
Daly - Anthropomorphic language is problematic as “If God is male then male is
Genesis 1:1 Shows God as the transcendent creator of all things
God” - Reinforces patriarchy and sexism.
“Nothing is impossible with God” - Like 1:37
Anselm - Giving God human characteristics undermines
Descartes on omnipotence: God can do anything, even the logically impossible.
Vardy on omnipotence: God is limited by the universe he has chosen to create. General - Places limits on God, doesn’t reflect God's actual nature.
Apostolic Creed: Short summary of the christian faith - belief in the trinity Via Negativa: Only can say what God is not (positive terms leads to misunderstanding)
Nicene Creed: Reaffirms belief in the trinity - Jesus - consubstantial - father.
Daphne Hampson: Christianity is intrinsically sexist - it cannot exist and allow
The Great Commission, Matthew 28 equality for women - form of fascism and must be abandoned.
"Make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son
and the Holy Spirit" Rosemary Reuther: Change the Bible to be gender free. Should see Jesus as
androgynous - focus on his role as a liberator rather than his maleness.
The trinity is a model for our relationships on earth - committed with eternal love Christianity should be open to reinterpretation, it’s eschatological.
and common purpose.
Anthropomorphic language helps us understand and build a relationship with God
John 1:14, “The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” - taught by Jesus, who taught the our father prayer.
Underpins the belief of Jesus as the reincarnation of God.
Opposition to Via Negativa: Leads to the annihilation of God, we need to say
John 10:30, “I and the Father are one” something to keep our connection with God
‘Unity of Purpose’: Jesus shares the same ‘purpose’ as God, despite their Process theology - alternate translation of Genesis 1:1, persuades chaotic matter
separation in nature. into organised forms through divine persuasion. Based on quantum mechanics.
The relationship between the universe and God is pantheistic - God is the soul of
Matthew 5:17, "I have not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfil
the universe. Contradicts the doctrine of ‘creation ex nihilo’.
them" → Jesus is building upon what God has already revealed to humanity.
1 Corinthians 8:6 → Yet for us.. From, for, through, through
God as Personal - God is immanent - holy spirit is God's active presence in the
world today. God can be known through Jesus Christ.
God as Father - Patriarchal context, carried out justice, created universe
(NT - Fatherly love)
