2. Step one – Main Sources
Authority Nature
The Bible
Ten Commandments
Beatitudes
Commandment to love
Paul’s letters
Early Church
Councils (Nicaea, Vatican II)
Church leaders/Fathers (St Thomas
Aquinas)
Encyclicals
Catechism (Catholics)
Natural Law
Do good and avoid evil
Logic and Reason
Moral development (Kohlberg?)
3. Step two – Over arching
Principle
Agape/Love
10 commandments (Exodus 20)
The Beatitudes (Mt 5:1-12)
The Commandment to love (Jn 13:34)
The Golden Rule (Mt 7:12)
Love your enemies (Rom 13:9-10)
Every decision that is made must take into consideration this
concept of love
4. Ethical Principles: Bioethics
Made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27)
Respect for the body
God is creator (Genesis 2:7)
Procreation requires God’s involvement
Human life is sacred
Respect for life
The dignity of the human person (CCC)
Whatsoever you do for the least of my people, you do for me (Mt25)
5. Variants/Diversity
Make reference to various denominations and their views.
Remember that they do not always have to be views that
disagree to provide evidence of the wider Christian view.
6. But, don’t just state them, you need to explain how they
work and why they are applied.
This is the mistake that many are making regarding
abortion.
7. International Pentecostal
Church of Christ
AFFIRMS our conviction that abortion on demand for social
adjustment or to solve economic problems is morally wrong, and
expresses its firm opposition to any legislation that will legalize
abortion for those reasons;
8. CALL UPON the committed Christian who may experience other
pregnancies, such as those resulting from rape and incest, which may
require deliberate termination, to arrive at the decision only after
there has been extensive medical, psychological and religious
counseling of the most sensitive kind realizing the final decision
remains that of the woman, and when such determination has been
reached, the individuals involved should not be subjected to censure.
9. 2013 section II
Explain ethical teaching in Christianity in one of the
following areas: (6 marks)
• Bioethics
• Environmental ethics
• Sexual ethics
10. Strengths Areas for improvement
• demonstrating knowledge
of Christianity and its
ethical teachings
• providing reasons for
ethical teachings
• referring to the New
Testament in preference
to the Hebrew Scriptures
• demonstrating
understanding of sexual
ethics and bioethics
• using quotes from the
New Testament to
support statements about
ethical teachings
11. 2012 Section II
(i) Briefly outline TWO Christian ethical
teachings in Bioethics
(4 marks)
(i) How does ONE ethical teaching outlined in
part (a) (i) influence the lives of adherents?
(5 marks)
12. Quality responses…
In better responses, candidates clearly provided the main features
of two Christian ethical teachings in the area of environmental
ethics, bioethics or sexual ethics. These responses were supported
with correct terminology and scriptural references from the New
Testament and/or Church documents. In these better responses,
candidates clearly identified the ethical teaching and did not
confuse this with the concept of an ethical issue; for example, the
ethical teaching of the dignity of all human life As opposed to the
ethical issue of euthanasia or abortion. In these responses,
candidates were objective in their responses rather than taking the
high moral ground.
13. What not to do…
In midrange responses, candidates interchanged ethical
teachings with ethical issues.
In weaker responses, candidates named or described an
ethical issue
14. Sample
Christians believe that all human beings are made in the image of God and
so are to be cherished. This refers to the ethical teaching on the sanctity of
all life. The value of a person’s life should not be reduced to their
contribution but to life itself. “Do no evil that good may come of it:” some
kind acts are intrinsically evil and should never be performed, even their
omission can have very bad consequences.
The principle of double effect – an act which is good in itself and not
wicked, but which has good consequences and bad consequences: where
(a) the agent does not intend the bad consequences and only tolerates it, (b)
the bad consequences are not the means of bringing about the good ones,
and (c) the good consequences are good enough to be worth tolerating the
bad consequences as a regrettable side effect. This refers to the ethical
teaching of treating each other with love and respect – the 10
Commandments (Ex 20).
15. Quality responses…
In better responses, candidates clearly linked one ethical
teaching to the chosen issue. In these responses, candidates
supported their responses with reference to scripture and other
authoritative documents from the Christian tradition. These
responses were thoughtfully considered and well expressed,
clearly identifying the link between the ethical teaching and the
chosen issue. Candidates supported their responses with clear
examples and made reference to sacred texts. They used correct
terminology and logically developed an argument.
16. What not to do…
Candidates who wrote mid-range responses described an
ethical issue without making a clear link to the ethical
teaching or using good examples.
In weaker responses, candidates mainly outlined an ethical
issue or simply reiterated the response of part (a)(i).
17. Sample
All bioethical teachings in Christianity will have some influence
on the lives of adherents. For example, the ‘principle of double
effect’; one may not directly kill another human being as no good
may come of it. This can mean that one has to undergo the bad
consequences of omitting to do the bad action, such as killing
another to relieve their pain, and so, go to some trouble to find
alternative ways to comfort the suffering rather than to put them
‘out of their misery’. With reference to the ‘principle’; narcotics
analgesia is permissible where no other pain relief is possible as
the conditions apply to this treatment.
18. 2011 Section III
Some religions emphasise justice, while others emphasise compassion.
How does the statement reflect the diversity of
expression within the Christian tradition?
