ccl open night 1 - an overview of christian ethics
Post on 03-Dec-2014
2.919 Views
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to the Centre for Christian
Living’s first
Open NightAn Overview of Christian Ethics
with some comments about how we use our money
A JOINED-UP LIFE: an overview of
Christian ethics
Andrew Cameron
www.ccl.moore.edu.au
1. Awareness:where ethics hits us
2. Unawareness:desire and groups
3. Christians and others:where we overlap
1. Awareness:where ethics hits us
2. Unawareness:desire and groups
3. Christians and others:where we overlap
4. Jesus Christ:how he makes a
difference 5. Christian ethics
its shape and its ways 6. Bible reading and cameo:
how money works
... How to handle sibling/parent/ex at Christmas?
... Should I use my work time on this or that priority?
... Should I obey or support this rule or policy?
(at work or in society)?
Where life hits us …
... How to handle sibling/parent/ex at Christmas?
... Should I use my work time on this or that priority?
... Should I obey or support this rule or policy?
(at work or in society)? ... Will I buy that house? ... How do I deal with this bully? ... Will I date or divorce this person?
Where life hits us …
... How to handle sibling/parent/ex at Christmas?
... Should I use my work time on this or that priority?
... Should I obey or support this rule or policy?
(at work or in society)? ... Will I buy that house? ... How do I deal with this bully? ... Will I date or divorce this person? ... Should I keep this baby? ... Should I put my parent in palliative care? ... It is time to switch off that machine?
Where life hits us …
Oxford English Dictionary:
ethics =
‘The science of morals: the department of study concerned with the principles of human duty.’
give it a name …
Oxford English Dictionary:
ethics =
... thoughts and actions about right and wrong
give it a name …
moral/morals/morality =‘Ethical wisdom’ (!!) ...... concerning ‘character or disposition, considered as good or bad, virtuous or vicious’ and ‘the distinction between right and wrong, or good and evil, in relation to the actions, volitions or character of responsible beings: ethical’
another name …
moral/morals/morality =‘Ethical wisdom’ (!!) ...... concerning ‘character or disposition, considered as good or bad, virtuous or vicious’ and ‘the distinction between right and wrong, or good and evil, in relation to the actions, volitions or character of responsible beings: ethical’
(so ‘morals’ are not just about sex)
another name …
(no longer strictly upheld)
ethics = the study of thoughts about and actions of right and wrong
a classic distinction
(no longer strictly upheld)
ethics = the study of thoughts about and actions of right and wrong
morals/morality =specific lists of what people and community think to be right and wrong
a classic distinction
Rights
Awareness: where ‘ethics’ hits us
Rights
Awareness: where ‘ethics’ hits us
to equality, autonomy, protection and security, property ownership, privacy, reputation
Rights
Awareness: where ‘ethics’ hits us
to equality, autonomy, protection and security, property ownership, privacy, reputation
to freedomfrom forced workof movementof associationof thoughtof speech and expressionof peaceful assemblyof religion and beliefof consciencefrom wantfrom fear
Rights
Awareness: where ‘ethics’ hits us
to equality, autonomy, protection and security, property ownership, privacy, reputation
to freedomfrom forced workof movementof associationof thoughtof speech and expressionof peaceful assemblyof religion and beliefof consciencefrom wantfrom fear
to justice:fair hearingshumane treatmentagainst retrospective laws
Values
… settled patterns of action and feeling … how someone usually thinks, feels, acts
Awareness: where ‘ethics’ hits us
Values
… settled patterns of action and feeling … how someone usually thinks, feels, acts
A school: ‘responsibility, respect, care, honesty, excellence, inclusion, understanding, tolerance’
A doctor: ‘professionalism, customer focus, working together, quality, honesty, integrity.’
A student: ‘assertiveness, self-fulfilment, self-esteem, independence, self-acceptance.’
Awareness: where ‘ethics’ hits us
Results
Awareness: where ‘ethics’ hits us
Results
e.g. health
harm-minimization
education
cost-cuttingshareholder return
Awareness: where ‘ethics’ hits us
Results
e.g. health
harm-minimization
education
cost-cutting
shareholder return
‘Consequentialism’:... Only results matter (for self, family,
corporation)... ‘Ends’ justify ‘means’
Awareness: where ‘ethics’ hits us
Results
e.g. health
harm-minimization
education
cost-cuttingshareholder return
‘Consequentialism’:... Only results matter (for self, family, corporation)
... ‘Ends’ justify ‘means’
‘Utilitarianism’ (= consequentialism for whole
society) : ... Old: ‘Greatest good for the greatest number’... New: ‘Maximum satisfied preferences’
Awareness: where ‘ethics’ hits us
Rules
Awareness: where ‘ethics’ hits us
Rules
e.g. ‘Faithfulness in Service’:4.8: ‘You are not to disclose confidential information received in pastoral ministry ...’6.9: You are not knowingly to make statements that are false, misleading or deceptive.’8.8: ‘You are to avoid situations of conflict between your personal financial interest and your pastoral ministry responsibilities.’5.11: ‘When engaged in pastoral ministry you are not to administer corporal punishment to children ...’
Awareness: where ‘ethics’ hits us
Rules
Rights Results
Values
Awareness: where ‘ethics’ hits us
Rights Results
Rights and results don’t always agree
Rights Results
Rights and results don’t always agree
Rules
Values
Values and rules don’t always agree
Rules
Values
Values and rules don’t always agree
Rights Results
Values
? Rules
Rights Results
Values
? Rules
‘Morality is how I feel too, because in my heart, I could feel it. You could feel what’s right or wrong in your heart as well as your mind. Most of the time, I always felt, I feel it in my heart and it makes it easier for me to morally decide what’s right and wrong. Because if I feel about doing something, I’m going to feel it in my heart, and if it feels good, I’m going to do it.’
- from Chris Smith, Souls in Transition
Unawareness: desire
includes wanting, longing, attraction, yearning, interest, enjoyment,
delight ... our God-given response to whatever is
good
Unawareness: desire
includes wanting, longing, attraction, yearning, interest, enjoyment,
delight ... our God-given response to whatever is
good God made a ‘very good’ world;
he loads it with what we want, love, delight in
Augustine (4th century): humanity made for ‘the enjoyment of God and of one another in God’
+ we rightly delight in all the non-human creation
Unawareness: desire
includes wanting, longing, attraction, yearning, interest, enjoyment,
delight ... our God-given response to whatever is
good God made a ‘very good’ world;
he loads it with what we want, love, delight in
Augustine (4th century): humanity made for ‘the enjoyment of God and of one another in God’
+ we rightly delight in all the non-human creation
... but our ‘loves’ (desires) are ‘disordered’
Unawareness: desire
There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God ...’ [2 Timothy 3:1-4]
Unawareness: desire
There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God ...’ [2 Timothy 3:1-4]
Unawareness: desire
ww
w.luci
fere
ffect
.co
m
Unawareness: groups
Hannah Arendt
Adolf Eichmann
Hannah Arendt
Adolf Eichmann
the
fearsom
e, word-
and-
thought-
defying
banality of evil.
Calvin (16th century): ... when we come to our own case,
we forget ‘values’
“The intellect is very rarely deceived in general [but] is illusory when it goes farther, that is, applies the principle to particular cases.
Calvin (16th century): ... when we come to our own case,
we forget ‘values’
“In reply to the general question, every man will affirm that murder is evil. But he who is plotting the death of an enemy contemplates murder as something good. The adulterer will condemn adultery in general, but will privately flatter himself in his own particular adultery.
Calvin (16th century): ... when we come to our own case,
we forget ‘values’
“Here is man's ignorance: when he comes to a particular case, he forgets the general principle that he has just laid down.”
disordered desires
Unawareness: ‘flesh’
disordered desires
false belonging
Unawareness: ‘flesh’
‘Flesh’:disordered
desiresfalse belonging
Unawareness: ‘flesh’
Rights
Rules
Results(‘Consequentialism’) ?
Christians and others:where we overlap
Values
RightsCreation
Rules
Results(‘Consequentialism’)
Values
?
Christians and others:where we overlap
RightsCreation
Rules
Results(‘Consequentialism’)
Values
?
Characterof God
Christians and others:where we overlap
RightsCreation
Rules
Results(‘Consequentialism’)
Values
? New future(‘eschatology’)
Characterof God
Christians and others:where we overlap
Rights
Rules
Results(‘Consequentialism’)
Values
?
Christians and others:where we overlap
Creation
Characterof God
New future(‘eschatology’)
God’s commands
Rights
Rules
Results(‘Consequentialism’)
Values
?
Christians and others:where we overlap
JesusChrist
Creation
Characterof God
New future(‘eschatology’)
God’s commands
JesusChrist
How Jesus makes a difference
JesusChrist
Restores created order
Reveals God’scharacter
How Jesus makes a difference
JesusChrist
Restores created order
Receives God’spromises
Reveals God’scharacter
Reframes God’scommands
How Jesus makes a difference
JesusChristReconciles
relationshipsRestores
created order Receives God’s
promises
Reveals God’scharacter
Reframes God’scommands
How Jesus makes a difference
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :disordered
desires false belonging
‘Saved’‘in Christ’
How Jesus makes a difference
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :disordered
desires false belonging
‘Saved’‘in Christ’ Christ’s Spirit:
reordered desires true inclusion
(‘love’)
How Jesus makes a difference
The ‘pilot project’ for true human society that teaches us (e.g.):
Mercy and forgiveness (from Christ, then to each other)
Community‘in Christ’
The ‘pilot project’ for true human society that teaches us (e.g.):
Mercy and forgiveness (from Christ, then to each other)
New, true inclusion (from other social influences)
Reordered desire (for the ‘enjoyment of God and of each other in God’)
Community‘in Christ’
The ‘pilot project’ for true human society that teaches us (e.g.):
Mercy and forgiveness (from Christ, then to each other)
New, true inclusion (from other social influences)
Reordered desire (for the ‘enjoyment of God and of each other in God’)
Celebration of the powers of others (gifts, submission)
Community‘in Christ’
The ‘pilot project’ for true human society that teaches us (e.g.):
Mercy and forgiveness (from Christ, then to each other)
New, true inclusion (from other social influences)
Reordered desire (for the ‘enjoyment of God and of each other in God’)
Celebration of the powers of others (gifts, submission)
The needs and limits of bodies (care)
How one body affects another (e.g. in speech, sexuality, exclusion)
Community‘in Christ’
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :disordered
desires false belonging
Christ’s Spirit:reordered desires,
true inclusion (‘love’)
New future
Community‘in Christ’
God’sCharacter
Creation
Commands
The shape of Christian ethics
The ways of Christian
ethicsCreation Community
‘in Christ’New
future
God’sCharacter
Commands
An ‘order’: to accept, enjoy and protect
[e.g. 1 Tim 4:1-5]
The ways of Christian
ethicsCreation Community
‘in Christ’New
future
God’sCharacter
Commands
A goal: humanity’s communal
purpose [e.g. 2 Pet. 3:3-14]
An ‘order’: to accept, enjoy and protect
[e.g. 1 Tim 4:1-5]
The ways of Christian
ethicsCreation Community
‘in Christ’New
future
God’sCharacter
Commands
A method: the way of cross & resurrection
[e.g. Phil. 2, Col. 3, Eph. 4]
A goal: humanity’s communal
purpose [e.g. 2 Pet. 3:3-14]
An ‘order’: to accept, enjoy and protect
[e.g. 1 Tim 4:1-5]
The ways of Christian
ethicsCreation Community
‘in Christ’New
future
God’sCharacter
Commands
A ‘character’: holy
[e.g. ‘partakers of divine nature’, 2
Peter 1:1-11]
A method: the way of cross & resurrection
[e.g. Phil. 2, Col. 3, Eph. 4]
A goal: humanity’s communal
purpose [e.g. 2 Pet. 3:3-14]
An ‘order’: to accept, enjoy and protect
[e.g. 1 Tim 4:1-5]
The ways of Christian
ethicsCreation Community
‘in Christ’New
future
God’sCharacter
Commands
A ‘character’: holy
[e.g. ‘partakers of divine nature’, 2
Peter 1:1-11]
A method: the way of cross & resurrection
[e.g. Phil. 2, Col. 3, Eph. 4]
A goal: humanity’s communal
purpose [e.g. 2 Pet. 3:3-14]
An ‘order’: to accept, enjoy and protect
[e.g. 1 Tim 4:1-5]
The ways of Christian
ethicsCreation Community
‘in Christ’New
future
God’sCharacter
Commands
A ‘character’: holy
[e.g. ‘partakers of divine nature’, 2
Peter 1:1-11]
A method: the way of cross & resurrection
[e.g. Phil. 2, Col. 3, Eph. 4]
A goal: humanity’s communal
purpose [e.g. 2 Pet. 3:3-14]
An ‘order’: to accept, enjoy and protect
[e.g. 1 Tim 4:1-5]
The ways of Christian
ethicsCreation Community
‘in Christ’New
future
God’sCharacter
Commands… a ‘quick-start’ , for anyone whose desires are still being reordered
Philemon v8
... M. Hill, ‘mutual love relationships’ in The How and Why of Love (Matthias Media, 2002)
... the shape of relationships, as enacted by community in Christ.
God’sCharacter
Christ’s Spirit:reordered desires,
true inclusion (‘love’)
Community‘in Christ’ New future
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :
disordered desires
false belonging
Creation
Commands
God’sCharacter
Christ’s Spirit:reordered desires,
true inclusion (‘love’)
Community‘in Christ’ New future
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :
disordered desires
false belonging
Creation
Commands
God’sCharacter
Christ’s Spirit:reordered desires,
true inclusion (‘love’)
Community‘in Christ’ New future
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :
disordered desires
false belonging
Creation
Commands
God’sCharacter
Christ’s Spirit:reordered desires,
true inclusion (‘love’)
Community‘in Christ’ New future
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :
disordered desires
false belonging
Creation
Commands
God’sCharacter
Christ’s Spirit:reordered desires,
true inclusion (‘love’)
Community‘in Christ’ New future
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :
disordered desires
false belonging
Creation
Commands
God’sCharacter
Christ’s Spirit:reordered desires,
true inclusion (‘love’)
Community‘in Christ’ New future
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :
disordered desires
false belonging
Creation
Commands
God’sCharacter
Christ’s Spirit:reordered desires,
true inclusion (‘love’)
Community‘in Christ’ New future
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :
disordered desires
false belonging
Creation
Commands
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :disordered
desires false belonging
Christ’s Spirit:reordered desires,
true inclusion (‘love’)
New future
Community‘in Christ’
God’sCharacter
Creation
Commands
Cameo: how money works
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :disordered
desires false belonging
Luke 12 … v13: the brother v15: the greed v18: the fool v30: the norm v34: the heart
God’sCharacter
v24: the ravens … ‘how much
more’ v27: the lilies … ‘how much
more’ v32: the Kingdom
God’sCharacter
Creation
v16: the crop v24: the ravens v27: the lilies v30: our needs
New future
God’sCharacter
Creation v23: built for more v25: can’t change it v31: extras on the way v33b: scarcity is not the
problem
New future
Community‘in Christ’
God’sCharacter
Creation
v33a: freed to care
New future
Community‘in Christ’
God’sCharacter
v22: don’t worry (&29)
v31: seek (& 33b)
v32: don’t fear v33: sell and give
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :disordered
desires false belonging
Creation
Commands
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :disordered
desires false belonging
Christ’s Spirit:reordered desires,
true inclusion (‘love’)
New future
Community‘in Christ’
God’sCharacter
Creation
Commands
v34: the heart!
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :disordered
desires false belonging
Christ’s Spirit:reordered desires,
true inclusion (‘love’)
New future
Community‘in Christ’
God’sCharacter
Creation
Commands
Fall / ‘Flesh’ :disordered
desires false belonging
Christ’s Spirit:reordered desires,
true inclusion (‘love’)
New future
Community‘in Christ’
God’sCharacter
Creation
Commands
Seven areas of economic life …
Thanks for joining us at the first CCL Open Night
www.ccl.moore.edu.auwww.moore.edu.auwww.sie.org.au
top related