Christian values

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Allegory of Virtue by Raphael in the Stanza della Segnatura of the Vatican

Christian values is applied as a term to values that are related to Christianity .

This can be justified in the context of theological ethics ; This is linked to the demand that Christian faith should form the basis for social action and social norms . In some cases, a cultural tradition of these values ​​is established. The word Christian is also used as a catchphrase in political rhetoric .

Since in Christianity, as in all religions , there are different theological, ethical and exegetical priorities, there are also several ethical , moral and religious aspects of an understanding of values ​​that are anchored in or can be integrated into the Christian faith and differences in their interpretation. In addition, the values ​​of the church organizations themselves are subject to changing values . A generally accepted list of Christian values ​​that is concretized in today's terminology is therefore difficult to implement.

Biblical values ​​and norms

Moses with the Ten Commandments, Rembrandt , 1659

The authoritative basis for theological ethics is the text of the Bible , especially the New Testament . In connection with "Christian values", the following biblical commandments and passages are mentioned in particular:

• The Old Testament Ten Commandments , for example in Ex 20.2–17  EU
• the double commandment to love one's neighbor and love God, for example in Mark 12: 29–31  EU
• the Sermon on the Mount , from Mt 5.1  EU

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The subject of theological ethics is to derive values from the biblical text within the framework of biblical exegesis or to justify certain values ​​based on the biblical text. Some Christian fundamentalists and evangelicals consider this step to be evident and claim so-called fidelity to the Bible . The Bible is to be taken literally as a guide to moral action, Christian values are biblical values. Others see Jesus as a personal role model and ask themselves “ What would Jesus do? ” In ethical conflicts . “In between there are a multitude of different interpretations of the values ​​that result from the Christian faith.

For example, the fifth commandment (you should not murder) establishes a wide variety of values, from pacifism to the right to life or the prohibition of the death penalty . The extent to which these are generally binding Christian values , or whether exceptions are permissible, is the subject of numerous value discussions.

Directories of Christian Values

Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld : Faith, Love, Hope

Christian values in the sense of a directory of moral and religious regulations exist in the form of the catechisms of the Christian churches .

Concepts of virtue that are frequently mentioned and referred to as Christian values include:

• Faith, love, hope ( divine virtues )
• compassion
• Justice and justice (Psalm 33: 5 "God loves justice and justice.")

Relation to God

Crucifix in the council chamber of the city of Biberach an der Riss

In numerous discussions about the importance of Christianity for the state and society is tagged with Christian values , a reference to God demanded.

The Christian value system differs significantly from other value systems with the foundation of his image of man in God. In humanism and Buddhism , for example, the individual who is capable of suffering and compassionate is at the center of the value system, who is capable of autonomy . The diocesan bishop Kurt Krenn : "The so-called autonomous values ​​that we deduce from our human existence are not Christian values."

The Christian image of man gives rise to the political demand to anchor faith in God and Christ in laws as a central value of the social order. This is how Pope Benedict XVI assessed for example the lack of reference to God in the EU constitution as a “unique form of apostasy ”, Europe seems “to question the existence of universal and absolute values ​​more and more”, but “Christian values ​​are fundamental for the survival of our nations and societies”. But also in the discussions about school prayer , crucifix resolution and religious instruction , the catchphrase Christian values ​​is used in this sense, or when Chancellor Angela Merkel emphasizes that her party will "not waste any thought on removing the C from our name."

The opposing view is found in the values of the Enlightenment that a separation of religion and state aim, and the values of liberalism , in particular the freedom of religion , the separation of church and state and the principle of freedom of religion even to the basic demands of the Reformation Anabaptist movement counted and is still today the constituent principle of many Protestant free churches such as the Mennonites and Baptists .

Christian Democracy

In various European countries there are parties that refer to Christian values ​​in their programs, such as the Union pour un Mouvement Populaire in France or the Unione dei Democratici Cristiani e Democratici di Centro in Italy. In Germany, the CDU and CSU see themselves in this tradition, but also small parties such as the PBC , the center or the Christian center that has split off from it .

Commemorative coin: Ludwig Erhard The social market economy

According to its own statement, German Christian Democracy unites Christian, conservative and liberal values. As evidenced by their fundamental and party programs, the CDU and CSU refer to a “Christian image of man ” as a benchmark. According to the CDU, Christian values ​​include the appreciation of the family as the basis of society as well as the social responsibility of the individual for society ( Christian social doctrine ), which is manifested in economic policy in the model of the social market economy .

In a discussion paper, the CDU Values ​​Commission gives a detailed religious justification for its Christian image of man, which is intended to establish a connection between liberal human rights and the Christian faith.

Some economically liberal groups within Christian Democracy associate these Christian values ​​with “a clear commitment to the priority of private entrepreneurship over the assumption of tasks by the city” (or the state). This attitude is also expressed in the discussion paper of the CDU's Values ​​Commission: “In a social market economy, it is primarily the entrepreneurs who create the new jobs. [...] The state should reduce the density of regulation and avoid over-regulation. "

Christian values ​​are often associated with the West by the CDU . This usually takes place in a context of demarcation, either from communist values ​​(when Eastern Europe was dominated by communists at the time of the Cold War ) or, more recently, from “Islamic values” of the Orient .

In parts of the CDU, the commitment to Christian values ​​is no longer up-to-date, for example because the party under Angela Merkel has moved away from the Christian values ​​of the 50s and 60s, or because Christianity is no longer the political or religious background of many members of the party in the new federal states.

Family values

This article or the following section is not adequately provided with supporting documents ( e.g. individual evidence ). Information without sufficient evidence could be removed soon. Please help Wikipedia by researching the information and including good evidence.

In some discussions, the political catchphrase Christian values ​​stands less for specifically Christian beliefs and more generally for conservative values, in particular for a traditional understanding of family and gender roles .

In this sense, the Muslim Bülent Arslan , for example, can agree to the Christian values ​​of his party: “And if you look at the values ​​that are contained in the CDU's basic program, then these are all values ​​that you as an enlightened Muslim also in Islam can find again: justice, freedom, the importance of the family for example ... "

See also

• Axiology (philosophy)
• Christian virtues
• Theological virtues

literature

• Concilium . Internationale Zeitschrift für Theologie , Vol. 23 (1987), ISSN  0588-9804 , Issue 3: Values ​​and virtues in transition .
• Georg Fohrer , Ernst Ludwig Dietrich , Werner Georg Kümmel , Wolfgang Trillhaas : Article Morality , III.-VI. In: Religion Past and Present , Volume 6 . 3. A, pp. 66–92 (overviews of Old Testament, Jewish, New Testament and Christian moral conceptions in historical change).
• Franz Furger : Christian social ethics in plural society (writings of the Institute for Christian Social Sciences; Volume 38). LIT Verlag, Münster 1997, ISBN 3-8258-3527-8 , pp. 165ff.
• Eberhard Jüngel : Worthless truth. Christian experience of truth in the struggle against the "tyranny of values". In: Ders .: Worthless truth. On the Identity and Relevance of the Christian Faith (Theological Discussions; Volume 3). Chr. Kaiser, Munich 1990, ISBN 3-459-01866-6 , pp. 90-109.
• Wolfgang Kluxen : Christian values ​​in a pluralistic society. In: Hermann Flothkötter, Bernhard Nacke (ed.): Signs of the times (Scientific guidelines and Christian faith in today's time; Volume 3). Verlag Regensberg, Münster 1990, ISBN 3-7923-0594-1 , pp. 153-166.
• Christof Mandry , Dietmar Mieth : Europe as a community of values. In: Walter Fürst , Joachim Drumm, Wolfgang M. Schröder (eds.): Ideas for Europe. Christian perspectives on European politics . Lit Verlag, Münster 2004, ISBN 3-8258-7609-8 , pp. 121-145.
• Michael Mertes : Do Christian values ​​still have a future in Germany? In: Zeitschrift für Betriebswirtschaft , Vol. 76 (2006), Issue 1, pp. 21–32 ISSN  0044-2372 (report of demoscopic findings and explanation of the underlying concept of “values”).
• GR Schmidt: What are “Christian values”? In: Reinhold Mokrosch (Hrsg.): Christian value education in view of value change. Symposium of the Department of Protestant Theology . University, Osnabrück 1987, ISBN 3-923486-05-6 , pp. 75-106.
• Christoph Stückelberger, Frank Mathwig: Basic values. A theological-ethical orientation . TVZ, Zurich 2007, ISBN 978-3-290-17378-4 .
• Folke Werner: On the value of values. The suitability of the concept of value as an orientation-giving category of human lifestyle; a study from a Protestant perspective (drafts for Christian social science; Volume 13). Lit Verlag, Münster 2002, ISBN 3-8258-5594-5 (also dissertation, University of Münster 2001).

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Diocesan Bishop Dr. Kurt Krenn: Liberalism is the political evil of our time. In: Michaela Schlögl (Ed.) What does who believe in? 16 Conversations about God and the World. Paul Zsolnay Verlag, ISBN 3-552-04937-1 , Vienna 1999, pp. 117–129 (online)
2. ↑ Süddeutsche Zeitung, March 24, 2007, Pope: EU forgets Christian roots
3. ↑ Die Welt, September 13, 2008 Pope stands behind Sarkozy's "positive secularism"
4. ↑ Article in the Hamburger Morgenpost from June 11, 2005  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
5. ↑ Basic program of the CDU Archivlink ( Memento of the original of January 22, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
6. ↑ Values ​​Commission of the CDU Germany: Christian values ​​- The new topicality of the Christian image of man . December 11, 2001 ( PDF ( Memento of the original from November 3, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this note. ) 
7. ↑ So the CDU chairman of Mainz-Neustadt , Karsten Lange, quoted after "Occidental image of man: Chief of the Neustadt CDU Lange calls for a stronger conservative profile" in the Mainzer Rhein-Zeitung of January 12, 2009, p. 16.
8. ↑ Christian values: The new topicality of the Christian image of man ( Memento of the original from November 3, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF file; 162 kB), p. 15. 
9. ↑ RELIGION: Non-Christian CDU? In: Der Spiegel . No. 51 , 2009 ( online ).
10. ↑ Peter Philipp: As a Muslim in the CDU. Interview with Bülent Arslan on Qantara.de , October 23, 2004.