Criticsms of heteronomous

• Protestant Christians

  May reject the authority of the Church
• Reformation

  Critical of the practices of the Catholic Church, saying many were not in accordance with the Bible but developed to enable the church to keep power
• Protestant reformers

  Argued the Bible should have precedence and be the judge of church traditions
• Human reason

  Cannot find the good, because our nature is too sinful and corrupted by the Fall (according to St Paul, Augustine)
• Theonomous ethics

  We need to rely on God's revelation alone to understand religious and moral truths
• Aquinas

  Argued for a more positive view of reason, as it is given by God so we can access natural law
• Kant

  Believed reason was the faculty which could help us understand moral truth
• Heteronomous ethics

  Adds a layer of complexity, having to consider sacred tradition, the Bible and use our reason
• Sola scriptura

  Is not as simple as it first appears, and morality is not meant to be simple
• Deontological ethics


  Absolute, unconditional rules that must always be obeyed
• Situationism

  Correct understanding of Christian ethics, as 'love is for people, not principles'
• Jesus

  Sometimes criticised traditional teachings, arguing some religious leaders were more concerned with the law than with love
• Catholic Church

  Believes it is the sole authority, through Apostolic Succession
• Other branches of Christianity

  Claim similar authority, arguing they are the true church, guided by the Holy Spirit
• Catholics

  Say the church has ultimate authority
• Protestants

  Say the Bible has ultimate authority