Christian ethicists
Christian ethics, also known as moral theology, is a multi-faceted ethical system: it is a virtue ethic which focuses on building moral character, and a deontological ethic which emphasizes duty. It also incorporates natural law ethics, which is built on the belief that it is the very nature of humans – created in the image of God and capable of morality, cooperation, rationality, discernment and so on – that informs how life should be lived, and that awareness of sin does not require special revelation.: 93 Other aspects of Christian ethics, represented by movements such as the social Gospel and liberation theology, may be combined into a fourth area sometimes called prophetic ethics.: 3–4 Christian ethics derives its metaphysical core from the Bible, seeing God as the ultimate source of all power.
6 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
Abelard and Heloise
Melvyn Bragg discusses the story of Abelard and Heloise, a medieval tale of literature and philosophy, love and scandal in the high Middle Ages.
5 May 2005
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Henrietta Leyser, Michael Clanchy
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Bonhoeffer's ideas about Christian ethics, the role of the Church in a secular world, and his attempts to overthrow Hitler.
27 September 2018
Featuring: Stephen Plant, Eleanor McLaughlin, Tom Greggs
ReligionChristian humanistsAnglican saintsProtestants in the German Resistance20th-century German philosophersPeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendarChristian ethicistsHumboldt University of Berlin alumniChristian poetsExecuted philosophersChristian radicalsLutheran saints20th centuryGermanyElizabeth Anscombe
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the influential thinker who rejuvenated moral philosophy in the postwar period.
22 June 2023
Featuring: Rachael Wiseman, Constantine Sandis, Roger Teichmann
PhilosophyVirtue ethicistsConverts to Roman CatholicismAnalytic philosophersBertrand Russell Professors of PhilosophyDeaths from kidney failure in the United KingdomChristian ethicistsPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyBritish philosophers of languageFellows of the British AcademyBritish philosophers of mind20th-century British philosophersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesRoman Catholic writersBritish women philosophersFellows of Somerville College, OxfordWittgensteinian philosophersAlumni of Newnham College, CambridgeAction theoristsCatholic philosophersCambridge University Moral Sciences Club20th centuryLanguageKarl Barth
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Swiss theologian who aimed to put God and Christ at the heart of Christianity when he saw others making humanity and self-revelation its focus.
7 December 2023
Featuring: Stephen Plant, Christiane Tietz, Tom Greggs
ReligionDuke University facultyAcademic staff of the University of GöttingenProtestants in the German ResistanceFilioqueChristian ethicistsPeople associated with the University of BaselExistentialist theologians20th-century Swiss writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesSystematic theologians20th centuryTheologyKierkegaard
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the rich and radical ideas of Soren Kierkegaard, often called the father of Existentialism.
20 March 2008
Featuring: Jonathan Rée, Clare Carlisle, John Lippitt
PhilosophyChristian humanistsPhilosophers of cultureExistentialist theologiansPhilosophers of mindMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of religion19th-century male writers19th-century pseudonymous writersChristian poetsEpistemologistsChristian ethicistsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of artChristian radicalsPhilosophers of psychologyIrony theorists19th-century essayistsMetaphysiciansPeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendarUniversity of Copenhagen alumni19th-century deaths from tuberculosisPhilosophers of deathOntologistsSocial philosophersAphoristsExistentialistsPhilosophers of literature19th centuryMedicinePsychologyTheologySt Thomas Aquinas
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss St Thomas Aquinas, the Catholic Church's foremost western philosopher and theologian.
17 September 2009
Featuring: Martin Palmer, John Haldane, Annabel Brett
PhilosophyWriters about religion and scienceVirtue ethicistsScholastic philosophersUniversity of Paris alumniThomas AquinasClassical theismCritics of atheismDominican mysticsMedieval Latin-language poetsAristotelian philosophersChristian ethicistsLutheran saintsPhilosophers of lawAnglican saintsMetaphysicians13th-century writers in LatinAngelic visionariesDoctors of the ChurchMagic (supernatural)Catholic philosophersNatural law ethicistsChristian apologists13th-century philosophersSystematic theologians13th centuryLanguageMedicineTheology