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Christian ethics
Chapter 2
The Judeo-Christian system of morality has had a massive impact on Western civilisation, often acting as the basis of the moral guidelines within society. Christian ethics is really a blend of principles and virtues. The character of God is the ultimate reference point for Christian morality - the commands of God are an overow from his character. So, God commands we love our neighbours because he himself is love, we forgive because he is a forgiving God etc. This is seen in both OT and NT.
Wednesday 16 May 2012
augustine
Augustine attempted to formulate a Christian ethic for a world which was (on the whole) just beginning to experience Christianity. Got born again in 386AD after a life of hedonism - wrote extensively very inuential and often quoted (even today.) ended his years as a bishop in North Africa. He was the rst Christian to develop a systematic ethic and his major work on social ethics is called City of God.
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He suggested all being is good as it was created by God. Evil exists only in that it is the privation of evil. Blessedness consists in community, fellowship and the KOG. The supreme joy for a human being is spending eternity with God. Socially he suggests two different communities with two differing ideas of what good is. The city of God, where believers reside with God. The city of man where the world apart from Gods grace, resides.
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Because of the strong effect of sin on institutions he said the state should have a minimal role, it should maintain order and secure justice as best possible. We should note the Bible is not a book on systematic ethical theory but presents moral reasoning in varied literary contexts: Mosiac law and the prophets tend to be very deontological (principles derived from the character of God).
Wednesday 16 May 2012
Wisdom literature contains some utilitarian reasoning: Proverbs has descriptions of the consequences of actions and character traits, praising wisdom because of its good results, though ultimately it is grounded in the Law; Rae suggests this deontological and utilitarian approach was because the wisdom lit. was intended for more than just Israel - so PL, sacrice, festivals etc. are all absent from these books.
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Ethical egoism and self-interest (esp in the light of covenant blessings) are addressed in Deut. 27-30. Agricultural prosperity and national security are linked to obedience to the covenant. Prophets also refer to blessings and curses involved in (dis)obedience to the covenant. In the NT receiving the Gospel is linked to eternal life - self interest says you do not want to spend eternity in Hell. Also long term obedience might involve short term suffering - but it is benecial in the end.
Wednesday 16 May 2012
The Bible also appeals to natural law, or the revelation of God outside of the Bible. Prov. shows right and wrong in terms of nature 6:6-11, 19:1-6. Natural law is also the basis for the condemnation of nations surrounding or opposed to Israel they are condemned for transgressions similar to Israels but without having the law to guide them. God can only hold them accountable on the basis of them knowing their obligations through natural law or general revelation.
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The Bible has no appeal to relativism (cultural or moral subjectivism). Christian ethics has a transcendent source and so makes no appeal to culture or a persons subjective preferences. Instead it uses Gods character and commands as a basis for virtue and principles. Some issues are not clearly addressed in the Bible - so in 1 Cor 8, Rom 14-15 appeal is made to not causing cultural offence. But we should remember that never does a cultural norm take precedence over Gods character or biblical principles.
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Things are complicated by the fact the Bible was written to a different culture with different issues to the ones we face today. Within this cultural element of scripture we have to determine what general principles / virtues of OT teaching can be directly applied and which are part of more general guiding principle which is of use today. Loving God is directly, and obviously, applicable - the year of jubilee might require some greater consideration.
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Offering of sacrices is not practiced today in giving grain etc. - but do we encourage giving as a celebration of Gods goodness in order to develop an attitude of thanksgiving? Might we offer time as a sacrice, abstain from activities etc. There are some recurring themes in OT ethics - from the Law, Prophets and wisdom lit. - these are summarised in the next section.
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In much poetic literature worship is often seen as a response to God as revealed in the Law. Wisdom lit - see earlier. Prophets use Law as their case against Israel. Though here prophets use general overarching principles of the Law - avoid idolatry, practice justice etc. - these are key themes in OT ethics. Rarely do the prophets address specic issues from within the Law.
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OT Israel was a theocracy - so morality and law were as one with no distinction - pluralistic societies today do distinguish between the two. The church is not under the civil and ceremonial aspects of OT law. Rae argues for Israel as a model for a biblical social ethic asserting that the principles underlying the Law are still valid and applicable to the church today.
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The 10C should have shaped Israel into a nation that reected Gods righteousness and compassion on an individual and corporate level Ex 19:6. The rst 4 talk of an individuals responsibility to God. The nal 6 of responsibility within the community (inc. their own family). The last 5 are found in most communities - they are foundational for stability in the community.
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The 10C should have shaped Israel into a up the ten Look nation that reected Gods righteousness commandments - as and compassion on an individual and corporate level a way of ensuring Ex 19:6. you understand The rst 4 talk of an individuals responsibility to God. what they mean The nal 6 of responsibility paraphrase each of within the community (inc. theirthem so that a own family). The last 5 are found in most modern person communities - they are foundational for stability in the would understand. community.
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In Ex 1-18 and Deut 1-4 we see Gods provision for his people preceding giving of precepts and the call to obey him. Both of these sections are historical prologues which show Gods provision and his devotion to his people. Deut overall structure is of a suzerain treaty between a king and his subjects - such a treaty lays out the commitment of a king to his people, the stipulates what is required of the people.
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Rae suggests this structure was used to emphasise the link between obedience to Gods commands and loyalty to the person of God. The prophets emphasise this when they talk of Israels idolatry as spiritual adultery - ultimate the grief was of God losing relationship with his people.
Treatment of slaves was far more humane than in other cultures the worship rituals of other groups could not be followed pagan rituals of any sort could not be allowed (some suggest when Aarons sons were killed the strange re they offered was some form of pagan ritual Lev 10:1ff) - nally the idea that israel could not have a king like other nations. All (and many more) show how God had called his people to be a holy nation, a kingdom of priests
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The prophets also look at social ethics - often accusing Israel of disobeying social aspects of the law by exploitation, injustice etc. In looking forward the prophets see the future KOG as one where such social ills are not present, society is rightly ordered and focussed around worshipping God. Lev 25 shows how civil law governing property was laid out. It includes a sabbatical year where no crops are grown. A jubilee year where land was returned to original owners and slaves released.
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This ensured land was redistributed and never ended up with one person owning an inordinate amount - all land belonged to God. The law of redemption was a more regular and less radical version of jubilee. If a person fell on hard times and sold themselves then a close relative was legally obliged to buy the land/person and thus avoid slavery and work independently. If things then went well the person could buy back land/himself. This is shown in Ruth.
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Gleaning - where the edge of a eld is left unharvested and harvesters only once went through the eld - left food for the poor to take, but also required some initiative and effort on their part. Usury, prohibition of moving boundary stones, showing bias in court, bribes - and more were prohibited. All these individual and societal aspects of the law helped show a covenant relationship with God and demonstrated the presence of God in the midst of the community.
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An evangelical manifesto
http://anevangelicalmanifesto.com/
...An Evangelical Manifesto is an open declaration of who Evangelicals are and what they stand for. It has been drafted and published by a representative group of Evangelical leaders who do not claim to speak for all Evangelicals, but who invite all other Evangelicals to stand with them and help clarify what Evangelical means in light of confusions within and the consternation without the movement. As the Manifesto states, the signers are not out to attack or exclude anyone, but to rally and to call for reform.
Wednesday 16 May 2012
Israel was one nation under God - the church is multiethinic. The church bears witness to God but NT commands do not provide the same type of institutional framework found in OT Law - structure and institutions are not found in the same way as in the OT. However the church should still look to affect change in society the KOG (OT or NT) has a social and individual dimension which is to be worked out.
Wednesday 16 May 2012
So the NT church did not engage in institutional change but the gospel message caused following generations of Christians to start hospitals, schools, orphanage etc. The early church did not have the opportunity to do these things (they were being persecuted) - now we have the chance. Rae suggests, in response to people who suggest not doing these things due to deterioration before the end of the age, that by following the Gt Comm we should do these things and leave the long term up to God - as we do in evangelism etc.
Wednesday 16 May 2012
Rae suggests that Jesus did not teach systematically on ethics and so its hard to formulate a NT ethic. Added to this Paul and other NT writers addressed specic questions and issues so what is said might not be universal or binding. The following are some emphases of NT ethics:
An ethic of love
Love is the central virtue of NT ethics. Loving god and your neighbour are clearly commanded - neighbour being anyone according to the good Samaritan story, Lk 10:25ff, Matt 22:34ff. Paul summarise the Law under the heading of Love - Rom 13:8-10, Gal 5:14. Jesus says the world will know we are his by our love Jn 13:35. Johns epistles suggest you cannot know God without loving people 1 Jn 3:17, 4:7
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Jesus is criticised for healing on the sabbath - yet his response is not to reject the sabbath command but the Pharisees reading of it Matt 12:1ff. Again in Mk 7:1ff Jesus rejects a rigid commitment to principles of the Law, which he said were inconsistent with the law; instead he aims at an application of the law which was consistent with virtues and principles of the law.
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Paul follows the same line of principles and virtues. This is seen in confronting the Judaisers - he emphasises spiritual growth is by grace through faith (Gal 3:1ff) and addresses the problem of spiritual excellence through knowledge alone (Gnosticism) by saying we need to have the outworking of Christ in us (Col 1:27). For the apostles their primary ethical goal was to represent the teaching of Jesus and apply it in church life.
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Paul shows this in 1 Cor - specic problems are addressed by appealing to principles; Divisiveness is addressed by an appeal to unity in the body of Christ (1-4). Immorality by the principle of sexual purity in the church (5-6) Marriage and singleness the principle of being content in all states (7) Meat offered to idols - not offending the weaker brother (8-10) The church should practice the principles they already know and living them out as virtues in the fashion of Christ.
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In Romans justication by faith is explained in 1-5, then sanctication, the spiritual life, is explained in 6-8 and 12-15. Membership in the KOG is shaped by the cross and resurrection. Jesus death is the model of virtue and behaviour. We are to take up our cross as Christ did - Mk 8:18-34, we are dead to sin and alive to God Rom 6:1ff. for us to live is Christ, we put to death the vices of our former way of life Col 3:1ff the cross shapes our dealing with surrounding culture 1 Pet 2:18ff
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Jesus also associated with foreigners, children, women. In cleansing the temple he aggressively addressed injustice (oppression of poor from foreign lands). He rebuked religious leaders for their lack of justice. The early church was obviously committed to caring for the poor - Acts 2:42ff, 4:32ff The epistles do not lack this concern - Jas 1:27f, 2:1ff and especially 5:1-6
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But if one answers that things are good because God commands them, then God appears arbitrary, and he would be free to command anything, even things that violate societies widely held moral principles. So if God commanded the torture of babies it would be good simply because God said to do it. This would be against what most people instinctively think and so they would not worship a god like this - it is called ethical voluntarism. This is a view of Islam held by many non-Muslims.
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Here Allah is sovereign and cannot be held accountable to anyone. So it makes anything that he desires, commands or does to be good - even if to others it seems capricious or arbitrary. Biblically we see god as bound by his character which means he cannot do certain things. So ethical voluntarism is inconsistent with a biblical portrait of God.
The other side is of God commanding things because they are good. God only commands what is consistent according to his character. Morality then comes from Gods character. For example Gods character is love so what he commands is consistent with that and is therefore good.
2. The problem of the apparent conicts in scriptural commands. Rahab in Joshua 2 lies in order to protect the Israelite spies - she is then recorded in Hebrews 11. There are 3 ways to resolve such conicts of divine commands: A. Maintain that no conict really faces the believer nonconicting absolutism. Since an infallible God inspired his inerrant word, no such conict of commands is possible. Admitting such a conict would compromise the character of God by saying he could give conicting commands. So when absolutes (commands) of the Bible are properly interpreted there will never be such a conict.
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How do we resolve this? - Suggest that in Gods providence Rahab should have told the truth and trusted God. - Capture the intent of the command more clearly - not bearing false witness is not a blanket prohibition of lying but of maliciously lying - therefore Rahab was ok to act as she did.
B. Admit the conict exists, but sin is still sin, even when a person faces competing obligations. Such moral dilemmas are not due to any aw in Gods character - in fact people should choose to do the lesser evil. So you sin (lie) then immediately kneel and repent. A person then should not be morally culpable for something that could not be avoided and in which they had no choice.
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C. Graded absolutism suggests as in B that moral conicts are part of a fallen world but the choice made is not evil and the person has not chosen the lesser evil in their actions. It is simply a morally justiable choice and not sin. So here there is a hierarchy in Gods laws. In Acts 4 preaching the gospel was a greater command than submission to authorities. Matt 23:23ff justice, compassion, mercy are considered greater than tithing.
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Thomas Aquinas
1224-1274, Italian, best known for Summa Theologica, which includes important sections on ethics. A fundamental concept was of the public good under the law. - the good is based on the natural law, the natural tendencies of a thing - you consider its end and its function, (both part of the way God made it), and happiness is knowing God and loving the good, evil is what interferes with it .
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- held that natural law imprints itself on beings and therefore determines its actions to proper inclinations and ends. Natural law can be known by reason by everyone regardless of their relationship to God. - saw humans as essentially social beings, the state therefore had room to intervene and improve the lot of society, institutions exist to develop good people. If you believe in natural law then you will argue for Christian social mission and activism in a system that complements Gospel proclamation.
Wednesday 16 May 2012