“ethics” - the Greek ethos and ethikos - also called ethika

the philosophical study which attempts to systematically and rationally investigate, and define what is morally good and bad, right and wrong in human behavior

the actual patterns of conduct and the direct working rules of moral action

a personal code of conduct

Akhlaq is the plural of khuluq which simply refers to innate disposition, character, behaviour, attitude, custom and tradition

an established state of the soul which can generate action easily without any need for thinking and deliberation

Imam al-Ghazali: akhlaq is “an established state [of the soul] from which action proceeds easily, without any need for reflection and deliberation….”

Ibn Miskawayh, akhlaq is “a state of the soul which causes it to perform its action without thought or deliberation

Good character (husn al-khuluq): praiseworthy character (al-akhlaq al-mahmudah)

Bad character (su’ al-khuluq): blameworthy character (al-akhlaq al-madhmumah)

• The normative pattern of human actions or moral conduct

• “right behaviour in the light of religion” 

an action or deed will be considered as good or ethical if it conforms to the standard norms of morality, and bad or unethical when it breaches them

God’s creation of man represented an act of mercy and love - in creating man, God expressed his special love for him

Special relationship with God:

the exclusive relationship that existed between Yahweh and Israel as the chosen people, and it is strengthened in the form of a covenant (berit) that contains special commandments or laws binding them

Yahweh is recognised as God

rabbinical writing: obedience to the law

^{Righteousness which bears the meaning in Hebrew of charity}

^{To be righteous is to love God. That love is best expressed through acts of charity (philanthropy)}

^{Zekhut (Barakah): the merit, source of divine favor}

^{doing what we ought to do but do not have to do}

^{Zekhut pertains to deeds of supererogatory character}

Charity and righteousness = sedaqah

The Opposite

^{acts of arrogance upset the relationship with God. - an act of supreme arrogance: losing one’s temper}

^{Good: the truly good character}

^{Bad: selfishness and pride and arrogance}

^{Eternal Punishment}

^{(1) idolatrous worship, (2) sexual misbehavior, (3) murder, and (4) gossip, which is worse than all of them [altogether].}

Why is rejection of the Torah not forgivable?

^{Because the Torah affords knowledge of God and God’s will, and rejecting the Torah then brings about all other vices and sins, constituting the ultimate act of arrogance}

What is the antidote?

^{shaping of one’s attitude and intentionality in the proper way}

How is this done?

^{It is through close study of the Torah}

^{living a good life or doing what is right is not a way of winning God’s approval}

• ^{This love of God was demonstrated in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.}

• ^{The Christian does not earn the love of God by being good.}

The fallen man: 
Original Sin - Corrupted Nature - Helpless -  God’s grace – Jesus as God’s love - Salvation

^{God’s love through Jesus:}

^{•Jesus as the Son of God}

^{•Incarnation}

^{•Crucifixion}

^{•Resurrection}

^{Life in this world is certainly the time of our humiliation.}

^{The humility of Christ has taught us to be humble because he yielded to the wicked in his death}

The link between devotion to Christ and eschatology. Devotion to him, the imitation of Christ, is because of death, and resurrection maps the path into God’s kingdom

^{the willing experience of pain actually permits us to know our true selves, to form a cross of what alienates us from God, and so through the death of selfishness to understand who we truly are before God}

THE SEVEN VIRTUES

^{Theological virtues – faith, hope and love – and four cardinal virtues – prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude}

^{The first constitution of man was as an imitation of the likeness of God}

What actions of ours are like the actions of God?

^{Those that are alien from all evil, purifying themselves as far as possible in deed and work and thought from all vileness}

Insincerity - _{has been recognized as the chief weakness within Christian character}

What is Sin?

^{“Sin” as being the reason for the mess.}

^moksha

^{Recognizing this transcendent Self as one’s true identity and abandoning the lower or even false self that is the ego and that undergoes transmigration brings one to the state of liberation or freedom}

^{Self (called the atman): the agent of good or bad acts}

^{Ritual action, or karma: creates a proper and independent human being out of the biological self.}

^{Samkaras: rituals of ontological healing, construction, and perfection}

^{Formal Ritual: Upanayana (ceremonies) : "second birth", a birth "out of veda"}

The type of rebirth we receive is determined by our karma, which is created by our actions, but also by our desires

^{Dharma: this term means “duty,” “moral obligation,” “religious law,” or “principle,” and guides both the public and private life of the individual}

^{Following one’s dharma is in most texts regarded as the supreme virtue}

^{Dharma comes in two forms in Hinduism:}

^{“general” or “universal” dharma, which is theoretically applicable to all Hindus regardless of their class or caste, and}

^{“particular” dharma (svadharma, literally meaning “one’s own dharma”), which is duty and virtue tailored to one’s individual circumstance}

^{particularized duty (svadharma) are guided by the birth and circumstances of the individual and how the individual is to fit into society}

^{adharma or “evil” can refer to doing “another man’s duty,” or stepping outside the boundaries that were set for you by the class and caste in which you were born}

^{Personal virtue concerns the way in which an individual performs his or her social duty}

^{contentment with one’s lot and the determination to fulfill the social duties assigned to one’s class}

• ^{Personal virtue concerns detaching oneself from the world of desire, self-aggrandizement, greed, and ambition}

• ^{The man of virtue does his duty without regard to the karmic “fruits” of such action}

^{“good character” as fulfilling oneself within the boundaries of one’s inborn and inherent nature}

^{“bad character” is demonstrated by one’s rebellion against one’s inborn nature}

^{One of the possible indigenous terms for “character” in this religion would be adhikara – “predilection,” “competency,” “inherent ability,” or “predisposition}