ACTIVITIES
ELUDICATIVE LECTURES
PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN FAITH
    1. Ethical theology as a science
      Subject and sources of ethical theology. Necessity of study of ethical theology. Ethical theology and non-Christian ethics. History of theology.
    2. Natural religion
      Reality of natural religion (i.e. natural ethical canon). Natural religion in the teaching of St. Apostle Paul. Natural religion in the teaching of St. Fathers. Essence of natural religion. Theories of ethical sanctions. Autonomous ethics. Natural religion and orthodox ethics.
    3. Human emotions, aspirations and demands in the spotlight of ethical theology
      Emotional-demanding sphere in personal structure of a human-being. Types of emotional conditions. Formation of emotions, duration and diapason of action. Functions of emotions. Christian opinion about emotions. Role of emotions. Demands as a person’s striving for feeling kindness. Main categories of demands.
    4. A person in the spotlight of ethical theology – ethical consciousness of a person
      Ethical beginnings of personal formation. Stages of personal development. Ideal nature of ethical consciousness. Functions of ethical consciousness. Ethical consciousness and self-evaluation of a person. Main forms of ethical consciousness. Formation of religious consciousness.
    1. Shame as the initial revealing of ethical consciousness
      Shame as an elementary function of ethical consciousness. Essence of feeling shame. Shame as a person’s attitude towards the natural beginnings. Essence of shame in the development of a person. Shame as one of the junction categories in Sacred Letter.
    2. Conscience as the category of ethical consciousness
      Reality of conscience. Reflection of axioms of natural religion in conscience. The term “conscience” in antique and Christian writings. Opinion about conscience in patristics. Theories about conscience. Functioning of conscience. Conditions of conscience. Purification of conscience. Upbringing of conscience.
    3. Ethical teaching about duties
      Connection of the notions “duty”, “dignity” and “kindness”. The term “deontology”. Metaphysical and ethical aspectы. Western practical deontology and orthodox ethics. Duty, as the demand of ethical canon.
    1. Notion of responsibility in ethical theology
      Common personal responsibility about committed evil. Human responsibility about his eschatological destiny. Ethical responsibility and problem of personal blame. Universal meaning of responsibility.
    2. Notion of retribution in ethical theology.
      A person’s opinion about retribution. Disinterestedness in religious life. Content and meaning of the notion of disinterestedness in the Old Testament. Content and meaning of notion of disinterestedness in the New Testament. Temporal punishment.
    3. Notion of freedom in ethical theology.
      Freedom of a person created by God. Determinism and indeterminism. Ethical freedom as an unrestricted choice of possibility. Ethical freedom and license. Ethical freedom as means of a person's self-finding and choice of vital way.
    4. Notion of sin in ethical theology.
      Sin as a mistake in the conditions of free ethical choice. Essence of the first-committed sin. Sin types. Stages of sin formation (beginning from cause of sin to sinful action). Sin as neglection of God’s will. Results of sin.
    5. Notion of virtue in ethical theology.
      Opinion about virtue in antique and Christian writings. Christian virtues and three types of their revealing. Dignity as a principle of personal existence. Justice as a principle in attitude towards other people. Devotion as a principle in attitude towards God.

© ICCS, 2011