1. Alternatives within Christian Ethics

2. Roman Catholic Begin with philosophy Vatican Council II, 1962-1965 Morality based on law: divine, natural, human Objective right and wrong Double effect to resolve conflicts: nature of act is good good effect be intended (evil is indirect) simultaneous proportionality

3. (cont’d.) Other methods: hierarchy of values;hierarchy of values prima facie prima facie claims Faith affects vision and motive, but not content. Morality is the same for all people.

4. Protestant approaches – Begin with Bible – Ethical Center Reinhold Niebuhr: “impossible possibility” Sacrificial love Paul Ramsey; Christocentric Ethics. Obedience to Jesus

5. (cont’d.) – Situation Ethics Joseph Fletcher. Love is only absolute Four working principles: pragmatism relativism positivism personalism Paul Lehman. Matter of faith rather of ethics

6. (cont’d.) – Absolutist Ethics Robertson McQuilkin. Bible has all the answers We need only to search the Scriptures No need for Philosophy or Science

7. (cont’d.) – Evangelical Ethics Lewis Smedes. Mere Morality. Morality is universal God’s demands apply to all, even to nonbelievers Ten Commandments = starting point “direct commands” vs. “abiding laws”

8. (cont’d.) Justice and Love “Respect” for values Focus on commands, not on exceptions

9. (cont’d.) – Theocentric Ethics James Gustafson Eight central emphases: 1. humankind is not central in creation 2. human life and rest of creation are interdependent 3. moral thinking vs. judging over natural impulses 4. piety as natural response

10. (cont’d.) 5. everything described within larger whole context 6. concern for common good is essential 7. awareness of moral ambiguity in life 8. strong emphasis on self-denial and self-sacrifice Powerful sense of the “Other,” piety, order (  God’s purposes)

11. Liberation Ethics – Begin with the experience of the poor and oppressed Commit oneself to liberation Read Bible texts that speak of Liberation (especially Exodus)

12. (cont’d.) – African-American Themes James Cone: denounces evils, sees them in “white church.” “Blackness of Jesus” J. Deotis Roberts: ignores “white church,” emphasizes what black churches have done and ought to do

13. (cont’d.) – Feminist Themes reaction against patriarchal order of society, and of the church want a renewed vision of the community “womanist” – term used by black women Julian of Norwich – “motherhood of Jesus”