Christian Moral Action Flashcards
“Evaluate Bonhoeffer’s views on a Christians duty to the state” Essay
A: Bonhoeffer agreed with Luther that Christians should obey state laws. Human law is fallible and leaders can become corrupt. Christian’s have a duty to uphold God’s will if leaders at against the interest of the state. e.g Confessing church
CA: ignoring rules can lead to evil things being justified as bing God’s will. The Nazi’s had the slogan: “God on our side”. Can justify assassinations. Following the laws more important.
E: Bonhoeffer would disagree to follow God’s will. You must put aside your own desires and act selflessly
A: active engagement: Christian’s have a responsibility to actively engage q the state and Society. Cannot treat the world passively. “Put a spoke in the wheel”. Helped many Jews escape. Costly grace
CA: Loss of spiritual focus. Risk that Christian’s may become too entangled in world affairs. Mission is to spread the gospel. God has a plan. God will punish those eternally.
E: Living out the gospel: Christian’s can embody the teachings of Jesus nd live out the gospel practically. Promote justice as Jesus preached. Examples…
Moral principle scholars & arguments
Autonomous
- Fletcher: autonomous ethics - thinks that we can make our own decisions following our reason - situation ethics
- Tillich: we create our own meaning. He was critical of fixed rules, which make it difficult for people to respond to each situation.
- Mouw: rejects a situationalist approach as it is wrong to see the bible as a list of commands.
Heteronomous
- Pope Benedict: rejected love as a principle because it undermines the magisterium of the church - apostolic
Theonomous
- St.Paul & Augustine: need to use theonomous approach because humans are sinful ands ignorance. The source must come directly from God
- Wilkinson: the guidance is set our in real life examples
- Barth: (bibliology) literalism gas it’s dangers. It falsely gives the bible a divine status. The words of the bible have gone though many translations.
“Evaluate the view that Christians should not practice civil disobedience” essay
A: Bonhoeffer: Christians should practice civil obedience. Our duty to God is more important than the duty to the state. Particular relevance in Nazi Germany. Example: Hitler removed all non-aryan clergy. Finkenwalde was an example of civil disobedience wher Bonhoeffer would hold illegal secret seminaries. Also involved in a plot to kill Hitler
CA: If civil disobedience means violence. This seems to go against. Pacifism and the will of God. Conflicts against Jesus’ teachings “turn the cheek”. Jesus died on the on the cross, no violence was used. Bonhoeffer is placing the wrong sort of emphasis on suffering and going against Jesus’ teachings. Just justify bad things as being God’s will
E: However, Bonhoeffer said that doing nothing to combat evil can be as bad as doing evil ourselves “we need to put a spoke in the wheel itself” considering the violence of the Nazi regime “need to put a spoke in the wheel”. Although a lot of the bible seems to go against Bonhoeffer teaching he takes a situationalist approach - not the perfect word of God.
A: Human law is fallible and governments can be corrupted by their power into thinking it is justice itself. Therefore the church should have an important old to keep the state in check. As disciples we should be willing to do suffer just as Jesus did as grace is costly
CA: However, Bonhoeffer might be essentially justifying assassination of politicians. Even the Nazi’s had the slogan “God on our side”. This could also potentially justify religious terrorism. Paul Hill murdered an abortion doctor and claimed to have been inspired by Bonhoeffer.
E: Bonhoeffer would respond we should put aside our own desires in order for something to be a truly selfless act. The Nazi’s definitely did not put aside human ethics or their personal desires
