ABC’s of Christian Ethics
I must admit, my favorite class in Seminary was Christian Ethics. I loved every second of the semester. Though I am not much of a “theory” person, I enjoyed picking apart the philosophers’ thoughts, and putting the principles into practical application. Today I sat at a local coffee shop with a high school student, and we did our homework together! He was making lists and rhymes to help him remember the Periodic Table, and this gave me a great idea! Why not take a look at The Matrix of Christian Ethics through the ABC’s? Without further adieu, I present to you a very elementary version of Christian ethics:
A – Aristotle – The Greek philosopher, Aristotle, wrote two ethical treatises: Nicomachean Ethics and Eudemian Ethics. These two works cover more or less the same ground: they begin with a discussion of eudaimonia (“happiness,” “flourishing”), and turn to an examination of the nature of aretê (“virtue,” “excellence”) and the character traits that human beings need in order to live life at its best. Both essays examine the conditions in which praise or blame are appropriate, and the nature of pleasure and friendship; near the end of each work is a brief discussion of the proper relationship between human beings and the divine.[1]
B – “Being right with God” – Is doing the right thing equated with “being right with God?” One must make the distinction of living with integrity versus living a Christian lifestyle, as integrity is just one of the many facets of a Christian life. Being right with God is not equivalent to all God requires of Christians in the realms of righteousness and justice. Christian living is more than simply doing good deeds and having the right actions. It is just as James tells his readers – works must be accompanied by faith, and vice versa.
C – Consequential Ethics – Also referred to as teleological ethics, the ultimate criteria for determining good and evil according to consequential ethics are, of course, the consequences of deed rather than the deed itself. Standards or precepts by themselves do not dictate a basis for moral judgment; rather the effects or consequences of particular acts do.[2]
D – Deontology – Deontology is a term used for the study of duty or obligation, where the weight of moral focus is on the rule or prescription that enables a person to answer the question, “What ought I to do?”[3]
E – Ethics – Ethics are a demonstration of a person’s beliefs in action. Ethical actions are rational actions.[4] They are concerned with what we do and who we become. Our choices and actions reveal who we are and affect who we are; they are self-telling and self-creating. But we must not forget that ethics are most fundamentally about making choices – performing acts that bring happiness to ourselves and others. It is ultimately about fulfilling the deepest aspirations of the human person. But what does a Christian use to guide their ethical decisions?
F – Faith and Reason – Christian ethical teachings are grounded faith and reason, philosophy and natural law. Protestant Churches emphasize the authority of the Bible. Anglican, Orthodox and Catholic ethical authority is also dependent on the Church leadership – the Pope, Archbishops, Bishops or Patriarchs. What is the balance of these sources of teaching for believers of Christianity?
G – Geisler, Norman – Norman Geisler wrote Christian Ethics, which paints a beautiful picture of the ethical theories.[5] He describes deontological systems as duty-centered, and teleological ethics as end-centered.[6] In Christian Ethics, he makes the clear, undisputed distinction that “Christian ethics is deontological.”[7]
H – Hedonism – Broadly, hedonism is the pursuit of sensual pleasure with a view to avoiding all sense of pain. According to hedonism, an act is good if it creates pleasure and lessens pain. On the contrary, an act is bad if it causes or increases pain.[8]
I – Imago Dei – This term translates to “image of God.” Christian Ethics is for human beings who, made in the image and likeness of God:
- Think
- Choose
- Engage in meaningful relationships
- Have a body and an immortal soul/spirit
- Aspire for truth and goodness
J – Justice – What is the relationship between justice and Christian ethics? The Lord seems to require it! (Micah 6:8)
K –Kant, Immanuel – Kant wrote The Groundwork of Metaphysics and examined his view of duty. Here, Kant claims God is unnecessary due to the human ability to reason and ascertain truth and act accordingly.[9]
L – Law – What role does law play in ethics? Nullens writes that laws are functionally shortsighted with regard to moral problems. For example, a law restricting driving while intoxicated refers to maximum blood-alcohol content and demands a penalty if the maximum is exceeded. However, the law does not address the moral issue of drinking responsibly in view of personal health or in relationship to other human beings.[10]
M – Morality, morals and mores – The Matrix of Christian Ethics authors describe morality, morals and mores as principles and values accepted either individually or within a specific culture. They go on to differentiate this from ethics, which “is essentially scholarly reflection on morality as a whole, subjecting all of the above to systematic and critical evaluation.”[11]
N – Natural Law – The natural law is a law discovered by our natural reason – moral principles which are naturally known by us. Since we are rational beings, our nature is fulfilled by actions in accord with right reasoning about what is true and good. As the Greek and Roman empires expanded, and different cultures began to mix, the ancients noticed that certain rules of human life applied throughout the empire. They proposed that some norms and principles are naturally known to us as human beings. This idea is also found in Scripture (Romans 2:14-15), “…what the law requires is written on their hearts.” Christians developed an understanding of a universal law – a common system of ethics – given by God to every human person. Called the ‘natural law’, this came to be understood as a human sharing in divine law.
O – Ontology – Holocaust survivor and Jewish philosopher, Emmanuel Levinas, spoke out against the importance of ontology, the philosophical study of the nature of being, becoming, existence, or reality, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations. Ontology assigns a place for everything, making everything equal, leaving no room for the other. Levinas sat on the opposite end of the spectrum, insisting on the ethical priority of the other, based on Jesus’ call to look into the faces of the poor, the widows, and the outcasts of society, to seek justice for them. Is the balance between self-care and caring for others?
P – Principle Ethics – The natural opposite of consequential ethics is deontological, or principle ethics. According to principle ethics, “a moral act is good if it conforms to a certain principle, irrespective of consequences. What is good can only be understood in light of particular laws and our unconditional obedience to them.”[12]
Q – Quandaries – Church leaders are in quandaries for advice to revive Christian ethics among their parishioners. Perhaps solid, trusted preaching, personalized small groups, and acts of service and outreach are worthwhile components to moral development in Christians. Combined, Christians may be encouraged to live out their faith and put words into practice in their everyday worlds. This takes the human being past the classical approaches to moral living and creates clean hearts and obedient souls to pave the way for evangelism and growth.
R – Redemption, Restoration, Right and Wrong – Redemption may be best understood as the restoration of three relationships – with God, with nature, and with neighbor. Redemption includes the restoration of the human heart and conscience.[13] Is the Christian conscience a clear echo of God’s voice? Is it the work of God’s Spirit through the experience of our deepest values?
S – Summary of Three Classical Thoughts – Deontology, teleology, and virtue ethics narrow down moral obligations to just duty, just what works, and just personal piety. While these are valuable behaviors, are they equivalent to Christian morality?
T – Teleology – Teleology is “the ascertaining and achievement of moral outcomes or ends by considering the consequences of decisions, for the good they achieve or the harm they minimize.”[14]
U – Utilitarianism – John Stewart Mill was a proponent of the principle of utility, which is key to understanding teleology. In fact, there is a direct link between hedonism and utilitarianism. The aim is to achieve the highest degree of pleasure and the lowest degree of pain, for the largest possible number of people.[15] Utilitarianism measures the results of an action as opposed to the unknowable intents and motivations of fallible decision makers.
V – Virtue ethics – Upon examining Aristotle’s teachings in Nicomachean Ethics, virtue ethics highlights the character of the individual shaped and reflected in habits, dispositions, behavior and decisions. This relates the moral character of moral agents in that the kind of person one is will be reflected in the kinds of decisions he makes and behavior he exhibits.[16] It is important to know virtue, moral and intellectual, is a possession, a trait, or a characteristic that is valued and revered as good.[17] For the Christian, the connection is easy, as virtues are seen throughout Scripture, especially in the fruit of the Spirit, as products of salvation and sanctification, and characteristics pleasing to God and others.[18] This appeals to those who see integrity and character as important necessities for pastors, leaders, and the congregants.
W – Wilkens, Steve. Steve Wilkens wrote Beyond Bumper Sticker Ethics. Each chapter takes a classical, or widely known, ethical theory and breaks it down as to the positive points and how they may be related to Christianity.[19] Read it.
X, Y, Z – Now you know your ABC’s! What now? I enjoyed the concluding thoughts from this week’s authors – a practical format for thinking through ethical dilemmas:
- Collect Relevant Information
- Formulate the Particular Ethical Problem
- Consider the Problem in View of the Matrix of Commandments, Values, Character, and Consequences
- Consider Alternate Solutions
- Make a Decision
- Evaluate
[1] “Aristotle’s Ethics,” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-ethics/.
[2] Patrick Nullens, and Ronald T. Michener, The Matrix of Christian Ethics: Integrating Philosophy and Moral Theology in a Postmodern Context (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2010), 50.
[3] Wyndy Corbin Reuschling, Reviving Evangelical Ethics: The Promises and Pitfalls of Classic Models of Morality (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2008), 29.
[4] Nullens & Michener, 9.
[5] Norman Geisler, Christian Ethics: Contemporary Issues and Options (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010).
[6] Ibid., 17.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Nullens and Michener, 51.
[10] Nullens and Michener, 19.
[11] Ibid., 9.
[12] Ibid., 53.
[13] Ibid., 186-187.
[14] Reuschling, 10.
[15] Nullens and Michener, 51.
[16] Reuschling, 29.
[17] Ibid., 53.
[18] Ibid., 61.
[19] Steve Wilkens, Beyond Bumper Sticker Ethics: An Introduction to Theories of Right and Wrong (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2011).
About the Author
Ashley Goad
Ashley is the Global Missions Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana. She's a UNC fanatic, Haiti Enthusiast, Clean Water Activist, Solar Power Supporter... www.firstserves.org www.solarunderthesun.org www.livingwatersfortheworld.org6 responses to “ABC’s of Christian Ethics”
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Great!! You rock!
Code for: “Ashley, you clearly had too much time on your hands this week!”
Thanks for deciphering the code for us Ashley! If there is an award for most footnotes in a weekly blog, you’ve got to be close to winning it. Very impressive look at Ethics.
My reflection on this subject is through the writings of Norman Geisler. He’s the first writer of apologetics that I read as a new believer and definitely challenged my inability to think and created a space within me that enjoys just a little of philosophy, ethics and apologetics. Who’s your ethics guru?
Deve, you’re hilarious! Thanks, friend. I love Geisler, as well. And Wilkens’, Beyond Bumper Sticker Ethics, really spoke to me, and broke down ethics into language I could understand. However, once I really got into that seminary semester, Aristotle (the translated versions) and I became tight. In fact, between you and me, I named my stuffed giraffe “Ari” in honor of him! 🙂 Happy College Football Day!
Hi Ashley
Wow, what a great post! So clever. Very impressed 🙂
You brought up the subject of happiness in a few paragraphs. Isn’t it interesting how ethicists focus so much on happiness, when happiness is an emotion and can change with the weather?
Anyway, which area of ethics do you love the most? Do you have a favourite ethicist who you connect to?
HAHA! So I started reading and asked myself if you were gonna stop at ABC… but you didn’t! HA! I appreciate your XYZ… just one problem… it’s soo hard! 😉
Collect. Consider. Decide. Commit.
Thanks Ashley! I can’t wait to sit with you under a tree in Haiti 🙂