Christian values: basic principles, meaning, traditions

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

In our country, perhaps, every person, one way or another, has come across the concept of “the value of the Christian life” in a variety of situations. Someone shares them, someone categorically rejects them, but it is rare to find an unambiguous understanding of the subject that is being discussed. In this article, we will look at what the term "Christian values" means, what they are, and how this concept is changing in today's dynamic world.

What are values?

Let's start with a general concept. These are ideas that are shared and approved by the majority of people in a particular society, ideas about goodness, nobility, justice and similar categories. Such values are the ideal and standard for the majority, they are striven for, they are tried to be followed. Society itself sets and changes them, and each culture has its own set of significant values.

Accordingly, if values are ideal for people, then the mainChristian values are a standard and an example for all those who identify themselves with any of the numerous Christian denominations. Of course, at first we should talk about eternal ideas, one way or another inherent in any kind of Christianity.

There are some points here where human value and Christian value differ. Christianity defines a value concept as some kind of absolute good that matters to all people, regardless of what denomination a person belongs to, if at all.

Values of the Christian life

From the speeches of modern Christian authorities (who, of course, rely on a long tradition), it primarily follows that all important ideas come from God. He sends down to people moral laws, knowledge on how to avoid fears, evil, illnesses, how to live in harmony with your environment and, most importantly, with your family. Thus, it is from him that information comes about the only true, according to Christians, way of life.

For every Christian, the most important value, of course, is God in his Triune form. This implies the perception of God as a perfect Spirit. The second is the Bible - the Word of God, which in Christianity is the most authoritative source. In fact, a person must check each of his actions with this indisputable source. The third value is the Holy Church, for each current of Christianity it has its own. Church in thisThe event is understood not as a temple or a special place for prayer, but as a community of people united together to support each other's faith in Jesus Christ. In particular, the sacraments of the Church are also important here, such as baptism, wedding, communion and some others.

If you do not understand the intricacies of the differences between different directions in Christianity - Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism in its various forms, various sects - then in general we can say that each of them has its own understanding of the Triune God. Of course, it coincides at least partially, and is fundamentally integral, which does not prevent one denomination from considering the other a heretical delusion, which is very difficult to save and set on the true path. Therefore, it will be easier to consider Christian moral values in the context of the trend we are most familiar with - Orthodoxy.

History of the concept

It would seem that the origin of ideas must have ancient roots. In fact, the concept of "Christian values" appeared only in the 20th century. At this time, axiology was formed in the West - a science that explores important value ideas. It was then that it became necessary to attempt to more or less clearly articulate the core values of the Christian life.

Family life

They are of particular importance in the process of forming a Christian family. Now they like to talk about the destruction of traditional family axiological ideas, which, of course, are understood as Orthodox and unconditional values.

The Christian family and its values are an extremely important element in Orthodoxy. Here an important role is played by tradition, which is understood as the basis of the family way of life. These are established and established forms of behavior, customs that are passed on from the older generation to the younger. Within the framework of this understanding, in a Christian family, the husband must certainly be the head, the wife becomes the keeper of the hearth, and the children must unquestioningly obey their parents and honor them. The values of upbringing in a Christian family are focused primarily on the spiritual life of the child, therefore, in parallel with secular education, children are taught in Sunday schools and accustomed to regular church attendance and observance of church rites.

However, raising children does not begin with this, but with how the relationship between parents looks like. The child perceives all the subtleties very well and is accustomed to them from childhood. In the future, it is the relationship between mother and father that he will consider the norm. First of all, we are talking about the spiritual relationships and connections of parents. Therefore, it is important to treat each other with respect, love and understanding - however, this extends far beyond the Christian family.

In family life, a child learns not only the norms of behavior, but also other forms of spiritual culture, therefore, in Christianity, it is especially important to cultivate appropriate ideas in children.

Eight Eternal Values

Relatively recently, the Russian Orthodox Church after numerousdiscussions on this topic in the political and social environment, a list of eight axiological ideas was compiled. They do not directly correlate with the above Christian values. Let's take a closer look at this list.

Justice

In the list of the Russian Orthodox Church, this item implies equality, primarily political. In order for justice to be realized, it is necessary that the courts be fair, that there be no corruption and poverty, that social and political freedoms be guaranteed to everyone. Thus, a person should occupy a worthy place in society.

This understanding of justice does not directly correlate with its Christian perception, which obviously does not involve legal aspects. In a sense, worldly justice embodied is evil for a Christian.

Freedom

Again, this concept is more legal. Freedom is freedom of speech, entrepreneurship, freedom of choice of religion or, for example, place of residence. Thus, freedom implies the right to autonomy, self-determination and independence of Russians.

Such freedom for a Christian is good if it is closely connected with church dogmas and promotes adherence to Christian values. Indeed, at the very beginning of biblical history, at the moment of the fall, the ill-fated freedom of choice played a decisive role in the fate of people. Since then, people have not become wiser, and such freedom is often used not at all for their own good - at least from a Christian point of view. In this understanding, freedom in the absence of God in society is the same evil.

Solidarity

Solidarity here is understood as the ability to unite with other people in difficult situations, to share difficulties with them. Such a power of connection ensures the integrity and unity of the nation.

Of course, this value in the Christian sense can exist only when there is an association with the fellow believers, and not with the gentiles who are present in the composition of the Russian people. This is contrary to what the Bible says.

Sobornost

Sobornost means the unity of the people and the government in work for the benefit of the country and its citizens. This is the unity of the most diverse cultural communities, combining spiritual and material values.

For Christians, unity can only exist when the authorities share the basic Christian values, otherwise there can be no catholicity, since Christians are not obliged to comply with the requirements of the authorities, which are incompatible with their religion.

Self-restraint

That is, sacrifice. It is clear that this is a renunciation of selfish behavior, the ability to sacrifice oneself for the good of the Motherland and the immediate environment, a refusal to use people and the world for one's own purposes.

It would seem that the value closest to Christianity, however, there are some nuances here. In everything it is necessary to preserve the measure, and prudence is most applicable to sacrifice. In addition, from the point of view of Christianity, it is not at all necessary to sacrifice oneself for the sake of heretics or non-believers.

Thus, self-restraint extends to fellow Christians whoconstitute the body of the Church.

Patriotism

Faith in one's own country, in one's Motherland, readiness to work incessantly for its good, also weakly correlates with Christian values, which do not involve being tied to a particular nation. This item from the list can also be questioned.

The good of man

Here, the priority of human development, the steady observance of his rights, both spiritual and material well-being are set.

It is clear that in the perception of Christianity, no material values can make a person happy, rather, on the contrary, they will bring him a lot of harm. Therefore, striving for any blessings, except for Christian, spiritual ones, does not bring anything good to a person and is condemned in every possible way by the church.

Family Values

And, finally, the last item on the list is Christian values in the life of a modern family - this is love, care for the elderly and young family members, fidelity.

If this is a marriage with an Orthodox person, then, of course, these ideas work. Therefore, like all others, family values in Christianity are perceived through a religious prism.

Thus, all eight listed ideas, the list of which was compiled by the ROC, fit into the Christian value system with some, sometimes very significant, limitations. Universal human axiological ideas from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are combined with Christian ones in so far as, unfortunately. More can be made from thisone conclusion: any value can become Christian if it is named as such by an authoritative organization such as the Russian Orthodox Church.

Rejection of Christianity

The denial of Christian values is associated with the name of many philosophers and scientists. Perhaps the most striking example would be Friedrich Nietzsche, who denied morality as such, arguing that all the moral values of the world are relative. His ideas are especially vividly revealed in the book Ecce Homo.

The denial of Christian values was also promoted by the communists, in particular, the ideologist of communism Karl Marx, who believed that selfishness is a form of affirmation of the individual, and it is absolutely necessary.

It cannot be said that the followers of their ideas - the communists and, unfortunately, the Nazis - brought something positive to life, rather, exactly the opposite. Therefore, the idea of value relativism, apparently, is good only in theory, but, as history shows, it is quite difficult to put it into practice. However, things are no better with Christian values: there are many sad and not at all peaceful pages in the history of the spread of Christianity.