Summary Moral Principles

w/ - with.
JC – Jesus Christ.
CCC – Catechism of the Church.

Theonomous Approach

 Sola scriptura (BIBLE):
o Infallible self-authenticating wisdom as word of God.
o Authoritative and can take authority from Church.
o Gives insights into human nature and situations.

 SPHON  ‘wrenches the text from its unique historical context and ignores contradictory voices.’
 VERHEY  ‘biblical ethics does not provide an autonomous and timeless and coherent set of rules…
evokes the creative and faithful response.’
 Calming of storm reflects danger early Church experienced.

Heteronomous Approach

 Propositional Revelation:
o Literal as is what it is.

 Non-propositional Revelation:
o Knowledge from faith/experience.
o BIBLE for encountering living God.
o JC personal and experiential.

PROTESTANTISM

 Bible, tradition and reason.

 Church excludes unreliable texts.
 Tradition debate making sense of church experiences and how scripture is used.

CATHOLICISM

 Sacred tradition – equal understanding of authority of revelation and JC.

 Tradition, bible, magisterium, reason.

 Revelation mutually interpreting and connecting.
 Reason accesses teachings passed via BIBLE and Pope.

 Magisterium works w/ BIBLE discussing teachings.
 CCC joins tradition and BIBLE using reason and Natural Law to solve moral issues.

 HAUERWAS:
o Needs group to discuss societal values.

 HAYES  reason is always culturally influenced.
 THESSALONIANS  ‘stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you.’
 SERMON ON THE MOUNT  demands made are examples of God-given virtues they must develop.

Agape

 Unconditional, self-sacrificial love and moral supremacy.
 Reason navigates and applies it.
 BIBLE and JC teachings.