On this page you will find:
Moral dilemmas
Biblical interpretation
Love
Moral dilemmas
When faced with difficult moral decisions, Christians have many different things to turn to to help them make the right choice. The following are just some of them, along with possible strengths and weaknesses - see which ones you agree with!
Conscience
For Aquinas, conscience is the act of applying our knowledge of good and evil to what we do (or might do). So in order to (naturally) know what is a good action or a bad one, one needs to understand how things are naturally ordered by God -- primarily what human nature is, and what things it needs and deserves. Our conscience is our realization that what we might do or have done is good or not, but it is not the actual doing or the choosing. On a technical note, for Aquinas conscience is the act of understanding what is right and wrong, though the name may be applied by extension to a habit or power of performing this act of understanding.The Bible
“In the image of God” – Genesis 1:26
“Do not kill” – Exodus 20:13
”You yourselves are God's temple” - 1 Corinthians 3:16
"The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away" - Job 1:21
"My times are in thy hand..." - Psalms 31:15
“Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?” - Ecclesiastes 7:17
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted” - Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
"No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death." - Ecclesiastes 8:8
"Love your neighbour as you love yourself" – Jesus
Prayer
The Catechism describes prayer as a "vital and personal relationship with the living and true God"
Our Father, who art in Heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Our kingdom come
Our will be done
On Earth, as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those that trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory
For ever and ever, amen
Inspirational Christians
Some people find it useful to look to modern, important Christians and their views on issues in order to help them make decisions. The following are a few quotes that can be used:
Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.
Mother Teresa
I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.
Mother Teresa
A right delayed is a right denied.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Church
Biblical Interpretation
Exegesis - the critical intepretation of a text, most notably Biblical text
Hermeneutics - the science of interpretation, especially the Scriptures
Different Christians tend to have different ways of looking at the Bible. For those who are fundamentalist, the Bible is the word of God and not open to interpretation. It is to be taken literally and every story is to be believed as fact.
However, more liberal Christians take a more relaxed approach. Although they still hold to the sanctity and importance of their holy text, they accept the fact that it was written a long time ago and therefore some of it may have been stylized or is now out of date. They therefore focus their energies on interpreting the text to get tp the meanings behind the stories etc, so as to try and live their lives according to God's wishes based on what the Bible is trying to teach.
Which way of reading the Bible would you prefer? Why?
Love
There are several different types of love, as defined by the ancient greeks:
Agape - generally refers to a "pure," ideal type of love, rather than the physical attraction. It has also been translated as "love of the soul."
Eros is passionate love, with sensual desire and longing. Some translations list it as "love of the body."
Philia - a dispassionate virtuous love, was a concept developed by Aristotle. It includes loyalty to friends, family, and community, and requires virtue, equality, and familiarity. Philia is motivated by practical reasons; one or both of the parties benefit from the relationship. It can also mean "love of the mind."
Storge is natural affection, like that felt by parents for offspring.
Xenia - hospitality, was an extremely important practice in Ancient Greece. It was an almost ritualized friendship formed between a host and his guest, who could previously have been strangers. The host fed and provided quarters for the guest, who was expected to repay only with gratitude. The importance of this can be seen throughout Greek mythology—in particular, Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.
In terms of Christianity, the type of love Jesus taught was agape, as in self-less and unconditional love. In such Biblical passage as The Golden Rule - 'love thy neighbour as thyself', Jesus was indicating that one should love all unconditionally regardless of enmity or difference. This teaching forms the backbone of Christianity and can be quoted endlessly in exam questions. If you learn no other Biblical passages, make sure you know that one!
