Rights & Responsibilities Notes, RE, Edexcel

g h t s
i V b i
R & o s i
p l
R e s i
i t
e s…read more

Making Moral
Decisions
Topics covered in `Making Moral
Decisions:
-The Bible
-The Church
-Conscience
-Situation Ethics…read more

Using the
Bible
Why Christians use it
Believe it is:
Why some don't
Inspired by God, written by
·Word of God dictated to bible humans, society was
writers God's guidance, different, needs to be
absolute authority.
adapted.
·~Contains teachings of Jesus
should follow teachings on
Been interpreted and
making moral decisions. (e.g. translated so many times,
Sermon on Mount-Jesus taught not correct teaching
about the Decalogue) could be wrong.
·~Records Jesus' life, use it to Use conscience instead,
see how he would act in certain direct guidance from God
situation best to follow his must be correct.
example. The Church interprets
·~Use it as it contains The
bible, holds authority and
Decalogue- Clear guidance of
God's. Rules know how to has correct teaching is
behave. more correct.…read more

Using the
Church
Why Christians use it
Believe it is:
Why some don't
·Think that God gave them
·Body of Christ think it is free will
how he works in the world ·St Thomas and St Paul-
same authority.
Use conscience
·Believe it the voice of God that
speaks through the Church
·God wouldn't have given
authority. the Bible if He didn't want
·If everyone made own people to use it
decisions, chaos, no set rules ·Conscience is directly from
by following Church, there is a God
set law + people can be `sure'
they have made the right
decisions.
·Pope is believed to have been
selected by God, therefore
believe to have supreme
authority.…read more

Using your
Conscience
Why Christians use it
·Believe God speaks to them.
Why some don't
·If everyone followed
Believe what inside is telling you conscience, no concept of
is God. what is wrong and right
·Church says they should follow
·If you follow the Bible and
their conscience and the
Church
teachings of the Church-
·Church and Bible not directly can't go wrong, therefore
from God- Conscience is don't need it
·St Thomas Aquinas and St ·There would be chaos, no
Paul told Xians to use set rules.
conscience in the last part of ·Can be wrong- e,g
decision making. Yorkshire Ripper who
thought God had told him to
kill prostitutes.…read more

Using Situation
Ethics
The idea that
Christians
should base
Why Christians use it
·Jesus followed it- Healed a
Why some don't
·God wouldn't have given
moral man on Sabbath (overruled Old the Bible if He didn't want
Testament) people to follow- therefore
decisions on
·Only should carry out actions
what is the should base decisions on
which will have good
most loving consequences ­ (should be
Bible
thing to do. aware of consequences) ·Should follow agreed
·Jesus sais only laws are to love teachings which Xians all
God and your neighbour. believe in- e.g. Decalogue-
Therefore should help others not make own up
·Believe Christianity is based on ·Think Church knows
love and forgiveness... Should better than the individual,
base on love, not laws. therefore should follow
them
·You can never know the
full situation and
consequences.…read more