For example, Pope Innocent III decreed that Italian mothers who couldn’t care for their children could leave them in “ foundling wheels” at churches where nuns and monks would care for them. However, even amid the medieval church’s worst abuses, some Christians kept this principle alive. Julian the Apostate complained about Christian charity in at least two of his letters, that his pagan priests were overlooking the poor and Christians were filling that gap, even being kind to strangers.Īfter Christianity gained political power, much of this humility and service was lost. Female infants were particularly vulnerable.”-Joannie Gruber, “ Orphan Care in the Early Church”Įarly Christians became known not only for supporting orphans and widows of other Christians but also for extending that charity to orphans and widows of non-Christian families. Babies would often be rejected if they were illegitimate, unhealthy or deformed, the wrong sex (female for example), or too great a burden on the family. “Infanticide was universal in ancient Greece and Rome. However, most children with no parents or guardians were left to die, frequently by exposure (literally left outside to starve or be eaten by animals). Joanie Gruber observes that some ancient civilizations had a limited value for unwanted children-for example, ancient Athens cared for infants whose fathers had died fighting in wars. Others were seen more or less as commodities- Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry observes, “various pagan authors describe children as being more like plants than human beings.” Children from the right families had value. By and large, ancient pagan societies did not believe all humans had value-a few, generally the strongest or best nurtured, had value. In the early church, this emphasis on helping orphans and discouraging the death of infants seemed radical. What Is the Difference Between the Last Days of Israel and the Church? Even Christians who approve of the modern death penalty argue for greater legal accountability, and few would argue the Bible promotes vigilante justice to kill murderers who escape justice. Today, Christians discuss whether to apply Old Testament teachings about the death penalty to murder convictions (given the fact Israel was a theocracy and not a modern democracy, and concerns about systemic racism in the American prison system). Jesus confirmed the value of self-defense ( Luke 22:36) while teaching his followers to avoid “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” revenge ( Matthew 5:38-39). Life is precious and should not be taken lightly. Later teachings in the Torah outline exceptions for self-defense ( Exodus 22:2-3) and manslaughter ( Deuteronomy 19), while calling deliberate murder a crime worthy of the death penalty ( Exodus 21:12, Numbers 35:16-17). One of the clearest applications of “thou shalt not kill” is that people are not permitted to murder each other. How Does 'Thou Shalt Not Kill' Apply to Murder?
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