Bible, Church & Reason

Bible, Church & Reason as Authority for Christian Ethics

Christian ethics must be a combination of biblical teaching, Church teaching and human reason. Catholic ethics largely centre around the ideas of Sacred Tradition and natural law.

Liberal Christians

Liberal Christians believe that the Bible is inspired by God but written by humans.
- Because humans wrote the Bible, they believe that it may contain some errors. Some parts may also be metaphorical.
They may also say that the Bible was written a long time ago and society has since changed since.
So, parts of the Bible may well be out of date and reflect the time that it was written in.

Sacred Tradition

Catholics refer to tradition and Sacred Tradition.
- They see tradition as having a precedent over the Bible.
This is because it was the Church community that decided what texts should be sacred and form the Bible.
Sacred Tradition is a means of coming to know the revelation of Jesus.
It follows the oral tradition handed down by Jesus to the first Christian leaders in an unbroken chain of Apostolic Succession.

Sacred Tradition - origins

The sacred chain of Apostolic Succession chain begins with St Peter.
Jesus appointed St. Peter as the first Bishop of Rome. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says the following to Peter:
- 'And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.'

Sacred Tradition - Holy Spirit

Tradition is seen as the way in which the Holy Spirit works in the world.
The task of interpreting the Bible is given to the Church.
The Church is the only authority that can give authentic interpretation of scripture.
- This is because Church leaders are seen to be inspired by the Holy Spirit.
The council of Vatican II formally declared that Sacred Tradition is seen as binding authority on moral life.

Natural law

The Catholic Church also draws on natural law as a method of ethical decision-making.
- ‘To the Church belongs the right always and everywhere to announce moral principles'. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, para. 2032)
With this authority comes the assertion that there are moral absolutes: some things are simply wrong or right.
Humans are weak and sinful and so cannot rely on themselves to make moral decisions properly. The Bible and Church are required.
Catholics use reason alongside the Bible and Sacred Tradition in natural law ethics.

Reason & conscience

Reason is understood as a gift from God to enable humanity to access God’s revelation.
The most important area in ethics is understanding natural law as put forward by St. Thomas Aquinas.
- Aquinas said that we use the conscience to reason what is right to do. In doing so, we identify the secondary precepts of natural law.
In the 19^th century, John Henry Newman said that conscience has more authority than even the Pope (i.e. the Church).
- This is because having a conscience predates the Church’s existence.

Bible, Church & Reason as Authority for Christian Ethics

The common understanding of the Anglican Church is that Church tradition relates both to the practices and beliefs of the first Christians to current traditions in the Church.

Bible & Church

In Anglican ethics, the Bible comes first but it is not the only source of understanding.
Influences from the Bible and Church tradition are often combined.
- This may be when making moral decisions, or decisions about practices within the Church.

Church & moralilty

Over 2,000 years, the Church has interpreted the Bible and this interpretation should guide people in their moral lives.
Churches are often governed by councils or synods that guide people in how to live.
- The Church is the bridge between the 1^st century and today and its journey is as important as the journey of the 1^st Christians.

Reason

Reason is also required to understand the Bible in an ever-changing world.
But, it is also important to understand reason as trying to establish what would be in the Bible if it were being written today.
The Bible can speak into current situations if appropriately analysed.
Many protestants emphasise the importance of both:
- Studying the Bible through Bible study groups.
- Engaging in private reflection and listening to preaching.

1Philosophy of Religion

1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato

1.1.1Plato's Understanding of Reality

1.1.2Plato's Theory of Forms

1.1.3Plato's Analogy of the Cave

1.1.4The Purpose of Plato's Analogy of the Cave

1.1.5Evaluation of Plato's Theories

1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle

1.2.1Aristotle's Understanding of Reality

1.2.2Aristotle's Four Causes

1.2.3Aristotle's Prime Mover

1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body

1.3.1Plato & Aristotle's Views of the Soul

1.3.2Metaphysics of Consciousness

1.3.3Materialism - Ryle’s Philosophical Behaviourism

1.3.4Materialism - Identity Theory

1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation

1.4.1The Teleological Argument - Aquinas' Fifth Way

1.4.2The Teleological Argument - Paley & Evolution

1.4.3The Cosmological Argument

1.4.4Hume's Criticisms: Teleological & Cosmological

1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason

1.5.1The Ontological Argument

1.5.2Criticisms of the Ontological Argument

1.6Religious Experience

1.6.1Introduction to Religious Experience

1.6.2Mystical Experience

1.6.3Conversion Experience

1.6.4Understanding Religious Experience

1.6.5Issues Relating to Religious Experience - Validity

1.6.6Issues Relating to Religious Experiences - People

1.7The Problem of Evil

1.7.1Presentations of the Problems of Evil

1.7.2Discussion Points -

1.8The Nature & Attributes of God

1.8.1Omnipotence

1.8.2Omniscience

1.8.3Boethius - Divine Knowledge, Free Will & Eternity

1.8.4(Omni)benevolence

1.8.5Eternity & Free Will

1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic

1.9.1Apophatic & Cataphatic Way

1.9.2Symbol

1.9.3Discussion Points: Religious Language

1.10Religious Language: 20th Century Perspective

1.10.1Logical Positivism & Verification Principle

1.10.2Wittgenstein

1.10.3Falsification Symposium: Flew & Hare

1.10.4Falsification Symposium: Mitchell

1.10.5Discussion Points: Verification & Falsification

1.10.6Discussion Points: Aquinas vs Wittgenstein

2Religion & Ethics

2.1Natural Law

2.1.1St Thomas Aquinas - Telos & Four Tiers of Law

2.1.2St Thomas Aquinas - Precepts

2.1.3St Thomas Aquinas - Real & Apparent Goods

2.1.4Discussion Points - Natural Law & Doing Good

2.1.5Discussion Points - Telos & Double Effect Doctrine

2.2Situation Ethics

2.2.1Fletcher's Situation Ethics

2.2.2Fletcher's Concept of Conscience

2.2.3Discussion Points: Moral Decision-Making

2.2.4Discussion Points - Agape

2.3Kantian Ethics

2.3.1Introduction to Kantian Ethics & Duty

2.3.2Hypothetical & Categorical Imperative

2.3.3Summum Bonum & Three Postulates

2.3.4Discussion Points: Kantian Ethics

2.4Utilitarianism

2.4.1The Utility Principle

2.4.2Act & Rule Utilitarianism

2.4.3Discussion Points: Utilitarianism

2.5Euthanasia

2.5.1Key Concepts for Euthanasia Debates

2.5.2Discussion Points: Natural Law & Situation Ethics

2.5.3Discussion Points: Sanctity of Life

2.5.4Discussion Points: Autonomy & Medical Intervention

2.6Business Ethics

2.6.1Corporate Social Responsibility & Whistle-Blowing

2.6.2Good Ethics & Globalisation

2.6.3Discussion Points: Utilitarianism & Kantian Ethics

2.6.4Discussion Points: CSR, Globalisation & Capitalism

3Developments in Christian Thought

3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings

3.1.1Human Nature

3.1.2Original Sin & God's Grace

3.2Death & the Afterlife

3.2.1Heaven, Hell, & Purgatory

3.2.2Different Interpretations of the Afterlife

3.2.3Election

3.2.4The Final Judgement

3.2.5Discussion Points: Heaven, Hell & Purgatory

3.3Knowledge of God's Existence

3.3.1Natural Knowledge

3.3.2Revealed Knowledge in Faith, Grace, & Jesus Christ

3.3.3Revealed Knowledge in the Bible & Church

3.3.4Discussion Points: Reason & Belief in God

3.3.5Discussion Points: The Fall & Trust in God

3.4The Person of Jesus Christ

3.4.1Jesus Christ’s Authority as the Son of God

3.4.2Jesus Christ’s Authority as a Teacher of Wisdom

3.4.3Jesus Christ’s Authority as a Liberator

3.5Christian Moral Principles

3.5.1The Bible & Love

3.5.2Bible, Church & Reason

3.5.3Discussion Points: Christian Ethics

3.5.4Discussion Points: Love & the Bible

3.6Christian Moral Action

3.6.1Dietrich Bonhoeffer & the Confessing Church

3.6.2Bonhoeffer & Civil Disobedience

3.6.3Bonhoeffer's Teaching on Ethics as Action

3.6.4Discussion Points: Civil Disobedience & Bonhoeffer

3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology

3.7.1Pluralism & Theology: Exclusivism & Inclusivism

3.7.2Pluralism & Theology: Pluralism

3.7.3Discussion Points: Salvation

3.7.4Discussion Points: Pluralism Undermining Beliefs

3.8Development - Pluralism & Society

3.8.1Development of Multi-Faith Societies

3.8.2Responses to Inter-Faith Dialogue

3.8.3The Scriptural Reasoning Movement

3.8.4Discussion Points: Social Cohesion & Scripture

3.8.5Discussion Points: Conversion

3.9Gender & Society

3.9.1Waves of Feminism

3.9.2Traditional Christian Views on Gender Roles

3.9.3Christian Views on Gender Roles & Family

3.9.4Discussion Points: Secular Views of Gender

3.9.5Discussion Points: Motherhood & Family

3.10Gender & Theology

3.10.1Rosemary Radford Ruether

3.10.2Mary Daly

3.10.3Discussion Points: Ruether & Daly

3.10.4Discussion Points: Male Saviour & Female God

3.11Challenges

3.11.1Secularism - Sigmund Freud

3.11.2Secularism - Richard Dawkins

3.11.3Christianity & Public Life

3.11.4Discussion Points: Spiritual Values

3.11.5Discussion Points: Social Values & Opportunities

3.11.6Karl Marx

3.11.7Liberation Theology

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