Christian Ethics as a Discipline Flashcards
2 aspects in the study of Christian Ethics
- The clarification of the fundamental principles of the Christian life
- The interpretation of how the Christian community needs to make ethical judgement and to act in the light of its faith and conviction
The clarification of the fundamental principles of the Christian life
- Deals with the definition of the discipline, its nature , its methods, and its problems and prospects
- it deals with the clarification of the foundation and basic principles of Christian Ethics
The interpretation of how the Christian community needs to make ethical judgement and to act in the light of its faith and conviction
- deals with how the Christian community ought to decide and act in the face of an obligation or responsibility
- stresses how the Christian ought to decide and act in the light of his/her own Christian faith and convictions to fully develop himself as a human being
A definition of Christian Ethics
- “ethics” from the Greek word “ethos” originally meant customs, habitual conduct, much later, character
- “moral” is derived from the Latin word “mores”, which signifies customs and habits
- Ethics and moral have references to the things which people approve as good, right ,desirable, obligatory, worthy, and so forth
Christian Ethics Characteristics
- Normative Discipline
- Inclusive
- Interdisciplinary
- Reflective/critical/open
Normative Discipline
Inclusive
- it includes all of human’s moral experiences for its data
- it includes the whole moral ethos
- web of values, meanings, purposes, expectations, and legitimations that constitutes the operating norms of a culture in a relationship to a social entity
Interdisciplinary
- Practitioners commits to complementary theoretical and empirical studies in theology, Bible, philosophy, and the sciences
- it needs the secular wisdom and religious wisdom coming from the theological, philosophical, and Bible studies
- it gives the practitioners of the sciences the moral guidance and insights needed in the use and application of the scientific findings
Reflection/critical/open
- it seeks to set forth a system or standard of human conduct
- it tries to show how that system of human conduct and certain fundamental normative statements can be easily rationally pursued and supported
- it takes into consideration all available data needed to make a decision
- critically looks into all standards of human conduct and chooses the most appropriate one the achieve its goals
Christian Ethics Criteria of Obligation
- Criterion of right (or wrong)
- Criterion of good (or bad/evil)
- Criterion of fit (or unfit)
- Criterions of meaning (or meaningless)
Criterion of right (or wrong)
Criterion of good (or bad/evil)
Criterion of fit (or unfit)
Criterions of meaning (or meaningless)
Philosophical Ethics
- it is based upon a very high regard for a person’s rational capacity
- it contains threefold elements composing the human person
- it is teleological - directed toward the achievement of the end or purpose (telos)
Threefold elements composing the human person
- Reason (rational self) - the highest
- Emotions (spirited soul)
- Animal passions (appetitive souls)
What is the chief end, or highest purpose of human existence?
- happiness, well-being, pleasure
- to be achieved by developing and employing certain virtues such as wisdom, moderation, courage and justice
Moral life then is a life of virtue
How shall I live to achieve happiness, well-being, pleasure?
- Platonism
- Aristotelianism
- Epicureanism or Hedonism
- Stoicism
- Medieval (Augustine)
- Medieval Scholasticism (Thomas Aquinas)
- Utilitarianism
- Kantianism
- Existentialism
- Social Adjustment Ethics
Platonism
Well being or happiness i=lies in the attainment of a well-ordered and harmonious life
- Wisdom is the the highest virtue
- Eros is intellectual love
The highest end of life - the harmonious adjustment of personality in a well-rounded life
Aristotelianism
- Happiness as the highest good in life
- It is an “activity of the soul in accordance with the reason”
- thru’ healthy activity or the exercise of natural capacities and energies
- Happiness is harmony with the nature through the aid of the virtue of moderation (temperance)
- Highest good in life - harmony with nature by living a life of moderation
Epicureanism or Hedonism
- Life is governed by two principles: pleasure and pain
- Pleasure is the only good to be sought by people
How to attain pleasure?
* by the use of natural capacities and sensibility, the task of life is discovered
* but the execution of task is done by reason
*In short, the good life is a life of pleasure (egoistic pleasure)
Stoicism
- Virtue as the highest in life, courage as the most important virtue
- “To live consistently with nature” maxime
The highest good in life is to live according to the benevolence and orderliness if the universe
* this kind of life will lead to spiritual peace and well-being or happy conditions of the soul
- When this ultimate goal is achieved by the aid of courage, one’s life becomes autonomous
Medieval (Augustine)
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”
Views history as an interpretation of entire human drama
* His concerns are historical man and human society and the issue of man’s free will and the manner in which God’s grace operates
* He believes that God’s grace begins the work of salvation and that when grace has initiated it , a man through his will cooperates
* Highest value - to desire to seek the truth
Medieval Scholasticism (Thomas Aquinas)
- Tried to reconcile Aristotle and the Christian faith
- Knowledge is based in what the senses perceives
- Data provided thru senses when interpreted by reason are a road to knowledge
- Faith, a road to truth. Truth comes by the way of revelation from God
- The highest goal the vision of God cam come only through the outpouring of divine goodness
- Aquinas & Augustine “without grace, man can do no good whatever”
- Grace - prevenient - present even before one awareness of it
Utilitarianism
- Bentham - nature has placed us all under two sovereign masters, plan and pleasure, it is for them to point out what we ought to do. Pleasure is an intrinsic good, pain is an intrinsic evil
- Moral obligation to maximize pleasure and minimize pain
- Greatest happiness for greatest number
- John Stuart Mill - ‘higher’ cultural pleasures are superior to lower (physical) ones
Kantianism
- The highest good is good will, It is the only good which does not need any qualification
- Good will means sincere practical purpose on the summoning of all means in our power to do our study
- an act is good if you do it and the same time, you can will that everyone does it, thus become a universal thing
Existentialism
- Existentialism is based on the doctrine that existence takes precedence over essence
- Man is totally free and responsible for his acts
- The good act is one that gives substance and meaning to a person’s life now: it is one that is authentic or done in good faith
Social Adjustment Ethics
- There is no fixed absolute value in life. Good moral conduct is measured according to one’s ability to adjust to the changing standards of society or take one’s place as a good citizen in an ordered, democratic society
Important Attributes of God
- Passionate - God as capable of deep emotions, like getting angry and zealous for the right cause
- Compassionate - God cares like a mother for her children
- Full of Solidarity - God at work for the benefit of the least of the community
- Just - God wills that everyone should get what one deserves
- Faithful - true to his promise
Prophets
- God’s spokespersons
- Primarily religious and secondarily ethical teachers
- Their moral teaching was derived from their understanding of God - righteous God
- Emphasized radical monotheism
- The good and righteous God absolutely demands of all practice justice, righteous, love, humility… in their daily relationships (Amos 5:21-24; Micah 3:9-12)
Prophetic protest
principle of critical analysis of the self and others in the light of God’s will
Judaism
the religion of the Jews after their Babylonian Exile
- Important figure: Ezra and Nehemiah - the leaders of the reconstruction period
a religion characterized by a strict observance if circumcision, Sabbath and dietary laws
Ezra
determined to rebuild a strong temple and religious life for his people. Out of his effort Judaism was born
Characteristics of the Ethics of the Old Testament
- God-centered (theocentric) - God is the source of good and all moral requirements
- Mandatory - commanding people of their duties
- Persons concerned - primarily concerned with persons and community of persons
- Equalitarian - recognizes the fundamental equality among people
- Salvation-oriented - redemption from the evils of present life, enjoyment of material possession with family and offspring
