I\u2019ve grown up in churches for most of my life, and ethics isn\u2019t a subject that has been widely discussed or taught. Instead, I\u2019ve more frequently observed church leaders talk about being holy, living a pure life, and abiding by Biblical principles. Many denominations have developed church disciplines in efforts to articulate their beliefs on how people should live and act. The church constantly seeks to translate biblical values into the current cultural context, as people are forced to decide what is right or wrong in situations that aren\u2019t always clear. We live in a very grey world. \u00a0Lately, I’ve been\u00a0concerned that people aren’t critically evaluating right vs. wrong and identifying their moral values, rather they react to situations strictly on their\u00a0cultural and traditional ‘Christian’ ideas of what is right or wrong.<\/p>\n
In The Matrix of Christian Ethics: Integrating Philosophy and Moral Theology in a Postmodern Context[1]<\/strong><\/a><\/em>, we are presented with the idea\u00a0that \u201cmorals refer to principles and values accepted within a specific culture. Ethics is essentially scholarly reflection on morality as a whole\u201d. The author\u2019s Nullens and Michener have attempted to build a system that helps to explain and understand morals. \u00a0Scripture dictates that we go beyond just understanding what is morally right or wrong, and to live as Christ would have us to in our day-to-day actions and behaviors. \u00a0Thus, acting ethically requires we take a systematic approach to first understand how we should act. As I ponder this, I am reminded of the fact that even church leaders often struggle with moral failures and understanding how to apply Scripture to answer life\u2019s difficult questions. In the daily living out of our values, we need systems to help us intentionally consider how our values and actions reflect Christ.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been disappointed at the response that some Christians have had in the wake of terrorism and the recent the attacks in Paris. Christian\u00a0Americans\u00a0have been forced to think about how we should act and respond to suffering around the world. Do we close our borders in efforts to protect our own citizens? Do we stop refugees from entering our country? Do we increase military efforts to try and stop the terrorist activities? In order to stop the terrorists, do we make military moves that could put innocent people in danger? In response, many people in the Christian community have been quick to speak their opinions on social media. I\u2019ve seen fear and hatred spreading like a virus through some church groups, as people\u00a0seek to figure out what is best for Americans and their own family. \u00a0My observation is that too many people don\u2019t care to critically evaluate or ethically consider the right action in light of our moral responsibility and Christian response. \u00a0Humility and compassion have taken\u00a0a back seat to arrogant attitudes. \u00a0We are quick to react and make judgement calls, often based on news coming from unreliable sources like random social media postings.<\/p>\n Nullens and Michener remind us that we don\u2019t live in a black and white world, and thus we must seek\u00a0to understand\u00a0what is superior and best before we act. \u201cIt is a matter of wisdom to discern how we use our Christian freedom in different situations.[2]<\/a>\u201d Our ethical response must be tied to who we are in Christ, and to the way we reflect Christ through our actions and behaviors.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n