Intermission concept map

1. CS601
Christian
Ethics
BRINGING TOGETHER OUR
THEOLOGICAL, ETHICAL,
AND SPIRITUAL LENS

2. Our Primary Moral Categories
THEOLOGICAL CATEGORIES
-- COMMANDMENT
-- HOLINESS
-- SANCTIFICATION
ETHICAL CATEGORIES
--DEONTOLOGY
-- UTILITARIANISM
-- VIRTUE
SCRIPTURAL CATEGORIES
-- TEN COMMANDMENTS
-- SERMON ON THE MOUNT
-- FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
SCRIPTURE
THEOLOGY ETHICS

3. Let’s consider them all
together, in what is called a
concept map.
This allows us to see how the
categories are connected
across the different lens of
theological, ethical, and
scriptural reflection.
We’ll start with the
“classic” category of
moral reflection, the
ethical lens.

4. THE ETHICAL LENS OF
MORAL REASONING
As we also discussed in Module 2, some
of these forms of ethical reasoning have
several types or subsets…
We studied our ethical lens in Module 2,
learning about the technical “forms of
moral reasoning” that are used in
ethical analysis. These are deontological
ethics and teleological ethics, which
includes virtue ethics and
consequentialism.

5. One of the two primary forms of
ethical reasoning, deontological ethics
has five main varieties or categories.
It may use commands, rules,
principles, obligations, or duties.
It is important to be able to recognize each of these varieties as deontological ethics.
…particularly deontological
ethics, which asks, “What is
the right thing to do?”

6. The second primary form
of ethical reasoning is
teleological ethics, which
asks the question, “What
end or goal do I want to
achieve, and how do I
get there?”
Unlike deontological ethics,
teleological ethics has two
primary subsets, virtue ethics
and consequentialism.

7. Consequentialism is the form of
reasoning that asks, “What
particular result or consequence
do I want to happen?
What actions will enable me to
achieve that consequence or
result?”
It also has two main subsets,
hedonism (also known as ethical
egoism) and utilitarianism.

8. Ethical egoism argues that people should act
primarily for their own benefit.
(Hedonism is the belief that the primary
benefit in life is pleasure, so they will act
towards that.)
Utilitarianism states that the primary
factor to consider is how to maximize the
benefits (whether it is money, happiness,
or something else that is considered to be
good) and minimize the harms (whether
pain, loss of income, or inconvenience)
for the greatest number of people.

9. The second primary
form of teleological
ethics is virtue ethics,
which asks the question,
“What kind of person
do I want to become,
and how do I get
there?”
In psychology and related
disciplines, this is referred to
as character ethics. The term
character is often used in
popular discussions.

10. Virtue ethics is concerned with
becoming a good person, with
“good” being defined by the ideals of
a particular way of life. This can be
religious, secular humanist,
spiritualist, or formed around
another idea of “who we should be.”
We progress towards being
this kind of person by
forming virtues – reliable
internal dispositions
towards a certain way of
living, a certain way of
being.
This form of ethical
reasoning aims to form our
internal nature so that we
naturally do what is good.

11. So, as we consider
these forms of
ethical reasoning,
we may ask, “Is it
possible to frame
these approaches
through our
scriptural and
theological
lenses?”
How would we draw
the connections
between them?

12. Let’s take a moment to consider the
broad category of scriptural holiness.

13. This holiness is
scripturally
framed in
several ways…
Sanctification
Being renewed
Becoming Christ-like
The imitation of Christ
Divine Commands
The Ten Commandments
The instructions of the Pentateuch
The two Great Commandments
Divine Law
The use of reason to comprehend
God’s revelation
The structure of the community
and people of God

14. Divine Commands
The Ten Commandments
The laws of the Pentateuch
The two Great Commandments
Divine Law
The use of reason to
comprehend God’s revelation
The structure of the community
and people of God

15. These, in turn, align with
the ethical category of
deontological ethics.
Various types of
deontological ethics
are found in Scripture…

16. The commands of
deontology can be seen in
the Ten Commandments
(Ex 20.2-17) and the two
Great Commandments
(Mt 22.34-40).
The commandments also
function as rules for the
people of God, giving
them explicit standards
and instructions.

17. Divine law fills out the rules
and commands of divine
command with the wide-
ranging concepts of principles,
duties, and obligations.

18. Alongside divine
command and
divine law, we
have the category
of sanctification.

19. Instead of aligning with
a deontological ethic,
sanctification and the
inner properties of
holiness connect with
teleological ethics…

20. …in particular,
the subset of
virtue ethics.
Sanctification is often
expressed as being
renewed, becoming
Christ-like, and the
imitation of Christ.
These concepts, sometimes
described as “habits of the
heart” or “holy habits,”
align well with the virtue
language of forming
habitual dispositions aimed
towards a “good” end,
a desired telos.

21. These dispositions and holy habits are
found in different scriptural models.

22. The fruit of the
Spirit (Gal 5.22-23)
Character traits,
“growing into the
stature and
fullness of Christ”
(Eph 4.13)
Models of discipleship
A follower and apostle
of Jesus (1 Pet 1.16)
Following the example
of the holiness of God
(Lev 11.45)

23. While virtue ethics is the most
common form of teleological
ethics in Scripture, other forms
of teleological ethics do appear.
How well do the two forms
of consequentialism –
ethical egoism and
utilitarianism – align with
various aspects of
scriptural morality?

24. While the connections are
there, they are not as
foundational or as plentiful
as the examples of divine
command or sanctification.

25. The command to honor our father and
mother “so that your days may be long on
this earth” (Ex 20.12).
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will
grant you the desires of your heart” (Ps 37.4).
“But seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things shall be
yours as well” (Mt 6.33).
There are a few examples
of ethical egoism…
…but this must be read
within the metanarrative
of a selfless, gracious God
and the sacrifice of His son.

26. Utilitarianism is
more difficult to locate
within Scripture.
This does not mean that Christians
shouldn’t use this form of ethical thought,
but it must not be our primary or final form
of moral reasoning.
It should always be read within our core
Christian commitments, such as care for the
vulnerable and the inherent value
of each person in the eyes of God.

27. Now, working from within
these moral connections –
theology, Scripture, and
ethical thought – how could
we approach and analyze a
significant moral dilemma?
This is the heart of our
course – discipling our
hearts and minds
to see with the eyes
of Christ and walk
in the way He has led.