The historical stages of social ethics in Christian Context

Abstract

The independence of ethics is not necessarily independence from the essence of religion, but rather from its historical embodiment. This is based on the understanding that religion is more than just the concepts and teachings found in religious texts, as well as the interpretations and explanations of those texts. Religion, in this sense, is the experience that gave rise to all of this, rooted in humanity's journey in pursuit of truth. In this research, we aim to shed light on the historical stages that Christian ethics, as mentioned in the Bible, have undergone, particularly the Christian community’s deviation from ethical principles through various historical events. This deviation stems from the fact that the majority of this community did not believe that the ethical teachings of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Gospels, were of divine origin. Instead, they considered these teachings to be the words of men, who are prone to error. Additionally, the role played by the Church was a significant factor, as it sought to satisfy its own desires through a society that trusted it. The Church imposed religious rituals invented by priests, bishops, and popes over the centuries when the Church held substantial influence over Christian social life, aligning with material power and secular laws. This led to the emergence of philosophers and philosophies throughout Christian history, further distancing society from the teachings of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him). Consequently, there was a swift movement towards secularism, which was embraced as a way of life, with efforts to guide society toward secularism and absolute freedom. Today, we witness a moral decay that tarnishes the history of humanity. The question remains: has the Christian community adhered to the virtuous behaviors and ethics taught in the Bible after being subjected to these worldly distortions?