Did Christianity Make the World More Moral?

Did Christianity Make

the World More Moral?

PART 1

by R.E. Slater & ChatGPT

Christians believe themselves to be morally superior to other kinds of faiths, beliefs, philosophies, codes, creeds, and societal constructions like the American Constitution. But is there justification for this belief or simply a delusion held by many Christians who more often than not act as worldly as they accuse the "pagan"  world does?

Let's explore...

Did Christianity Make the World More Moral?

Define morality and ethics:

Generally, morality relates to personal and societal behaviours whereas ethics relates to how we think about morality. Hence, ethics is more of an academic approach to societal behaviour.

Says the Internet

Morality and ethics, while related, refer to different aspects of right and wrong conduct:

• Morality generally refers to an individual's or society's personal attitudes and behaviours about what is right or wrong. As applied to society, it refers to codes, customs, and behaviours as well. Largely, it is the everyday practice of living according to shared ideas of good and bad.

• Ethics, on the other hand, are often seen as a more formal, codified set of rules or principles, often established by a specific religious group or profession, that guide behavior. It tends to be more reflective, systematic, and academic in the orientation and application of moral codes. Essentially, how we reason about morality, debate it, and redefine or refine it.

Essentially, morality is about personal beliefs, while ethics are about external guidelines.

Detailed breakdown

Morality

• Is Personal and Subjective - Morality is rooted in an individual's own values, beliefs, and upbringing.
• Influenced by culture and society - Societal norms and cultural values heavily influence what individuals consider moral.
• Focuses on internal principles - Morality dictates how individuals judge their own actions and those of others based on their internal sense of right and wrong.
• Can be flexible - What is considered moral can vary between individuals and cultures.

Ethics 

• Formal and codified - Ethics are often written down as rules, principles, or codes of conduct for specific groups, professions, or organizations.
• Objective and externally imposed - Ethical codes are designed to guide behavior in a specific context, aiming for consistency and fairness.
• Focuses on external behavior - Ethics dictates how individuals should behave in a given situation, regardless of personal beliefs.
• Can be applied universally within a context - Ethical codes aim for consistency and are often expected to be applied fairly to everyone within their domain.

In essence - Morality is about your personal compass of right and wrong. Ethics are the rules and guidelines that a group or society establishes to define acceptable behavior.

Life of Pi Official Trailer #1 (2012) Ang Lee Movie HD

Was there Morality before Christianity?

It is assumed that before Christianity there was no concept of morality et al. This is untrue. Certainly! The human race had morality and ethical systems. We would not have survived without it!

It is sometimes assumed by Christian that their religion, Christianity, “invented” morality. This is also simply untrue. Humans could not have survived — as families, tribes, or early civilizations — without shared moral norms. Across all ancient cultures, people developed ways to cooperate, to care for children, and to help the vulnerable. A species that does not cooperate cannot survive.

Summary

Morality — in the sense of treating others well, helping those in need, and punishing those who cause harm — predates any specific religion we know today.

One last observation

Moral codes of conduct and custom were developed when groups of people realized that you have to have ways of living with one another otherwise life becomes per the adage "Every person for themselves" (known as Lifeboat Ethics: cf. the film, "The Life of PI"). 

All ancient cultures have had some form of moralities and ethics. Moreover, many of those cultures were every bit as moral and ethical as modern societies are today:

"People love their children. They try to bring them up well. The try to inculcate values and standards. They teach their children things they should do and shouldn't do." These are elements of every society.

Greek and Roman Societies

In the Greek and Roman worlds there were a lot of discussion about morality and treatises on ethics which go very far back.

Ancient moralities and ethical reflection

• By the time of ancient Greece and Rome, moral codes had become deeply discussed and debated. Greek philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle wrote treatises on ethics that still shape philosophical study today. Roman thinkers like Cicero likewise explored virtue, duty, and justice.

Were these ethical ideas tied to religion?

• No, not really. In the Greek and Roman worlds, the gods were primarily concerned with being honored properly: sacrifices, rituals, and festivals ensured divine favor for the city or state. They did not care much about how one treated neighbors, family, or strangers.

• The moral codes of the Greeks and Romans were grounded in civic duty, custom, and philosophical reason — not divine commandments about loving one’s neighbor.

Were Morals and Ethics grounded in religious understanding?

Ethical codes were not related to the religions of the Greeks or Romans. They were rules related to worshipping the gods so that their societies would be protected and blessed. The gods by and large were uninterested how people lived with one another. If you were a nasty person to your family, neighbours or friends the gods really didn't care. The gods simply wanted to be worshipped. That's it.

In Christianity, as in Judaism, ethics and morality was tied into their religion... thus, the God that was worshipped was interested in a worshipper's behaviour and treatment of their neighbour. If he or she acted heinously, they would be judged. If merciful and helpful, than blessings would incur.

Usually, pagan ethics and morals are thought to be unlinked to a society's religion whereas in Judaism and Christianity they are linked to the customs and practices of their societies.

Example: the Ten Commandments

• Rules related to the worship of God: Commandments 1-4

• Rules related to the treatment of one another; or, how to live in community with one another: Commandments 6-10

📜 Commandments about worship of God (1–4)

1. You shall have no other gods before Me.

2. You shall not make for yourself an idol or graven image... you shall not bow down to them or serve them.

3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

👥 Commandments about how to treat others (5–10)

5. Honor your father and your mother.

6. You shall not murder.

7. You shall not commit adultery.

8. You shall not steal.

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10. You shall not covet... anything that is your neighbor’s.

These are found in Exodus 20:1–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21, with slight wording variations

 

How Judaism and Christianity differed in their Religious Codes?

Broadly, a more pervasive ethic would involve helping people in need... but many societies have qualified this attitude to be applied "biologically or socially" as related to one's own society or fellowship of acquaintances. Outsiders, or aliens, are not typically part of one's world and so, they could be befriended but are not of one's concern.

Whereas in Judaism and Christianity they have arighted this attitude and behavioural practice by stating that all men are obligated to treat one another well - even strangers and aliens. That we are to treat the stranger and outsider as we would treat yourself, family or friends:

In summary, Judaism developed ethical obligations beyond one’s immediate tribe or family. While ancient codes often prioritized one’s kin or tribe, Jewish law explicitly included provisions for treating “the stranger” with justice and mercy: “Love the stranger, for you were strangers in Egypt.”

This ethical universalism was later emphasized even more in Christianity, which taught that love of neighbor extended beyond social or biological ties: the parable of the Good Samaritan illustrates this vividly.

Did Christianity make the world more moral?

In one sense, No: humans have always had moral instincts and codes. But in another sense, Yes: Christianity’s contribution was to connect moral obligations directly to devotion to God — and to expand them beyond tribal or civic boundaries.

Mercy, charity, and love for strangers became acts of faith, not merely social good. Over the centuries, this helped shape Western moral imagination in profound ways — even as societies often failed to live up to these ideals.

In summary

Morality is as old as humanity itself. Ethics is the reflection on how best to live together. What Christianity did was to tie these deeply and explicitly to worship of a God who cares about how people treat one another — including outsiders. Whether this made the world more moral is debated — but it certainly reshaped how moral behavior was taught, justified, and spread.

Next Up...

How has Christianity done over the past decade? And how has it been conflicted politically? Are there worldly philosophies which have influenced religious and societal morality and ethics for better or worse? Are there other questions which we haven't considered? I asked ChatGPT and this is what it said, and, I suppose, material for another article or two, especially, as related to process philosophy and process theology. Cheers.

R.E. Slater
July 2, 2025

Missed or Deeper Questions

🏛️ 1. How did moral systems work in non-Western ancient cultures?

• What were the moral codes in ancient Egypt, India, China, or Mesopotamia?

• Did those cultures also link morality to religion, or were their ethical codes more philosophical or civic?

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📖 2. How did Judaism influence Christianity’s moral teachings?

• How did Jesus reinterpret or expand Jewish ethics?

• How did Jewish concepts like justice (tzedakah) and mercy (chesed) shape early Christian ethics?

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🤝 3. Did Christianity always improve moral behavior in practice?

• How did historical Christians justify violence, oppression, or intolerance despite high moral ideals?

• Did Christianity sometimes suppress local moral systems that were already humane or just?

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⛪ 4. How did the institutional church shape or distort Christian morality?

• How did church hierarchies and political power affect the lived moral values of Christian communities?

• Did the church’s moral teaching always align with Jesus’ teachings?

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⚖️ 5. How did Greek and Roman ethics survive or merge with Christian moral systems?

• Did classical philosophical ethics (like Stoicism) influence Christian moral thinkers like Augustine or Aquinas?

• Were pagan moral philosophies preserved and integrated or rejected outright?

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🌍 6. What new moral concepts did Christianity not emphasize?

• Did Christianity neglect any moral or ethical questions that other traditions handled better?

• For example: environmental ethics, animal welfare, economic justice — how were these viewed?

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🧭 7. How did Christian morality evolve over time?

• How did medieval, Reformation, and modern Christianity reinterpret its moral teachings?

• What historical events (wars, colonialism, abolition) show the tension between Christian ideals and practice?

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🏷️ 8. What role did secular humanism play later?

• Did Enlightenment humanism expand on Christian ethics or react against church moral failures?

• How much of today’s Western morality is truly “Christian,” and how much comes from post-Christian developments?

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💬 9. How do different Christian groups interpret morality today?

• How do liberal and conservative Christians differ in applying ancient moral principles to modern issues?

• How does global Christianity’s moral teaching vary across cultures?

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🕊️ 10. What does “more moral” actually mean?

• How should we measure whether one society is more moral than another?

• Does it mean fewer wars? More charity? Greater justice? More personal virtue?