Christian Ethics

Christian Ethics

1. Sources of moral authority

   • The bible
   • The church
   • God
   • 10 Commandments
   • Conscience

2. ·

   • Natural Moral Law
   • 10 Commandments

3. ·

   • Situation ethics
     • Joseph Fletcher has the idea that you need to relativise the absolute. This all came to him from a cabbie who said "sometimes you have to put your principles aside to do the right thing". This all came from the principles of Jesus and agape - doing the most loving thing.
     • 4 working principles: -Positivism -Pragmatism -Personalism -Relativism
     • 6 fundamental principles -Nothing is intrinsically good except love. -Replace the torah with the principle of love. -Justice is love at work in the community. -Love wills the good for the neighbour. -Only the end (love) justifies the means. -Loves decisions are made in the circumstances of each situation.

4. Euthyphro

   • Is x good because God commanded it or does God command x because it is good?
   • Relative
     • God commands X because it is good.
     • Strengths
       • Can be adapted to different situations
       • If everyone uses relative morality, it becomes absolute.
       • Explains the differences between cultures.
     • Weaknesses
       • The most loving thing is not always clear.
       • Decisions take a long time.
       • Consequences are unpredictable.
   • Absolute
     • X is good because God commands it
       • Divine command theory
     • Strengths
       • Fixed. Everyone knows what they're doing.
       • Decisions are made quickly.
       • The majority can agree with it.
     • Weaknesses
       • Different situations
       • Unrealistic for modern society
       • Cultural relativism: Different rights and wrongs.

5. Ethical Principles

   • Jewish Law
     • Old testament
     • 10 Commandments
     • Normally deontological and absolute
   • Jesus
     • "Love thy neighbour"
       • Agape
   • St. Paul
     • Puts Jesus' teachings of love into action.
     • Relative