Christian values

Christian values historically refers to values derived from the teachings of Jesus Christ. The term has various applications and meanings, and specific definitions can vary widely between denominations, geographical locations, historical contexts, and different schools of thought. Christian values also relate to the Christian identity in identity politics.

Paul

Since the first century, The Bible has summarized Christians values as the Fruit of the Spirit. The list, written by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians includes:^[1]

• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-control

Modern use in worldwide conservative or right-wing politics

See also: Conservatism in the United States, Conservatism in Australia, and Conservatism in the United Kingdom

In the 21st-century United States, Australia, United Kingdom and other countries, the phrases Christian values and family values are used by Christian right and conservative parties to describe some or all of the following political stances:

Modern interpretations of Christian values include:

• Censorship of sexual content, especially in films and on television.^[2]
• Sexual abstinence outside marriage and abstinence-only sex education.^[3]
• The promotion of intelligent design to be taught in public schools and colleges as an alternative to evolution.^[4]
• The desirability of laws against same-sex marriage.
• Support for laws against the acceptance of homosexuality into mainstream society.^[5]
• The desirability of organized school prayer in public schools.^[6]

See also

• Biblical law in Christianity
• Brotherly love (philosophy)
• Christian ethics
• Family values
• Jesusism
• Red-Letter Christians

References

1. "Galatians 5:22-23 NIV - - Bible Gateway".
2. Gregory D. Black, Hollywood Censored, p. 39. "Daniel Lord drafted a Hollywood censorship code. What emerged was a fascinating combination of conservative politics, Catholic theology, and pop psychology.", Cambridge University Press, 1994, ISBN 978-0521452991.
3. "Geneva Declaration" 2009-04-29 at the Wayback Machine. "Marriage between a man and a woman forms the sole moral context for natural sexual union. Whether through pornography, promiscuity, incest or homosexuality, deviations from these sexual norms cannot truly satisfy the human spirits".
4. . "Political commentators have noted the rise of the religious right during the presidency of George W. Bush. Though Christianity and politics have often been intertwined in American culture, the Bush administration funded faith-based initiatives more profoundly than any previous president. Moreover, President Bush remarked that he supported the teaching of intelligent design alongside evolutionary theory in public schools".
5. "Why write about homosexuality?". "The Bible clearly condemns homosexuality as a sin and Christians who seriously follow God's Word must also condemn it as sin".
6. "Prayer InPublic School - A Brief History". AllAboutHistory.org. Retrieved 23 July 2012.