Question RE Beliefs and Ethics (1 Viewer)

[bananasmoothy]

How exactly do the beliefs of different Christian denominations help to form their ethical teachings?
Can anyone help me with this one?

 

[priesty]

well lets see, im sure you've heard of the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament and the story behind how Moses received them? Search for them in Google, but they cover some very ethical issues that has stuck with all Christian denominations to this day regarding adultery, murder, stealing etc.

I think ur probably also looking for specifics yes? Well you can pretty much relate all this to the Catholic church which is one of the biggest Christian branches (or the Orthodox in that case) where the ethical teachings of these things according to the commandments as being wrong and sinful have lead to numerous different practises within each church. (Repentance and Confession for example as a means of cleansing oneself from doing something unethical by the world's standards and sinful by the church's standards)

I know in the Catholic church they also used to have the different degrees of sin that perhaps is in respect to the ethical nature of the sin? (its probably worth looking into)

care to elaborate a bit more on what exact information your looking for?

 

[bananasmoothy]

Ahhh... I know what I'll do for my assessment now lol.

I have to talk about how the Bible and beliefs form Catholic and Anglican ethical teachings. I'll say something like the beliefs coming from the Bible - Ten Commandments, Beatitudes, Golden Rule, etc, which then form the basis of their ethics, which

Thanks heaps!

Hmm... do you have anything on how Catholic and Anglican ethics would differ exactly?

 

[priesty]

hmmm..... in my opinion all Christian ethics should be the same it would seem inconsistant if one denomination said murder was good and the other said it was bad.

but alas, i'm neither one of those denominations (I'm orthodox) so i don't have an exact idea on how the ethics would differ, i strongly believe that they would be the same though. The main differences between these denominations are just theological and structural. Christinity in terms of its message and ethics should remain untouched.

 

[littlewing69]

hmmm..... in my opinion all Christian ethics should be the same it would seem inconsistant if one denomination said murder was good and the other said it was bad.
The main differences between these denominations are just theological and structural. Christinity in terms of its message and ethics should remain untouched.

You're not serious, are you??


The Catholics have extrabiblical sources which affect their ethical behaviour, i.e. the Catechisms, Papal Bulls, etc.

Different denominations have different takes on biblical teaching. For example, most Christians would support the concept of "Just War", but Quakers and other Peace Churches take "turn the other cheek" literally and are pacificists.

In Australia, the Catholics are markedly more strict re: sexual ethics, while the Anglicans are generally more progessive (Sydney is different tho), and the UCA even more so.

There are enormous differences between and within denominations.

 

[priesty]

as i said, i dont have an exact idea about it all. the increasing number of variations saddens me.

i stand by my opinion though in that Christian ethics should be be similar throughout. why are new churches being established based on ethical principles?

 

[bananasmoothy]

Thanks heaps for all your help.
I think there's also some other things, such as views on abortion. Catholics are more stricter - only ectopic pregnancies allowed to abort, as opposed to Anglican.

 

[littlewing69]

as i said, i dont have an exact idea about it all. the increasing number of variations saddens me.

i stand by my opinion though in that Christian ethics should be be similar throughout. why are new churches being established based on ethical principles?

The Scriptures themselves are varied and ambiguous, and the different ethical positions drawn from them, by necessity, are similarly varied. Churches reflect culture, schools of theological thought, and history--there is no single purely biblical denomination. Hell, the concept of Trinity is never even dealt with in scripture, it was decided by a council.

I can see why you're saddened by the fragmentation, but it need not be a bad thing. If we can keep our theological differences while still being civil to each other and working together ecumenically, the Christian churches can each offer a different aspect/type of Christianity, making it more amenable to the largest number of people. Unfortunately, in the past, we tended to kill each other over these differences, but it need not be the case. Think of Christianity as an ice-cream shop with 500 flavours, rather than a pane of glass shattered into 500 shards.

 

[littlewing69]

Thanks heaps for all your help.
I think there's also some other things, such as views on abortion. Catholics are more stricter - only ectopic pregnancies allowed to abort, as opposed to Anglican.

Orthodox are similarly strict.

Also, Orthodox and Catholics have "punishments" such as excommunication or denying communion for mothers who abort, something the protestant denominations rarely do. Catholics and Orthodox are also more wont to have official dogma regarding the issue, while denominations such as the Uniting Church are reticent to publish an official position on the issue.

 

[priesty]

Hell, the concept of Trinity is never even dealt with in scripture, it was decided by a council.

I beg to differ.


Also, abortion in Orthodoxy is allowed if the life of the mother is at risk at pregnancy etc.

 

[littlewing69]

I beg to differ.

There is significant confusion within the NT about the nature of Christ's divinity and hence the Trinity. The Trinity is never spelt out the way contemporary Christians now think of it.

 

[priesty]

The trinity however stems back to Genesis and creation.

The Trinity is never spelt out the way contemporary Christians now think of it.

Matthew 28:19

Nature of Christ will always be debated.
It all has been a result of different interpretations. What you believe is therefore dependant on your faith.