Christian Morality

Pete ByrneCCRS Bexhill

Module Outline

1. Introduction to Christian Morality & the Authority of the Catholic Church.

2. Natural Law and the Importance of Conscience.

3. Situation Ethics and Divine Command Theory.

4. Ethical Dilemmas: Bioethics & Sexual Ethics

Introduction to Christian Morality

Outcomes of session

• Identify the ‘key’ moral / ethical issues that are important for Catholics in 2015.

• Introduce the different approaches Christians use to make moral / ethical decisions.

• Explore what is unique and distinctive about Christian / Catholic Morality.

Do you think it can ever be justified for a priest to lie?

Making Moral Decisions

Two key questions:

• What are the key moral issues facing Catholics in 2015?

• How should Catholics decide what is ‘right’?

Types of Ethics

• Meta-Ethics– Concerns the meaning of

language used in ethics.

• Normative Ethics– Concerning the attempt

to arrive at practical moral standards.

• Applied Ethics– The application of ethical

theories to determine the morality of given actions.

Normative Ethics• Deontological Ethics

– Certain actions are right or wrong in and of themselves regardless of consequences.

– Intrinsic – for its own sake (e.g. happiness)

• Teleological Ethics– (Consequential Ethics) Looking at the

consequences of the action to justify their moral worth.

– Instrumental – a means to something else (e.g. money)

Is morality relative or absolute?

Absolutism

• Ethical commands are objectively true for all people at all times in all circumstances.

• A moral judgement that relies on a fixed truth such as “Do not steal” is absolutist.

• Actions are believed to be intrinsically right or wrong, meaning they are right and wrong in themselves.

• This rule says that some things are basically or intrinsically right or wrong, no matter what the circumstances-there is no room for manoeuvre.

• Moral commands are deontological; they have intrinsic worth.What makes an ethic DEONTOLOGICAL is that it pays no regard to

consequences. Its name comes from the Greek word for duty.

What is Relativism?

• There are no universal objective moral values e.g. reject moral absolutism.

• All moral values are relative to time and culture e.g. wearing the hijab.

• There is no such thing as good in itself.

• An action can seem good to me but bad to you because there is no objective moral “truth” or “facts” for us to discover.

BUT… no ethical theory is completely relativist e.g. utilitarianism see maximising happiness for the greatest number as an absolute.

Where does the Church get it’s authority from?

The Magisterium

What’s happening in this picture?

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How the Catholic Church makes Moral Decisions

There is a special Council of Cardinals called the Magisterium that meets to decide on moral guidance for the Church. Catholics believe that these Cardinals are guided by the holy spirit.

This is done by:• Studying the Bible.• Looking at tradition.• Praying• Debating

However, in exceptional cases the Pope may give infallible guidance to Catholics.

What do you think this is? Do you agree with it?

The Authority of the ChurchJesus put Peter in charge of the Church.

Jesus put Peter in charge of the Church

'You are Peter, (his name means 'rock') and upon this rock I will build my church. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven'

He is seen as the first Pope

Since then there has been an unbroken handing on of leadership from Pope to Pope - this is called the 'Apostolic Succession'. The Papal Coat of Arms includes two crossed keys to symbolise Christ's words.

What authority does this give Catholics?

What’s unique and distinctive about Christian morality?

Key Questions

• Who am I?

• Where did I come from?

• Where am I going?

What’s unique and distinctive about Catholic Morality?

• The role of faith (God’s Revelation)

• The dignity of the person (Sanctity of Life)

• Centrality of agape (sacrificial love)

• The use of reason (balancing revelation and tradition).

• Rejection of utilitarianism and moral relativism.