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Sources of Norms
Sources of Norms
development of the faith of a Christian. To live a moral life Our next question is, how did morality arrive with these
entails that Christians conform to the life and teachings of norms? If the human person came up with these norms or
Jesus. However, for them to live a moral life, it is crucial found these norms by thinking deeply/ reflecting or so,
that they understand what morality is and to unlearn all called philosophizing, then the process or the science is
sorts of misconceptions. For a clear understanding of called Moral Philosophy. In other situations, if the norms
morality, one is able to ascertain what action is or rules were given or revealed by God or the Divine being,
appropriate and necessary for a certain circumstance. the science is called Moral Theology. What is the
With this, the concept of morality must be very clear to difference between the two? Moral Philosophy found out
the human person since this will be his/her very guide for the norms or rules by using purely human reasoning or
his/her day to day living. called philosophizing, while in Moral Theology, these rules
or norms were given or revealed by God. An example of
Before going to the unique or specified Christian sources norms in Moral Theology is the Ten Commandments. So
of morality this lesson will first present the basic concepts Moral Philosophy relies on pure reasoning/deeply thinking
on how Christians arrived with their different general while Moral Theology would depend on God’s revelation
moral norms so that we will be able to connect the and faith. Aside from Philosophizing and God’s revelation,
different concepts or norms of morality laid for the human let us try to find out how others come up with norms for
person. the human person .
The Descriptive title of our course is Christian Morality in Sources of Norms:
Our Times. First and foremost, we have to ask what is Three Bases in coming up with a good/right norm for
Morality? Basically, Morality is connected with norms. So, human act/ human life: Knowing the Origin, Nature and
the next step is to ask if what is a norm? the End/Destiny of the human person.
The concepts of the Origin, Nature, and the Destiny of the
Norm is a fundamental concept in the social sciences. It is Human Person and their serious implications in coming up
commonly defined as rules or standards that are socially with moral norms.
enforced. In the ancient times, when there were no formal 1. The Concept of the Origin of the Human Person
social structures such as government and the Church; or and all things that surround him/her.
when the different religions were not yet as organized as
they are now, norms often come in the forms of customs, → God (man is a creature of God)
rituals, and traditions. This was so since people would Origin:
easily follow these standards if it becomes part of their → Apes (man came from apes)
life-styles until it becomes part of their way of living. In the
Philippine context, respecting one’s parents would be Most if not all religions would strongly believe that all
taught by saying “po” or “opo” to them, or by the practice creation and the human person came from a creator which
of “pagmamano”. Norms would only come in the forms of we call “God” whether you call that God YHWH, Allah,
rules, regulations, or technically called law when society Brahman, Bathala, Kabuniyan or what so ever term which
became more socially organized in their government would indicate being all-powerful and other traits
systems. When different societies mature or develop, their expected of a supreme being.
moral standards would also become more organized, more
so when they realized how important is the laying out of Outside the realm of beliefs, some would strongly propose
the rules to govern human actions for the sustenance of other theories for the origin of the human person such as
the peace and order in society which will pave the way for the theories that the human person evolved from other
more social progress and further developments. So, what creatures or animals or even product of purely natural
is “Morality” in a more technical definition? happenings.
Morality is a science that deals with the “quality” Serious Implications to Morality:
(goodness or badness) of human acts/actions. “science” If you believe that the human person originated from
generally means a field of study. So, Morality will judge a supreme being called “God”, then it follows that your
whether a certain act or action is good or bad. How does moral norms/laws will depend on the characteristics of
morality judge human acts/actions? Morality needs that “God”; or that “God” will be the one to command or
basis/bases which are the rules or standards or technically give norms to the human person. An example of this is the
called Law. In general, these rules or standards or laws are 10 Commandments in the case of Judaism or Christianity.
called Norms. The moral laws will greatly respect the dignity of that
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“God” and the human person whom He also created. the other hand, if there is no noble end/destiny for the
There is what you call “fear of the Lord” as pat of your human person, then there are no such thing as moral
moral norms. norms. There will be norms but they will greatly depend
on the concept of the people who can manipulate the
For the second concept of the origin of the human others.
person which suggests that we evolved from other animals
or just product of purely natural events, its moral norms With the presentation of the different sources of
will just depend on the nature of the human person which moral norms, I hope it now clear to us why there are
will just be purely animal. With this, there will be no higher norms or laws which we find not compatible what we
dignity for the person to be respected and there will also believe especially with our views on the origin and the
be no fear or respect for a higher being or higher authority destiny for the human person. There are also norms/laws
which is called “God”. So, you can just do whatever you which we find not compatible with our basic nature as
want such as easily manipulating others even to the point human persons. These norms which we strongly believe as
of killing fellow human persons since you may think that not good for us are what we call misconceptions on
man is the highest authority on earth. morality. So, coming up with “wrong” norms is a product
of one’s misconceptions of morality. The misconceptions
2. Human Nature / Natural law (since man is part of on morality are just product of the “wrong” concept of the
the whole nature or Creation) origin, nature, and the destiny for the human person.
The same with the concept of the origin of the
human person, one’s concept/view of the nature of the Summarizing what is being discussed above,
human person will also dictate what set of moral norms is morality is centered on norms use to judge human
being set to be followed or lived by us humans. acts/actions or other practices of society whether they are
good or bad. The nearest and best basis to come up with
Serious Implications to Morality: moral norms is the nature of the human person and
As being explained above in the concept of the origin his/her surroundings/environment since for some people,
of all things, if you believe that we are both bodily and the origin and destiny for the human person is still unclear
spiritual beings since we are creations of God, then our or for them others’ belief on those matters is
moral norms will flow from such concept, and if you just unacceptable.
believe that we are purely animals, then our moral norms
will also flow from such view like treating us as purely As stated in the beginning of this discussion, for us
animals. Christians, the two basic ways on how we arrived with our
moral norms are Philosophy (Moral Philosophy) and
3. Destiny / End / or the Ultimate Goal of human Theology (Moral Theology). Formally defining the two will
life be as follows: Moral Philosophy studies the goodness and
Different religions commonly believe that as we were badness of human actions in the light of the highest
created by a higher being or called supreme being, we also principles based on human reason alone while Moral
have a good destiny prepared for us. We commonly Theology studies the goodness and badness of human
believe that there is a life after the death of our physical actions in the light of revelation (in the light of Christian
aspect. This is called “heaven” in Christianity, and other faith to attain his final goal).
religions have also their own terms for such a destiny for
the human person. Our course Christian Morality is based on both Moral
Philosophy and Moral Theology. Christian Norms are
On the other way around, other people who do not product of these two fields of science.
believe in beings that are higher than the human person
will just say that there is no such thing as life after death.
Death is the ultimate end of the human persons.
Serious Implications to Morality:
The same with the case of the concept of the origin of
all, the view for the end/destiny of the human person will
also dictate what set of moral norms is being laid for us. If
you strongly believe in the life after death and going there
at the end of life requires good moral life, then we have to
do good in our lives to be able to attained such destiny. On
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