1. Ethics for Counsellors and other Christian believers
CHRISTIAN ETHICS
Ethics for Counsellors and other Christian believers

2. What is Ethics?

3. Definitions
Ethics
Morals
Values
Ethical Code

4. Definitions
Ethics: The disciplined reflection on the moral choices that people make according to their values.
Key words:
approval and disapproval
right and wrong
virtue and vice
right or wrong.

5. Definitions
Morals: Standards of right or wrong that we learn through socialization.

6. Definitions
Values: concepts, beliefs, persuasions, and ideals that provide meaning to life and serve as a broad framework for our decisions and actions.

7. Definitions Ethical Code:
This is a formal list in written form expressing the values and standards of conduct in terms of rules.

8. The terms “ethics” and “morals”
The word “morals” is derived from the Latin word "mos" meaning custom. Morals describe the way we are living.
The term “ethics” is derived from the Greek word "ethos". Ethics, in contrast to , questions our morals. Therefore we can define ethics as the scientific questioning of our morals

9. The terms “ethics” and “morals”
An example of the distinction made between morals and ethics is as follows: people are questioning premarital sex since it could demoralize the sanctity of marriage (moral), but is it good in terms of the social fabric of building a community, raising kids in a strong family bond or exposing one self to STD infections (ethics)?
This example makes it quite clear that ethics questions the norms of our behaviour in such a way that it prescribes responsible action.

10. The basis of Ethics

11. Influences on Ethics
Ethical choices

12. Influences on Ethics
Ethical choices
Ethics

13. Influences on Ethics
Ethical choices
Ethics
Morals

14. Influences on Ethics
Ethical choices
Ethics
Morals
Worldview

15. Influences on Ethics
Ethical choices
Ethics
Morals
Worldview
Culture

16. Meta-theoretical aspects
Every person has a framework of thought that is socially conditioned, that means one learns from the family life and the society to interpret life as well as the world in which we live.
In contemplating the meaning of holistic personal care we need to reflect on the way we are conditioned in our thinking by prevailing world views and culture.

17. Meta-theoretical aspects
When we speak of a meta-theoretical framework we are referring to those aspects that lies beyond everyday practical life and which we accept without being in a position to verify.
It is a theory encompassing everything in which we ask such questions as: “How do we view the world?” “What do we think about people?” “What, for us, constitutes ‘being human’?” “What is beyond life?”

18. What is a world view?
A world view forms part of our cultural heritage and informs the way we see the world.
It is a broad perspective of the world that colours all of our thinking and interpretation. It acts like coloured glasses through which every person look at life and the world

19. What is a world view?
There are different worldviews; these differences may cause a rift between people and communities.
In the modern world where we have become a global village, the understanding and blending of world views have become very important.
In South Africa the meaning of a world view becomes of specific importance when we realise that we have a multicultural situation in one country, the major views being traditional African and Western.

20. World view
People, who are disposed towards a Christian perspective, also work within a specific world view. Consequently it is important that we get a clear understanding of the world view that we accept as our framework of reference.
In the end a person may opt for his/her own world view as long as (1) we can motivate our choices, and (2) develop our views consistent within the framework of our meta-theoretical context.

21. Point of departure
In ethics we should accept the holistic point of departure, viewing a person as a whole and recognise that each facet of human life affects all the others.
Amongst all the different ethical systems, we opt for a Christ-centred ethical approach which has sacrificial love (unconditional acceptance and unselfish service) as basis – we are available to do good and not to harm.
Unethical behaviour has many negative consequences. In the end it always leads to death and not to life.

22. Different Worldviews
Each people group has an unique worldview which is part of the culture. In each culture all the individuals have a unique worldview within the broader view.
The worldviews of the two main cultural groups in our country are the traditional African worldview and the Western worldview.
These worldviews stand in contradiction to each other but also influences one another. At the same time these worldviews are not stagnant but are continually changing.

23. Different Worldviews
The traditional African worldview can be called a super-naturalistic worldview because it includes the actions and influences of the spiritual world – through spirits and the ancestors. It can be occultic in nature.
The Western worldview on the other hand has no place for the spiritual world and can be called naturalistic: everything can be explained without the need to accept the reality of spirits. This has developed into a materialistic worldview with no place for anything that can not be explained scientifically. It can be atheistic in nature.

24. Supernaturalism
The traditional African sees all physical and psychological disturbances as the result of witchcraft or sorcery, the wrath of ancestors or ritual impurity.
Consequently the isangoma (diviner) or inyanga (healer) will divine the exact nature of a problem and often prescribe a ritual to be performed and/or traditional medicine in the form of herbal remedies or charms to be carried around the neck or arms.
This divination is done with the help of the “dolossies” and practices like making the client vomit. This whole approach is rooted in a strong belief of supernaturalism where the world of spirits controls this world.

25. Problems in African context
The concept of problems or illness in the African context: it is viewed as conditions affecting the whole human being, even his/her relationship with the community.
This approach is more holistic since it emphasizes the unity of body and mind and also the unity of the person with his/her community.

26. Naturalism
Due to the influence of Christianity early forms of Western psychotherapy was also rooted in supernaturalism.
Sickness and emotional problems were often seen as the result of demonic activity or the consequence of sin.
During the 19th century the naturalistic approach gained prominence in the West.
This is based on the perspective that life can be handled and sickness treated scientifically with the help of medicine or medical procedures like surgery or chemical based treatment like chemotherapy.

27. Traditional Western thinking
This theoretical framework is more inclined towards
Individualism: where the individual is central – everything start and end with the individual person and the relations with others and nature is pushed to the background. The individual becomes the focal point of authority and meaning of life. Institutions such as marriage, family, school, church and the work place are seen as not founded upon creation order or on divinely ordained norms.
Dualism: the world is split between two parts: a material and a spiritual part.
Materialism: a concept where mind is for instance seen as an epiphenomenon of chemical processes of the human brain.
Reductionism: understanding is related to analysis and breaking things up into its constituent parts. In this way wrong deductions are made because of negligence of the whole.

28. Traditional Western thinking
This approach proved to be very successful to yield scientific results.
Yet, it failed in its effort to provide an explanation for complex phenomena like mind, life and human behaviour.
It also failed because of the results: egoism, selfishness, greed, atheism.
In order to work with complex phenomena, a new approach is needed. This worldview undermines ethical decisions and acts.

29. Complex Systems
Materialism, reductionism and analysis are based on a rather mechanistic world view where the mechanism of cause and effect or linearity plays a major role.
In order to understand complex (non-linear) mechanisms, scientists are beginning to move towards a systems approach.
In a simple cause-and-effect system scientists can quantify results in the sense of attributing numerical values to measurable entities.
In a complex system, quantification is not feasible or possible.
Complex is different from complicated.

30. Complex Systems
Such systems are approached in a qualitative fashion by discerning patterns and determining networks.
Examples of complex systems are the human body and human behaviour.
Consequently, in this newer approach to science, Western civilization is moving closer towards a holistic approach which makes traditional African perspectives perhaps more reconcilable with the West.
One should, however, be very careful in equating the African perspective with the emerging world view in the West. Yet, there are certain intersections.

31. The Systems Approach
A good description of the systems approach to human behaviour provides us with the following markers:
The human person is not an object, but a subject. This implies that the human personality cannot be fully known and explained in terms of reductionistic methods.
The human person is not subject to objective experiments in a laboratory.
The human person does not simply adapt to the environment, but has the ability to change the environment to suit the human being.
Human behaviour cannot be simply explained in terms of inner urges, conditioning, socialization or adaptation processes. In short, the human person is, in the Biblical idiom, a soul.
The human person is a physical-psychological-spiritual-social being and any explanation of human behaviour must take the multidimensional approach into consideration.

32. How will your world view influence your ethics?
In a supernatural world, people believe that a deity or divine agents will punish the wicked. This can be a deterrent for transgression.
In a naturalistic world people may be more pragmatic and subscribe to necessary evil.
Ethical behaviour is for the moral good of society and not to appease a god.

33. Post modernism: An effort to blend world views
The emerging Western model is more inclined towards an integration of the different contexts of human existence. The African model emphasizes the unity of mind and body.
The emerging Western model allows for non-conceptual ways of knowing. The African model is symbolic and intuitive.
The emerging Western model is still scientifically informed, although it is a less reductionistic approach. The African model is shamanistically informed where the wisdom of the ancestors provides guidance to the counsellor.
The emerging Western model is non-directive i.e. leaves room for the client to assume responsibility and make decisions. The African model is directive because the diviner provides advice to the client as mouthpiece of the ancestors.

34. Some Approaches to Ethics

35. Historic foundation
Happiness designates the highest human good, according to Aristotle (Greek philosopher).
But the word he uses is the Greek word eudaimonia which indicates flourishing and can be understood as wellbeing rather than a feeling of contentment.
The practice of this eudaimonia, he insisted, must be a human activity. It cannot simply be growth and nourishment for that is something that we share with animals. As rational people, we need to act in accordance with virtue.
Aristotle founded a teleological ethics. He argued that if life is worth living, it must be the sake of something. He believed that happiness (linked to virtue) was such and end in itself.

36. Marxist ethics (Karl Marx)
Ethics is considered as class interest: if moral principles arise from the proletariat and promote communist goals, they are “good”.
Change conditions and you will change the human person, they say.

37. Situational Ethics (Joseph Fletcher)
This is an ethic of love which stands between the extremes of legalism (living according to strict laws) and antinomianism (living without any laws).
Love is a universal as well as a formal norm.
Love only makes up its mind in a situation: the person has in advance a general knowledge of what he should do (love), why he should do it (for God’s sake) and to whom it should be done (his neighbour).

38. Contextual Ethics (Paul Lehmann)
This viewpoint asserts that the primary ethical reality ought not to be formulated in terms of principles, maxims or precepts, but rather in terms of functions and relationships.

39. Ethics of Albert Schweitzer
According to his understanding the ethical teaching of Jesus was altogether eschatological and apocalyptic and in no sense a present spiritual reality; it was an interim or emergency ethic to provide for the interim before the kingdom of God would come.
Only a few central ideas, such as the commandment of love, are valid for all time.

40. Ethics of Martin Luther
The first duty ought to be laying aside all reliance on works and grow by faith in the knowledge of Christ.
Secondly the works of a Christian in his daily life should be done freely with the sole purpose of pleasing God.
Thirdly man does not live for himself alone but also for all men on earth: all our works should be directed to the advantage of others.

41. Ethics of John Calvin
The moral law of Scripture (the Ten Commandments) is an attestation of the natural law that God has engraved on all men’s minds.
The law makes man capable of civil morality.

42. Dialectic Ethics (Karl Barth)
He builds his ethics under the three heads of the command of God the Creator, God the Reconciler, and God the Redeemer.
There are four relationships of human life namely the relationship to God, to other men, to the self, and to natural boundaries of life. These relationships involve different obligations but are built upon the grace of God.

43. The Word and Ethics

44. The Word as the Bible The Bible as the Ethical Handbook
Christians view the Bible as the source of all guiding principles for ethical decisions
This seems very straightforward and easy – just find a verse of Scripture that fits the case and act upon it
It is however, not that easy: the problem comes with reading and interpreting the Scriptures – nobody reads it objectively but it is also read from a personal perspective (which includes the worldview!)
There are other problems: what does the Bible say about computers and TV’s? Is it ethical to visit someone and instead of talking, sending What’sApp to one another?
Some Scriptures can be very difficult to apply.

45. The Word as a Person The Bible is the Word about the Word
The Bible is the source of our knowledge of and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Without a personal relationship with the Living Word we will not be able to really act ethically in the true sense.
The Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Jesus who lives in us guides us according to the biblical message, the Good News.
This guidance is subjective – the Spirit leads each believer in a specific way and not necessarily the same as other people.
Although the Spirit leads us in different ways, reading and meditating the Scriptures is of utmost importance for the follower of Jesus Christ.

46. Dangers Legalism Pride
The commandments are not laws but are boundaries: God protects us from ourselves.
It is not the deeds that count but obedience.
The child of God is completely free to do anything – but will make the correct decisions when being changed by the Spirit – being renewed .
Pride
The Pharisees did everything according to the rules – but were rejected.
Among Christians there is a lot of pride: each group sure that only they have the true knowledge of God’s will. Only the humility and sacrificial service of our Lord is accepted by the Father.

47. Ethical dilemmas
Dilemma – from the Greek dilemmatos involving two assumptions. It is an argument presenting two or more equally conclusive alternatives against an opponent. It makes the choice very difficult.
Examples:
Protecting a life vs. telling a lie.
Abortion: Saving a life against unwanted pregnancy, viz. a rape victim.
Treating the aged vs. saving medical costs

48. What do you think?
Should a patient's family be told if he or she were suffering from a transmittable or heritable disease that the patient intended to conceal from family members?
Should an acephalic baby, born without a brain, be quietly allowed to die by the doctor, and the parents told that the baby had died naturally?
Could someone with a terminal illness be given drugs that would hasten an otherwise painful death?
Should medical help be refused to a patient that cannot afford it.

49. Normative ethical principles
Deontological ethics in health care will consider human worth, moral obligation and ethical codes. It derives from the word dei which is a responsibility.
It assumes an authoritative stance in doing what is right according to inherent rightness as basis for establishing ethical standards.
The Bible or religion play a major role in this approach as source of authority.
Teleological theories consider the goodness or value brought into being by actions as the principal criterion of their ethical value. It derives from teleos referring to outcomes.
Utilitarianism is an approach that judge the rightness and wrongness of actions in terms of their consequences. It follows the principle that certain kinds of actions are right because of the goodness of their consequences.
Hedonistic ethics is based on the idea of pleasure and benefit.

50. Holistic Ethics
In terms of wellness as based on the holistic paradigm, it makes sense to talk about holistic ethics as the “new” ethics of personal care.
Lynn Keegan explains holistic ethics as: “the basic underlying concept of the unity and integral wholeness of all people and of all nature that is identified and pursued by finding unity and wholeness within the self and within humanity. In this framework, acts are not performed for the sake of the law, precedent of social norms, but rather from a desire to do good freely in order to witness, identify, and contribute to unity”.

51. Human rights in Christian perspective
The Christian perspective on human rights is closely bound to the Biblical view of man. All of creation, including all its creatures, especially human creatures as images of God, find their right-of-existence and their reason for existence only in the service they owe to God.
This is the divine claim that rests fully upon us all. We are part and parcel of God's world. As images of God we are not self-initiating or self- determining beings. We are responsible, responsive and responding creatures

52. Human Rights
The vertical responsibility toward God defines our horizontal responsibilities toward our neighbours. Loving God above all with our whole heart, which is "the first and great command" gives substance and direction to "the second command, like unto it”, which is: " love your neighbour as yourself".
Therefore, it is true to say that every human rights relationship is inseparably bound up with our responsibility to God. The call to honour the rights, which are given with being human, flow from our obligation to respond obediently to the claim of God upon us as his creatures. In this sense, human rights are intertwined with responsibility, duty and obligation toward God.

53. Human Rights
Human rights as a deliberately formulated idea, is a typically modern concept. Human needs, problems, and crises have been with us through ages. In modern times they are, however, dealt with in a different term. Only during the past couple of centuries were these issues discussed in terms of human rights.
In early Greek and Roman systems of law we do not encounter the idea of human rights, but rather the concept of "ius".
This term meant a legal claim giving every person his due under civil law. In the West, human rights theories first emerged in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Being human meant having rights, innately, based on creation.

54. Biblical view
The biblical view of human rights therefore, points beyond the appeal of humanist to "the brotherhood of all men". Such a slogan is only based upon a horizontal view of man. Scripture, on the contrary, points to a transcendent norm, a standard of conduct that lies beyond man. Being a creature means being a servant of God. We have an obligation to God for our fellowman. The biblical view on human rights includes therefore a three-dimensional perspective:
our responsibility toward others
their responsibility toward us
our joint responsibility to God.
Only as part of this threefold relationship human rights will be prevented from being selfish, and could be viewed as an act of love.

55. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR ATTENTION