CHRISTIANITY

Christianity

Christianity

Introduction

Christianity, the religion based on the teaching of Jesus Christ, is the largest world religion with more than 1.7 billion adherents. In its modern form, Christianity is divided into three main branches—Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Protestantism, with numerous divisions within each as well as other churches separate from these three branches.(Mackey, 2005) Thus, Christianity is not of a single voice in all matters of belief and practice and, as with other matters, there is variation as regards beliefs and practices about crime and punishment.

Ethics

Christians believe that God created the world in such a way that there are laws that govern humanity's place in it. Failure to observe these moral laws can lead to pain and punishment. Christianity absorbed into its own ethic basic Old Testament instruction, including reverence for life, chastity, truthfulness, and passionate implementation of justice in the social order. But for the church, Jesus is of supreme importance for ascertaining moral standards.(Shannon, 1996) Moreover, Jesus seems to have heightened the demands of the Decalogue: For example, “You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Speller, 2006). Jesus' central demand was love for neighbor—as the one who happens to be at hand rather than the kinsperson or fellow citizen—and for enemies—those who wrong us. The Apostle Paul elaborated on a related theme, nonviolence or a willingness to undergo suffering and sacrifice for the sake of reconciliation, which we find in Jesus' teaching and life: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them…. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:14-21).

Law

The church has asserted that divine authority manifests itself in the law and is postulate for all earthly authority. Augustine of Hippo explained that human laws derive their ultimate legitimacy from fidelity to standards of justice: “There is nothing just or legitimate in temporal law save what people have derived from the eternal law.” An upright ruler will translate the perfect order of the eternal law into policies that, treating all with fairness and compassion, ...