Moral theology

Christian ethics is a branch of Christian theology that defines virtuous behavior and wrong behavior from a Christian perspective. Systematic theological study of Christian ethics is called moral theology. Christian virtues are often divided into four cardinal virtues and three theological virtues. Christian ethics includes questions regarding how the rich should act toward the poor, how women are to be treated, and the morality of war. Christian ethicists, like other ethicists, approach ethics from different frameworks and perspectives. The approach of virtue ethics has also become popular in recent decades, largely due to the work of Alasdair MacIntyre and Stanley Hauerwas. The curriculum for seminary formation of Catholic priests commonly includes multiple, required courses in Catholic moral theology. Required courses in moral theology or ethics are comparatively less common in Evangelical seminaries. In the Wesleyan tradition, Christian theology (and thus Christian ethics) are informed by four distinguishable sources known as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. The four sources are scripture, tradition, reason, and Christian experience. According to D. Stephen Long, Jewish ethics and the life of Jesus figure prominently in Christian ethics, but 'The Bible is the universal and fundamental source of specifically Christian ethics', Long also claims 'Christian ethics finds its source in diverse means, but it primarily emerges from the biblical narrative and especially the call of Abraham and Sarah and subsequent creation of the Jewish people'. Childress and Macquarrie state that 'Many Christian ethicists have claimed that Jesus Christ is the center of the biblical message in its entirety and the key to scripture'. Other Christian ethicists 'prefer a more Trinitarian rendering of the message of scripture'. Some modern Christians 'understand 'liberation' or deliverance from oppression to be the message of scripture'. Christians today 'do not feel compelled to observe all 613 commandments' in the Torah, but the Ten Commandments often figure prominently in Christian ethics. 'The Prophets ground their appeals for right conduct in God's demand for righteousness.' On the other hand, 'It is not... true to say that for the OT writers righteousness is defined by what God does; i.e., an act is not made righteous by the fact that God does it. Also noted as ethical guidelines adhered to by Old Testament figures is 'maintenance of the family', 'safeguarding of the family property', and 'maintenance of the community'.