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Scott Rae Moral Choices

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Christian ethics
Chapter 2

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Wednesday 16 May 2012

The Judeo-Christian system of morality has had a massive impact on Western civilisation, often acting as the basis of the moral guidelines within society. Christian ethics is really a blend of principles and virtues. The character of God is the ultimate reference point for Christian morality - the commands of God are an overow from his character. So, God commands we love our neighbours because he himself is love, we forgive because he is a forgiving God etc. This is seen in both OT and NT.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

augustine
Augustine attempted to formulate a Christian ethic for a world which was (on the whole) just beginning to experience Christianity. Got born again in 386AD after a life of hedonism - wrote extensively very inuential and often quoted (even today.) ended his years as a bishop in North Africa. He was the rst Christian to develop a systematic ethic and his major work on social ethics is called City of God.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

He suggested all being is good as it was created by God. Evil exists only in that it is the privation of evil. Blessedness consists in community, fellowship and the KOG. The supreme joy for a human being is spending eternity with God. Socially he suggests two different communities with two differing ideas of what good is. The city of God, where believers reside with God. The city of man where the world apart from Gods grace, resides.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Because of the strong effect of sin on institutions he said the state should have a minimal role, it should maintain order and secure justice as best possible. We should note the Bible is not a book on systematic ethical theory but presents moral reasoning in varied literary contexts: Mosiac law and the prophets tend to be very deontological (principles derived from the character of God).
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Wisdom literature contains some utilitarian reasoning: Proverbs has descriptions of the consequences of actions and character traits, praising wisdom because of its good results, though ultimately it is grounded in the Law; Rae suggests this deontological and utilitarian approach was because the wisdom lit. was intended for more than just Israel - so PL, sacrice, festivals etc. are all absent from these books.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Ethical egoism and self-interest (esp in the light of covenant blessings) are addressed in Deut. 27-30. Agricultural prosperity and national security are linked to obedience to the covenant. Prophets also refer to blessings and curses involved in (dis)obedience to the covenant. In the NT receiving the Gospel is linked to eternal life - self interest says you do not want to spend eternity in Hell. Also long term obedience might involve short term suffering - but it is benecial in the end.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The Bible also appeals to natural law, or the revelation of God outside of the Bible. Prov. shows right and wrong in terms of nature 6:6-11, 19:1-6. Natural law is also the basis for the condemnation of nations surrounding or opposed to Israel they are condemned for transgressions similar to Israels but without having the law to guide them. God can only hold them accountable on the basis of them knowing their obligations through natural law or general revelation.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The Bible has no appeal to relativism (cultural or moral subjectivism). Christian ethics has a transcendent source and so makes no appeal to culture or a persons subjective preferences. Instead it uses Gods character and commands as a basis for virtue and principles. Some issues are not clearly addressed in the Bible - so in 1 Cor 8, Rom 14-15 appeal is made to not causing cultural offence. But we should remember that never does a cultural norm take precedence over Gods character or biblical principles.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Old testament ethics


The pinnacle of OT ethics are the 10 commandments - which form the basis for the whole of OT law. The wisdom lit takes the principles of the law and applies them to an international audience - in fact the way of wisdom is taught and applied. Much of the OT law was superseded with Jesus coming - much sacricial and civil law are no longer in effect though 2 Tim 3:16 suggests we need a right hermeneutic here
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Things are complicated by the fact the Bible was written to a different culture with different issues to the ones we face today. Within this cultural element of scripture we have to determine what general principles / virtues of OT teaching can be directly applied and which are part of more general guiding principle which is of use today. Loving God is directly, and obviously, applicable - the year of jubilee might require some greater consideration.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Offering of sacrices is not practiced today in giving grain etc. - but do we encourage giving as a celebration of Gods goodness in order to develop an attitude of thanksgiving? Might we offer time as a sacrice, abstain from activities etc. There are some recurring themes in OT ethics - from the Law, Prophets and wisdom lit. - these are summarised in the next section.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The Law as the core of OT ethics


Law here will refer to the Pentateuch this sets out fundamental principles and commands for Israel. It has 3 main parts: 1. The moral law (10 commands) 2. The civil law - institutions and social relations 3. The ceremonial law - Israels worship of God (this part is not usually considered in looking at OT ethics)
Wednesday 16 May 2012

In much poetic literature worship is often seen as a response to God as revealed in the Law. Wisdom lit - see earlier. Prophets use Law as their case against Israel. Though here prophets use general overarching principles of the Law - avoid idolatry, practice justice etc. - these are key themes in OT ethics. Rarely do the prophets address specic issues from within the Law.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

OT Israel was a theocracy - so morality and law were as one with no distinction - pluralistic societies today do distinguish between the two. The church is not under the civil and ceremonial aspects of OT law. Rae argues for Israel as a model for a biblical social ethic asserting that the principles underlying the Law are still valid and applicable to the church today.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The ten commandments as moral rst principles


The 10C are considered the moral foundation for Christians and many in society today. Some other cultures around Israel also had moral laws similar to the Decalogue (10C) - thus they are often called rst principles they are considered clear and evident to people even without scripture. Ex 20:1-17, Dt 5:1-22 What was important about the timing of each of these events - why twice?
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The 10C should have shaped Israel into a nation that reected Gods righteousness and compassion on an individual and corporate level Ex 19:6. The rst 4 talk of an individuals responsibility to God. The nal 6 of responsibility within the community (inc. their own family). The last 5 are found in most communities - they are foundational for stability in the community.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The 10C should have shaped Israel into a up the ten Look nation that reected Gods righteousness commandments - as and compassion on an individual and corporate level a way of ensuring Ex 19:6. you understand The rst 4 talk of an individuals responsibility to God. what they mean The nal 6 of responsibility paraphrase each of within the community (inc. theirthem so that a own family). The last 5 are found in most modern person communities - they are foundational for stability in the would understand. community.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Obedience as personal loyalty to God


Obedience to the law was not seen as an end in itself - instead the main emphasis of the Law was loyalty to a person (God) - we see this further as Jesus stands against Pharisaic legalism in the NT - we obey a person not a command. Ex20:2-3 shows the basis for Israel obeying the 10C was that he had delivered them from Egypt, this was the motive for their response to Gods kindness and faithfulness
Wednesday 16 May 2012

In Ex 1-18 and Deut 1-4 we see Gods provision for his people preceding giving of precepts and the call to obey him. Both of these sections are historical prologues which show Gods provision and his devotion to his people. Deut overall structure is of a suzerain treaty between a king and his subjects - such a treaty lays out the commitment of a king to his people, the stipulates what is required of the people.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Rae suggests this structure was used to emphasise the link between obedience to Gods commands and loyalty to the person of God. The prophets emphasise this when they talk of Israels idolatry as spiritual adultery - ultimate the grief was of God losing relationship with his people.

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Holiness as the unifying theme of OT ethics


OT ethics is unied in the concept of holiness - from a Hebrew word, qadosh, meaning set apart - NT, sanctication. The commands of God set his people apart from their pagan neighbours on the basis of the character of a holy God - be holy as I am holy.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Holiness as the unifying theme of OT ethics


Dt 17:16-17 lists qualications of a person who could be king limitations here refer to actions which would prevent dependence upon God - his sovereignty was limited and he was to bow down before God as servant of God. Dt 21:10-14 women caught in warfare were to be treated humanely and with respect unlike in other countries
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Treatment of slaves was far more humane than in other cultures the worship rituals of other groups could not be followed pagan rituals of any sort could not be allowed (some suggest when Aarons sons were killed the strange re they offered was some form of pagan ritual Lev 10:1ff) - nally the idea that israel could not have a king like other nations. All (and many more) show how God had called his people to be a holy nation, a kingdom of priests
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The overlap of personal and social ethics


Modern ethicists usually divide ethics into personal (individual) and social (broader groups, society) - this social idea mandates morality for all people, or restricts the position of personal moral positions within society at large. The issue of abortion (adultery and homosexuality too) is an example here. Many pro-choice advocates say it is ok to be personally opposed to abortion but you cannot mandate that on society as a whole.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The overlap of personal and social ethics


In the issue of murder all agree it is wrong and should be wrong for all in society - here we see the overlap of personal and social ethics. In the OT this overlap was greater , usually what was moral for the individual was moral for society. In the wisdom literature there is more emphasis on personal morality - it was written for a more international audience.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Wednesday 16 May 2012

The social dimension of OT ethics


Gods design was for Israel to be an ideal society. Their relationship with God was the basis for structure of society which was mandated by the Law. The Law here was civil law and affected individuals and society governing social relationships and establishing institutions to give order and maintain justice in society - it included economic and property issues as a major part of life in the PL.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The prophets also look at social ethics - often accusing Israel of disobeying social aspects of the law by exploitation, injustice etc. In looking forward the prophets see the future KOG as one where such social ills are not present, society is rightly ordered and focussed around worshipping God. Lev 25 shows how civil law governing property was laid out. It includes a sabbatical year where no crops are grown. A jubilee year where land was returned to original owners and slaves released.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

This ensured land was redistributed and never ended up with one person owning an inordinate amount - all land belonged to God. The law of redemption was a more regular and less radical version of jubilee. If a person fell on hard times and sold themselves then a close relative was legally obliged to buy the land/person and thus avoid slavery and work independently. If things then went well the person could buy back land/himself. This is shown in Ruth.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Gleaning - where the edge of a eld is left unharvested and harvesters only once went through the eld - left food for the poor to take, but also required some initiative and effort on their part. Usury, prohibition of moving boundary stones, showing bias in court, bribes - and more were prohibited. All these individual and societal aspects of the law helped show a covenant relationship with God and demonstrated the presence of God in the midst of the community.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The pursuit of justice


As God is a god of justice throughout the OT his people were called to stand against injustice - the poor and vulnerable were not to be victimised. The great example of such activity was the exodus and as God rescued them so Israel was to understand how to treat the alien, vulnerable etc. amongst them. The Mosaic law had structures to protect the poor and vulnerable - as we have seen earlier.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

An evangelical manifesto
http://anevangelicalmanifesto.com/
...An Evangelical Manifesto is an open declaration of who Evangelicals are and what they stand for. It has been drafted and published by a representative group of Evangelical leaders who do not claim to speak for all Evangelicals, but who invite all other Evangelicals to stand with them and help clarify what Evangelical means in light of confusions within and the consternation without the movement. As the Manifesto states, the signers are not out to attack or exclude anyone, but to rally and to call for reform.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

New testament ethics


The NT looks more at morality in the church rather than institutional morality and social ethics. With the coming of Christ we are no longer under the Law - the result is that the way a person relates to God and the way God views the mission of his people has changed, though a broad overview of bringing glory to God by bearing witness to him is much the same in OT and NT.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

New testament ethics


The NT looks more at morality in the church rather than institutional morality and social ethics. With the coming of Christ we are no longer under the Law - the result is that the way a person relates to God and the way God views the mission of his people has changed, though a broad overview of bringing glory to God by bearing witness to him is much the same in OT and NT.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Israel was one nation under God - the church is multiethinic. The church bears witness to God but NT commands do not provide the same type of institutional framework found in OT Law - structure and institutions are not found in the same way as in the OT. However the church should still look to affect change in society the KOG (OT or NT) has a social and individual dimension which is to be worked out.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

So the NT church did not engage in institutional change but the gospel message caused following generations of Christians to start hospitals, schools, orphanage etc. The early church did not have the opportunity to do these things (they were being persecuted) - now we have the chance. Rae suggests, in response to people who suggest not doing these things due to deterioration before the end of the age, that by following the Gt Comm we should do these things and leave the long term up to God - as we do in evangelism etc.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Rae suggests that Jesus did not teach systematically on ethics and so its hard to formulate a NT ethic. Added to this Paul and other NT writers addressed specic questions and issues so what is said might not be universal or binding. The following are some emphases of NT ethics:

Wednesday 16 May 2012

An ethic of virtue becoming like Jesus


The NT does not present the Christian life as simply doing the right thing, it places high emphasis on virtue and character - which is synonymous for becoming more like Christ. In terms of virtue theory the ideal model is Christ - Php 2:5-11, 1 Pet 2:22-24, 1 Cor 11:1, Rom 8:29, Eph 5:1 - all encourage some form of copying and becoming more like him.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The politics of Jesus


Most Christians think their faith has some role in impacting government policy. How this should look is widely disagreed upon. On many issues sincere believers have a wide diversity of opinions - abortion on demand, immigration, global climate change, public health, world poverty relief etc. Rae suggests whatever your ethic it must be consistent with the NT an that means cultivating virtues exemplied by Jesus, which are clearly shown in the Gospels.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

An ethic of love
Love is the central virtue of NT ethics. Loving god and your neighbour are clearly commanded - neighbour being anyone according to the good Samaritan story, Lk 10:25ff, Matt 22:34ff. Paul summarise the Law under the heading of Love - Rom 13:8-10, Gal 5:14. Jesus says the world will know we are his by our love Jn 13:35. Johns epistles suggest you cannot know God without loving people 1 Jn 3:17, 4:7
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Principles reapplied with virtues


Virtues are the ultimate way of showing principles - but the NT still places some emphasis on Gods commands. Jesus deepens and reapplies the Law - he does not nullify the law but rebukes Pharisees for misinterpreting and misapplying it (e.g. Matt 5:17-20). He makes the requirements of the law applicable to all including intent and action - both are important and intent can nullify action!
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Jesus is criticised for healing on the sabbath - yet his response is not to reject the sabbath command but the Pharisees reading of it Matt 12:1ff. Again in Mk 7:1ff Jesus rejects a rigid commitment to principles of the Law, which he said were inconsistent with the law; instead he aims at an application of the law which was consistent with virtues and principles of the law.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Paul follows the same line of principles and virtues. This is seen in confronting the Judaisers - he emphasises spiritual growth is by grace through faith (Gal 3:1ff) and addresses the problem of spiritual excellence through knowledge alone (Gnosticism) by saying we need to have the outworking of Christ in us (Col 1:27). For the apostles their primary ethical goal was to represent the teaching of Jesus and apply it in church life.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Paul shows this in 1 Cor - specic problems are addressed by appealing to principles; Divisiveness is addressed by an appeal to unity in the body of Christ (1-4). Immorality by the principle of sexual purity in the church (5-6) Marriage and singleness the principle of being content in all states (7) Meat offered to idols - not offending the weaker brother (8-10) The church should practice the principles they already know and living them out as virtues in the fashion of Christ.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Members of the KOG - people of the cross/resurrection


NT ethics ow from the demands of the KOG. Ethics reect the walk of a disciple - the KOG was proclaimed but immediately the ethical implications are described too. To profess Christ meant you would adhere to the moral demands of the KOG. In Matt. we see Christ proclaiming the KOG (4:17-25) and then in the sermon on the mount explaining the the ethics of the KOG (5-7).
Wednesday 16 May 2012

In Romans justication by faith is explained in 1-5, then sanctication, the spiritual life, is explained in 6-8 and 12-15. Membership in the KOG is shaped by the cross and resurrection. Jesus death is the model of virtue and behaviour. We are to take up our cross as Christ did - Mk 8:18-34, we are dead to sin and alive to God Rom 6:1ff. for us to live is Christ, we put to death the vices of our former way of life Col 3:1ff the cross shapes our dealing with surrounding culture 1 Pet 2:18ff
Wednesday 16 May 2012

NT ethics - a special place for the poor


Jesus teaching, in line with OT prophets, gave special emphasis to the poor (and others outside mainstream of society). Matt 26:11, 11:5, 5:3, Lk 4:18, 6:20 Lk 14:12-14 - in giving a banquet do not invite those who will return your grace but invite those who cant. Jesus cites Isa 61:1ff as being fullled in his coming. In Matt 25:31ff caring for the poor is equated with commitment to Jesus
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Jesus also associated with foreigners, children, women. In cleansing the temple he aggressively addressed injustice (oppression of poor from foreign lands). He rebuked religious leaders for their lack of justice. The early church was obviously committed to caring for the poor - Acts 2:42ff, 4:32ff The epistles do not lack this concern - Jas 1:27f, 2:1ff and especially 5:1-6
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The dynamic - the indwelling Spirit


Religious leaders relied on spiritual discipline to develop holiness - the NT makes it clear there is a need for the power of God within us to live such a life. Jn 13-17, 1 Cor 2:14, 2 Cor 3:18, Gal 5:16, 22-23 Moral and spiritual maturity comes from the action of the Spirit - from the inside out.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Divine command theory


An emphasis on obedience to the commands of Jesus/God is a vital part of Christian ethics - such an emphasis on Gods commands is often called a divine command theory of ethics. Here the ultimate foundation for morality is in the commands (will) of God. Naturally this ows from the idea of Gods character, which we discussed earlier. Many other religions have a similar idea.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Divine command theory


An interesting philosophical question was raised by the Greeks (Plato): Does God command things because they are good, or are things good because God commands them? Does what God says make something right or indicate that it is right? If one answers that God commands things because they are good, it would seem to make Gods commands redundant, reinforcing what is obvious and available to everyone.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

But if one answers that things are good because God commands them, then God appears arbitrary, and he would be free to command anything, even things that violate societies widely held moral principles. So if God commanded the torture of babies it would be good simply because God said to do it. This would be against what most people instinctively think and so they would not worship a god like this - it is called ethical voluntarism. This is a view of Islam held by many non-Muslims.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Here Allah is sovereign and cannot be held accountable to anyone. So it makes anything that he desires, commands or does to be good - even if to others it seems capricious or arbitrary. Biblically we see god as bound by his character which means he cannot do certain things. So ethical voluntarism is inconsistent with a biblical portrait of God.

Wednesday 16 May 2012

The other side is of God commanding things because they are good. God only commands what is consistent according to his character. Morality then comes from Gods character. For example Gods character is love so what he commands is consistent with that and is therefore good.

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Goodness and general revelation


We need to see Gods commands in special revelation (the Bible) in conjunction with his moral values expressed in general revelation - this is called natural law and will be dealt with soon. Moral precepts and objective goodness were revealed in general revelation before the Bible was given. Natural law is simply the general revelation in the area of morals. So Gods command are consistent with his character and general revelation.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Problems with divine command ethics


1. Calling God good presupposes a notion of goodness that must be independent of God or religion. This is answered by Rae suggesting that using a map to show directions to a city does not presuppose that the map came before the city. In the same way, just because I must know something about goodness before I know that God is good does not mean morality is independent of God.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

2. The problem of the apparent conicts in scriptural commands. Rahab in Joshua 2 lies in order to protect the Israelite spies - she is then recorded in Hebrews 11. There are 3 ways to resolve such conicts of divine commands: A. Maintain that no conict really faces the believer nonconicting absolutism. Since an infallible God inspired his inerrant word, no such conict of commands is possible. Admitting such a conict would compromise the character of God by saying he could give conicting commands. So when absolutes (commands) of the Bible are properly interpreted there will never be such a conict.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

How do we resolve this? - Suggest that in Gods providence Rahab should have told the truth and trusted God. - Capture the intent of the command more clearly - not bearing false witness is not a blanket prohibition of lying but of maliciously lying - therefore Rahab was ok to act as she did.

Wednesday 16 May 2012

B. Admit the conict exists, but sin is still sin, even when a person faces competing obligations. Such moral dilemmas are not due to any aw in Gods character - in fact people should choose to do the lesser evil. So you sin (lie) then immediately kneel and repent. A person then should not be morally culpable for something that could not be avoided and in which they had no choice.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

C. Graded absolutism suggests as in B that moral conicts are part of a fallen world but the choice made is not evil and the person has not chosen the lesser evil in their actions. It is simply a morally justiable choice and not sin. So here there is a hierarchy in Gods laws. In Acts 4 preaching the gospel was a greater command than submission to authorities. Matt 23:23ff justice, compassion, mercy are considered greater than tithing.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Natural law in Christian ethics


Natural law is a controversial idea in moral philosophy in general and Christian ethics in particular. In philosophy this is because it is an ethic which is transcendent in nature and not a human creation e.g. it has been used in the past to oppress some groups (like women) as it has a Gods eye view on the world which is inconsistent with modern thinking and morality.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Natural law in Christian ethics


In Christian ethics this has mainly been an area of RC theologians and philosophers. The Reformers rejected it as they did not think with sin in the world that morality could be discovered apart from clear revelation in the Bible, and also, the Bible was the central source of moral and spiritual authority. In the 20th century Barth and Brunner argued natural law undercut the centrality of Christ for moral life.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Critical issues concerning natural law


Natural law is at the centre of a number of crucial questions in Christian ethics: - to what degree can moral values be known apart from special revelation? - what is the relationship between reason and revelation in ethics? - to what degree can a person be good apart from special grace of God? - to what degree is Christian ethics different from nonreligious ethical systems? Is there common ground for Christian and non-Christian morality?
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Thomas Aquinas
1224-1274, Italian, best known for Summa Theologica, which includes important sections on ethics. A fundamental concept was of the public good under the law. - the good is based on the natural law, the natural tendencies of a thing - you consider its end and its function, (both part of the way God made it), and happiness is knowing God and loving the good, evil is what interferes with it .
Wednesday 16 May 2012

- held that natural law imprints itself on beings and therefore determines its actions to proper inclinations and ends. Natural law can be known by reason by everyone regardless of their relationship to God. - saw humans as essentially social beings, the state therefore had room to intervene and improve the lot of society, institutions exist to develop good people. If you believe in natural law then you will argue for Christian social mission and activism in a system that complements Gospel proclamation.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Dening natural law


This term is used in 2 main ways: - general, widely shared moral views / values which are not tied to scripture - justice, fairness, respect for the individual, telling the truth, not harming people etc. These come out of human observation and practice through the centuries - in essence it is Gods general moral law revealed through general revelation.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Dening natural law


- in RC circles it is used in looking at reproductive ethics and offers reasoning for the validity of their conclusions. It refers to what is natural in creation - anything that is not natural is therefore prohibited, contraception, abortion, IVF etc. Protestants tend to reject it for reproductive technologies and accept it for genetic modications. Additionally it is used to argue against homosexuality
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The biblical basis for natural law


Romans 2:1-16 is the main passage cited. 14(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.)
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The biblical basis for natural law


God appears to hold those without the law as being accountable just as Jews are (2:17-29). This must mean they have access to Gods view of morality (in gen. rev.) - they have the values of God without having scripture. (This is also seen in some prophets addressing nations - Isa 13-27, Jer 46-51 etc.) Wisdom literature also suggests that wisdom can be natural and revealed - and are legitimate
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The limits of natural law


Many criticisms do not relate to natural law itself but how it can be known. The Reformers had a strong view on the sinfulness of man and so thought natural law was virtually useless - it has been corrupted by the fall and by self interest. Special revelation is needed as we cannot tell in some instances if something is natural in creation or caused by sin - e.g. Death which was not part of Gods original plan but that happens to all.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

The limits of natural law


Many aspects of spiritual life require special revelation salvation etc. Natural law helps reveal some proper motives but greater clarication can only be gleaned from Scripture. Rae says in all things scripture should be the nal arbiter. Natural law is consistent with scripture but not all of it is contained in scripture, though scripture does clarify some of it.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Natural law and jurisprudence


There are two schools of thought regarding natural law and the law: - legal positivists suggest there is no connection between the law and morality. Laws are valid because they are created by recognised institutions. - moral realism suggests that laws that do not correspond to objective values are non-laws, or invalid laws. For a law to be valid it must relate to objective moral truths.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

Natural law and jurisprudence


For Christians there are objective values grounded in the creative activity of God, revealed in general revelation, deduced by reason and experience. They are also substantially revealed in scripture. What natural law does is to provide a common ground between Christian and nonChristian ethics, a basis for dialogue and a means by which Christian ethics become persuasive to the world.
Wednesday 16 May 2012

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