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The Particularity

Of Christian Morality

The Particularity of Christian


Morality
Does Christianity offer a distinctive
way of life different from and
superior to all others? Do Christian
norms of behavior apply equally to all
people? Or only to Christians?

The Particularity of Christian


Morality

Is the Christian life universal


or particular?

The Particularity of Christian


Morality

Christians claim a particular


source for their understanding
of how they should live, and
the source is our Jesus Christ.

The Particularity of Christian


Morality

Christian moral teaching can make


no claim upon those who do not
share the fundamental convictions
upon which it is based.

The Particularity of Christian


Morality
Why be good?
Because the God is revealed in Jesus
Christ, the God who loves us and
forgives us, and the God who saves
us from sin and death has called us
to his
LOVE AND SERVICE.

The Particularity of Christian


Morality

Christian Moral
Teaching

The Particularity of Christian Morality


1.

Christian moral teaching is


Particularistic.
What is good? The basic good is love,
because God is love. Because God has
called us to love one another. These
statements are not ethical arguments,
they are religious convictions they will
have little persuasive power for people
who do not believe in the first place.

The Particularity of Christian


Morality
Christians believe that Christ is Lord,
not just for the Church, but for all.
Christ is the head of the whole
human race.

The Particularity of Christian


Morality
Gods will is not just for Christians
but for all humankind; his love
embraces all. Love is not just a
particular demand upon Christian
believers; it is fundamental underlying
principle of unity in all creation.
F.D Maurice

The Particularity of Christian


Morality
2.

Christian moral teaching is or can claim


to be universal.
Christians believe that we are called
to be and to do what God wants all people
everywhere to be and do. Christian
principles, which are grounded on the
principle of love and justice, can be
supported by others outside the
community of faith in normal, if not on
religious grounds.

The Particularity of Christian


Morality
3.

We, Christians need to recognize the


rights of other people to oppose our
ethical views, even those views which we
think should commend themselves to all
people.
We live in an ethically pluralistic
culture. We can properly claim the right
to follow our own moral convictions, but
we must at the same time, accord that
right to other persuasions.

Christian Ethical

Perspective

Christian Ethical
Perspective

Christian
Anthropology

Christian Ethical
Perspective
Christian Anthropology is a doctrine
that establishes the moral status:
God has made us in his own image.
We have been making our own moral
choices. We can choose whom or
what we shall serve.

The Doctrine

of Original Sin

The Doctrine of Original Sin

Surely I was sinfulat birth,


sinful from the time my mother
conceived me.
Psalms 51:5

The Doctrine of Original Sin


Wherefore, as by one man sin
entered into the world and death by
sin; and so death passed upon all
men, for that all have sinned.
Romans 5:12

The Doctrine of Original Sin


Therefore as by the offense of one judgment
came upon all men to condemnation;
even so by the righteousness of one
the free gift came upon all men.
For as by mans obedience many were made
sinners, so by the obedience of one
shall many be made righteous.
Romans 5:18-19

The Doctrine of Original Sin

Augustines Argument goes as


follows:
The church is baptizing infants.

The Doctrine of Original Sin


For the children being not yet born,
neither having done any good or
evil, that the purpose of God
according to election might stand,
not of works, but of Him that calleth
Romans 9:11

The Doctrine of Original Sin

The Church today is to distinguish


between the good and the not so
good in Augustines teaching.

The Doctrine of Original Sin

The center of Christianity is not


the moral law but the Gospel.

The Doctrine of Original Sin


The Cross is the symbol of the
terrifying power of human sinfulness.
The Risen Lord is the sign of Gods
grace and power that overcomes sin
and death.

The Doctrine of Original Sin


For us Christians, the moral life
is our sacrifice of praise and
thanksgiving to God for that
salvation which is given to us.

The Doctrine of Original Sin


There is then this
TWO-SIDED VIEW OF HUMANITY:
1. It recognizes the fact of sinfulness, but
2. denies that this is the last word to be
said.

The Doctrine of Original Sin


The

image of God makes our freedom operative,


even though it is limited and distorted by sin.

We

have the capacity for both good and evil:


therefore we have responsibility for our own
moral choices.

And

most of all, we have available to us the grace


and forgiveness of God when we fail and repent
of our evil ways.

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