What is Morality dependent upon the Moral Law?

0 There are four expressions of moral law:1. Divine Law – the plan of God’s wisdom to

direct human activity to good.

2. Natural Law – written in your heart that helps you know what is good and what is evil.

3. Revealed Law – written in Old and New Testaments

4. Civil and Church Law – established by nations and the Church to promote the common good.

What is Natural Law?

• God’s fatherly instruction that is written on the human heart and accessed by human reason

• It is what distinguishes us from other of God’s creatures

• With our Conscience we have the ability to discern and choose between Good and Evil acts

• God has placed in our souls a moral compass that points the way to make good moral decisions.

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What is Human Dignity?

• The respect owed to all human beings because we are all made in God’s image

• Two forms:1. God Given – Never Lose2. Actions – Can Lose

• Why is this fundamental to morality?

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Caster Semenya

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Female athlete from South Africa

She or he? South African track star Caster Semenya to take gender test 

South African teenager Caster Semenya, whose rapid improvement has prompted officials to order a gender verification test, won the women's world 800 metres title with a crushing performance on Wednesday. Female 800meters winner at Worlds medal winner’s dignity was impacted after questions were raised regarding her gender.

0Disturbing International headlines set things straight for the entire world to see.

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How does Jesus help us to uphold human dignity?

• He is incarnate – both human and divine in nature • True God and True Man

• He is our role model • Does morality on the run• Shows us his morality as he

encounters people and proclaims his message

• WWJD – when we are faced with morality on the run.

The Code of Ethics• Ethics: a set of principles of right conduct• Ethical Code: refers to a set of guidelines and

standards for governments and professions to abide by • Examples?• Hippocratic Oath for Doctors• Business Code of Ethics• Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations

Article 1: All humans are born free and equal.Article 5: No one shall be subjected to torture.Article 24: The right to rest and leisure.Article 26: The right to education.

Why do we have them?0 People often make ethical choices automatically.

0 Ethics are applied to an individual’s personal conduct in daily life. These are a few examples of one’s personal code of conduct.0 How we behave with others? 0 What moral values we take in? 0 How we look upon humanity? 0 How we maintain our own integrity?

0  One recent example of high standards of personal ethics was set by Barack Obama. During his presidential campaign, when others resorted to maligning the opponents name through unfair practices and scandals, Barack Obama stood firm on his political social and global agenda. He was equally rewarded for his ethics by the American people, when he was finally elected. 8

Personal Code of EthicsThe best antidote to ethical lapses is to commit in advance to a set of

ethical principles -- your personal ethical code. Your code defines your standards of right and wrong. It helps you resist temptation and becomes your basis for making ethically sensitive decisions.

A personal code of ethics puts into writing those ideas and philosophies that are the essence of your life and allows you to say “I will do this because I believe this”

YOUR TASK:• Create your own Personal Code of Ethics.

• State each principle, then provide an explanation of why you believe it to be important. Each principle should be no more than a couple of sentences. Aim for a minimum of 5 principles.

• Due next class.

My Personal Code of Ethics

An Example:

0Integrity – I will be honest in everything I do – always forthright – always sincere – always reliable – always dependable.

0This is important to me because all people deserve to be treated with respect. When you truly respect someone, you are honest and sincere. Lying only breeds hurt and ill will.

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