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Ethical Systems Through a Christian Lens

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Ethical Systems Through a Christian Lens Ethical Systems Stem-Cell Debate Believed federal funding Through a Christian ought to be made available to help provide cures for Lens diseases, etc. Wanted to limit federal funding for stem-cell research because fetuses must be destroyed to obtain some types of stem cells Stem-Cell Research How Do We Decide? • A major issue in the most recent • Surveys? presidential election. – People are changeable. Should morality be • Surveys show that 65% of Americans are in based on what is popular at a given time? favor of stem-cell research. • Rational discussion? • A majority of Americans are opposed to – What principles are to be used? destroying an embryo to harvest stem cells – Principles such as “Each person should have a right to decide his own fate” are not universally held. Where does this come from? Why Naturalistic Ethics is Problems with Naturalistic Ethics Partially Successful • No authority • must live in a world created by God -- – no way to go from what “is” to what “ought to forces a “reality check” on ethical systems be” • can’t escape the fact that humans are made • Inadequate information in the image of God and tend to think like – No way to properly assess the many competing God whether they want to or not. values in ethical dilemmas • naturalistic ethics “borrows” from the influence of Christianity in the culture 1 We Are Inescapably Ethical Christian Ethics • How do you react when someone does you • Adequate authority -- God as creator has wrong? right over his creatures • Why should we believe what is true? • Sense of obligation -- God is personal • Why do you feel a sense of obligation (or Creator; obligation is relational guilt) concerning your behavior even if • Adequate information -- God’s image in us nobody is watching? and God’s revelation to us in nature and in the Bible Testing the Options: The Agony of Ethical Dilemmas No Absolutes • Christian ethics can explain why there are • Relativism ethical dilemmas: – logically impossible to live with – Sin and blindness create confusion about ethical – “You have no right to impose your morality on obligations. me.” – The curse creates unwanted consequences of – “Each person can define his own morality.” our choices. – These statements are ethically loaded. Systems with One Absolute Situation Ethics • Situation ethics “Always do the most loving thing.” • Kant’s categorical imperative • Utilitarianism • Why??? • WWJD -- “What would Jesus do?” • How can we know what is most loving? • “Let your conscience be your guide.” • How can we criticize the action of others? • How can we define justice in this context? 2 Situation Ethics Kant’s Categorical Imperative “An action is ethical only if I can with • denies that there are non-negotiable consistency will it to be universally acted specifics to expressing love. upon.” • Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (Jn. 14:15) • Why??? • The only logical basis for this norm would • Grain of truth: You shall love the Lord be this norm -- circular! God with all your heart and your neighbor • Implies a hidden set of values. What is as yourself. “with consistency?” Kant’s Categorical Imperative Utilitarianism “Do that which will bring about the greatest • Grain of truth: Jesus’ Golden Rule -- “Do good.” unto others as you would have them do unto you.” • How do we define the greatest good? • Forces us to predict the future • Can bring great guilt feelings if we fail to foresee consequences • Bottom line: the end justifies the means Utilitarianism WWJD: “What would Jesus do?” • Grain of truth: The greatest good is the • Basically a Christianized version of glory of God. Therefore, we must obey him situation ethics in the specifics. • Ignores all the specific instructions in the Bible put there for our information • Ignores the uniqueness of the person and mission of our Lord and Savior 3 Picking from Single-Absolute The Jiminy Cricket Ethic Systems “Let your conscience be your guide.” • Conscience is merely the faculty of moral • “Sometimes one of these methods works judgment. better than another. You have to evaluate them on a case-by-case basis and pick the • The principles upon which conscience acts one that works best.” must still be determined. • Pick on what basis? This new basis • Some people have hardened consciences. becomes the new single absolute! • We may not go against conscience, but we must properly inform our conscience. Systems with Many Absolutes Conflicting Absolutism • Conflicting absolutism (Due to the fall,) there are inevitable conflicts • Graded absolutism (hierarchicalism) in absolutes; therefore, choose the lesser of evils. • This implies that sin is unavoidable. • If sin is unavoidable, then the choice isn’t a moral one. • The Bible teaches that this situation can’t happen. (1 Cor. 10:13, Heb. 4:15) Graded Absolutism One/Many Absolutes (Hierarchicalism) There are real conflicts in absolutes, but they • Unqualified absolutism are ordered so that it is not sin to violate a lower one if necessary to keep a higher one. There are many absolutes that do not conflict • Conflicts not possible, since ethics are when properly understood, all of which find rooted in God’s nature. their unity in supreme love to God and love • It masks a single absolute absolute that to neighbor as self. provides the order for the absolutes that really aren’t. 4 Unqualified Absolutism An Ethical Heart • Grounded in the revelation of the Bible • Can a lecture on ethics make someone • Does not force man to be omniscient; forces ethical? him to rely on God to define the greatest • Christianity teaches that no one can be truly good, the highest love, etc. ethical apart from a change of heart. • No ultimate conflict between our duty and • Only actions done with love to God and a our happiness desire for his glory are truly ethical. • Requires both ethical actions and ethical • Only Jesus Christ can bring about this motives (the highest being love) radical change of heart. Resolving Ethical Dilemmas Conclusion • Some right choices have agonizingly difficult • The standard ethical systems all have elements of consequences. truth but also serious shortcomings. • Some dilemmas are only hypothetical. • Christian ethics provides an explanation for people • Some dilemmas spring from faulty interpretation being ethical as well as for ethical dilemmas. of the Bible. • Christian ethics provides a justification for ethical • Positive duties are stewardships to be pursued authority. within the bounds of the “thou shalt nots.” • Christ provides not only a system but enablement • Fully avail yourself of the wisdom of others and to become ethical inside and out. the Bible. • Christian ethics is a coherent option in the marketplace of ideas. 5.
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