3.5.3
Discussion Points: Christian Ethics
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Scholarship: Christian Ethics
There are scholarly arguments over whether Christian ethics are distinctive or whether they are personal.
Christian ethics are distinctive
- Fundamentalist Christians would argue human reason cannot come up with correct ethical behaviour.
- Those who believe in using sola scriptura would agree.
- According to St Augustine, since the Fall, human’s have become selfish in their nature and their will is corrupt.
- So, only the Bible can help us find out what we ought to do.
- Someone using the Bible alone is likely to say that people’s belief in any of the Ten Commandments is due to the continuing subtle influence of the Bible.
Christian ethics are undistinctive
- St Thomas Aquinas argued that humans do tend to agree that there is some form of natural law.
- There are things that we would all consider to be good, bad, right and wrong.
- There seems to be universal recognition of morality. In our view of the world, every sane and rational person would recognise and agree that certain things are good and others bad.
- For example, all would agree cannibalism or paedophilia are bad.
- In this sense, Christian ethics are not distinctive but available to all people.
Christian ethics are undistinctive - 2
- Joseph Fletcher does not think that ethics should be about absolute commands and rules.
- He thinks each situation should be judged independently without any distinct guiding authority.
- This means that Christian ethics are not distinctive and are available to all people at all times
Christian ethics are personal
- The Bible and Church teachings give individuals a way to live life according to their own needs.
- Jesus spoke on individual circumstances – for example, the women with the flow of blood.
- Equally, when he was challenged on the women caught in the act of adultery he treated it as an individual case.
Christian ethics are personal - 2
- Jesus also broke rules for the needs of people and out of love.
- You could argue that if Jesus is a model for Christians, they must be willing to read the situation they are in.
- The individuals should look to those who need care and love and respond in a loving way, rather than in a prescriptive or legalistic way.
- Joseph Fletcher would argue that Christian ethics are personal. One of his four presumptions is personality.
- He argues that the Bible should be read as a guide, not a rule book.
Christian ethics are communal
- Jesus spoke to groups more than individuals, for example in the ‘Sermon on the Mount’.
- For some Christians, the Bible should be shared and studied in group situations.
- Any interpretation of the Bible is done so in a community context. Interpretations have changed over time with different communities.
- The community of faith is the central community to which an individual Christian belongs.
- That community has a claim over the individual Christian.
1Philosophy of Religion
1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato
1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle
1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body
1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation
1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason
1.6Religious Experience
1.7The Problem of Evil
1.8The Nature & Attributes of God
1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic
2Religion & Ethics
2.1Natural Law
2.2Situation Ethics
2.3Kantian Ethics
2.4Utilitarianism
2.5Euthanasia
2.6Business Ethics
2.7Meta-Ethical Theories
2.8Conscience
3Developments in Christian Thought
3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings
3.2Death & the Afterlife
3.3Knowledge of God's Existence
3.4The Person of Jesus Christ
3.5Christian Moral Principles
3.6Christian Moral Action
3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology
3.8Development - Pluralism & Society
3.9Gender & Society
3.10Gender & Theology
Jump to other topics
1Philosophy of Religion
1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato
1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle
1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body
1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation
1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason
1.6Religious Experience
1.7The Problem of Evil
1.8The Nature & Attributes of God
1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic
2Religion & Ethics
2.1Natural Law
2.2Situation Ethics
2.3Kantian Ethics
2.4Utilitarianism
2.5Euthanasia
2.6Business Ethics
2.7Meta-Ethical Theories
2.8Conscience
3Developments in Christian Thought
3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings
3.2Death & the Afterlife
3.3Knowledge of God's Existence
3.4The Person of Jesus Christ
3.5Christian Moral Principles
3.6Christian Moral Action
3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology
3.8Development - Pluralism & Society
3.9Gender & Society
3.10Gender & Theology
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