Title: Christian Ethics
1Christian Ethics
2ETHICS
RIGHT
WRONG
3ETHICS
- ta etheka, the customary, the approved
- But- Accepted by Whom? On Whose Authority?
4DEFINITION OF ETHICS
- Ethics is the process of determining right and
wrong, Scott Rae, Moral Choices, 15 - This is a satisfactory definition. However, it
is also a definition which can be used by an
unbeliever as well as by a Christian
5DEFINITION OF ETHICS
- There is a BETTER definition Ethics is
theology, viewed as a means of determining which
human persons, acts, and attitudes receive Gods
blessing and which do not. John Frame, Doctrine
of the Christian Life, 1 - This definition assumes the covenantal character
of Christian ethics - Because of Gods grace, the believer has been
brought into relationship with God, relationship
that brings about obligations to love God and to
keep his commandments
6DEFINITION OF MORALITY
- Morality is the end result of ethical
deliberation, the substance of right and wrong,
Rae, MC, 15 - This is a satisfactory definition
- But there is nothing distinctively Christian
about it - A BETTER definition Morality is the end result
of the process of determining which human
persons, acts and attitudes receive Gods
blessing and which do not. -John Frame, Ethics
Syllabus
7DEFINITION OF VIRTUE
- Aristotle, Virtue is a state of character
concerned with choice, lying in a mean, i.e., the
mean relatively to us. Nichomachean Ethics, ix.
(Excellence) - In Scripture, arete, areth, Gk., is not a result
of formation of habits, the mean between excess
and deficiency, but the result of the presence of
the grace of God
8DEFINITION OF VIRTUE
- Phil. 48, Finally, brothers, whatever is true,
whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is
pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
admirable--if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy--think about such things - II Peter 15, For this very reason, make every
effort to add to your faith goodness and to
goodness, knowledge
9SUMMUM BONUM
- For the non-Christian, the highest good assumes
the current state of affairs to be normative
What is wrong with this picture? Is the world as
it is representative of how God intended it? - For the Christian, the highest good is otherwise
Mans chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy
him forever. Shorter Catechism, Q.1
10SUMMUM BONUM
- To express this in other terms, Van Til says,
the kingdom of God is mans summum bonum. By the
term kingdom of God we mean the realized program
of God for man. . . . The most important aspect
of this program is surely that man should realize
himself as Gods vicegerent in history.
-Christian Theistic Ethics, 44.
11ETHICS and MORALITY
- Most people want to think of themselves as Good
- Most people would not want to live in a society
in which morality is unimportant - Most people face decisions every day that involve
questions of right and wrong
12CATEGORIES OF ETHICS
- Descriptive Ethics refer to ethics as done from
a sociological or anthropological perspective. - This describes Moral Behavior
- For a Christian, such ethics may be a worthwhile
field for empirical study, but fail to address
the imperative of covenantal obedience
13CATEGORIES OF ETHICS
- Normative Ethics is the discipline that produces
moral norms or rules as its end product - This prescribes Moral Behavior
- This is the Thus saith the Lord of Scripture as
it directs the hearer of the Word to be a doer of
the Word as well
14CATEGORIES OF ETHICS
- Metaethics investigates the meaning of moral
language, or the epistemology of ethics, Rae,
MC, 15 - This authorizes and legitimizes Moral Behavior
- For the non-Christian, this is a most troublesome
issue, for apart from God it is difficult to
rationalize a basis for ethical behavior
15CATEGORIES OF ETHICS
- Aretaic Ethics is a category of ethics that
focuses on the virtues produced in people, not
the morality of specific acts, Rae, MC, 16. - This links Moral Behavior with Virtue
- For Christians, this is spiritual formation
- Theologically, this can be viewed as the
imperative for relating progressive
sanctification to definitive sanctification
16PROBLEM SOURCE OF ETHICS
ABOVE?
BELOW?
17ETHICS and METAETHICS
- DEONTOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
- TELEOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
- RELATIVISTIC SYSTEMS
18ETHICAL SYSTEMS Authoritative or Deontological
- An authoritative moral source to govern behavior
- deon- duty
- logos- science, discourse
- Transcendent Ethical Norm
- God
- Natural Law
- Reason
19ETHICAL SYSTEMS Authoritative or Deontological
- Definitive standard
- Capable of motivating for self-sacrifice
- Obligation, but not discerned from sense
experience - Ethical Norm imposes duty
- Universally binding
20ETHICAL SYSTEMS Authoritative or Deontological
- Varieties
- Divine Command Theory (God says it)
- Natural Law (General Revelation)
- Ethical Rationalism (a universally binding norm)
21ETHICAL SYSTEMS Authoritative or Deontological
- PROBLEM
- May deal just with surface appearances
- Fails to consider mitigating circumstances
22ETHICAL SYSTEMS Consequential or Teleological
- Assumes the End justifies the Means
- telos- end, goal
- logos- science, discourse
- Immanent Ethical Norm
- Mundane
- Practical
- Doing good brings happiness. The moral life is
the good life.
23ETHICAL SYSTEMS Consequential or Teleological
- The outcome of actions/behavior makes that action
right - Moral Task is to determine the means to the end-
happiness - Moral Goodness is concrete, in the situation, not
abstracted
24ETHICS and METAETHICS
- TELEOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
- Utilitarianism (greatest good for greatest number
of people) - Ethical Egoism (self-interest determines
morality)
25ETHICAL SYSTEMS Consequential or Teleological
- PROBLEM
- Often elevates one absolute above all others
- Lacks subtlety and flexibility
26ETHICAL SYSTEMS Existential
- Assumes there is no objective source for moral
propriety - Immanent Ethical Norm is INWARD
- True righteousness is never hypocritical
- Ethical norm affirmed from within
- Judging merely on externals is wrong
- Moral Law must be MY Law
27ETHICAL SYSTEMS Existential
- Each is responsible for the authenticity of
his/her actions - Ethical behavior is self-realization
- An expression of human nature (Aquinas)
- Or, an expression of human freedom (Sartre, and
others who deny there is any essential human
nature)
28ETHICS and METAETHICS
- RELATIVISTIC SYSTEMS
- Cultural Relativism (different cultures,
different values) - Personal Relativism (I determine right and wrong)
- Existentialism (authentic existence determines
right choice) - Emotivism (morality expresses feelings about a
subject)
29ETHICAL SYSTEMS Existential
- PROBLEM
- Fails to provide a basis for distinguishing moral
from immoral behavior
30ETHICS THREE PERSPECTIVES
1. The Situation
What is the dilemma?
What is the situation that requires my response?
31ETHICS THREE PERSPECTIVES
What is Right?
What does God say?
32ETHICS THREE PERSPECTIVES
3. Self
What is my attitude toward the problem?
How do I relate to the situation and the norm?
33THREE PERSPECTIVES
SITUATION
NORM
SELF
34THREE PERSPECTIVES
RIGHT
SITUATION
SELF
NORM
35Christian Ethics