1- Duncan Stone

Religion & Ethics

Duncan Stone

Religion and Ethics

Tuesday-Thursday 1530-1650

Religion & Ethics Paper #1-REDONE

Each religion in the world has a set of values that their adherents are expected to live by,

and they are on the whole very similar in what they instruct people to do. However, while

reading Mathewes chapter entitled Christian Ethics I was surprised to learn that the

Christian religion (at least the protestant variety) has a unique view on ethics, and unlike

both Judaism and Islam has an emphasis on sin instead the frailty of man or achieving

understanding of what God wants you to do. Mathewes argues that Christian ethics are

concerned with trying to bridge the gap between what god expects of us as humans, and how

weakness dictates our actions. He discusses the moral failings of humanity in the Christian

tradition, and the way that one must accept their failings to receive grace. This belief, and the

importance of sin in the Christian tradition has affected both Christian theology (and the way

that it has been presented) and the way that this theology is presented and interpreted.

Although the authors main point is that there is a gap between man and God (because of

sin), his first argument for how this has affected Christian ethics comes from the Christian

interpretation of human nature. Unlike both Judaism and Islam, the author argues that viewed

through the lens of the Christian tradition humans are not simply flimsy, folly-filled
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creatures, we are often maliciousand our flaws are rooted in a primal flaw that we cannot

escape in this life (Matthews, 55). This has its roots in the genesis story of Adam and Eve

and original sin, and because of this, humans are not able to know what is good or bad for

them in a spiritual sense without the guidance of religion in the form of Christianity.

However, the author notes that unlike religions such as Islam and Judaism, which have clear

directions laid down in their respective holy books, Gods plan in Christianity is obscured by

the story of the Bible. In this sense, the author argues that Christian sacred doctrine is not

like that of Judaism or Islam, which focus on the legal interpretation of Divine Law, and that

rather Christin sacred doctrine is revealed theology about God, and because of this many

Christians are more likely to use philosophical sources that do not originate in the Christian

tradition. Because of this there is much greater opportunity for different interpretations of the

Christian tradition, and this is one of the reasons for why there are so many different

Christian groups throughout the world.

The author acknowledges that there is a difference between what is understood in

Christianity as a good life (and indeed many of the rules within Christianity seem to harm

those who practice it in the short term as it emphasizes helping the poor and needy, instead of

working only for your own benefit), and what is understood in the secular world as a good

life (wealth, helping yourself, and putting your own goals above those of everyone around

you). According to the author, the only way that these two systems of belief can be

reconciled is though illumination and outside guidance on the matter (Matthews, 55).

Because humans need this outside illumination, figures such as Jesus exist within the

Christian tradition to provide examples of what a sinless life looks like, but despite such
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perfect role models, humanity as a collective and even as individuals will continue to fall

short, and not be able to achieve grace.

One must ask the question about how if there are such high expectations set for our

behavior, and because of our nature we are never able to achieve them, how then as

Christians can you live a good life and enter heaven? Enter the three major claims of

God in the Christian tradition. To put it very simply they are as follows:1) God created

everything, and we owe him for this, 2) God is the source of all good things and our current

existence, and 3) God will heal the faithful and allow them into heaven (Matthews, 57).

The third belief is perhaps the most important part of the Christian faith, as it suggests that

rather than only having one chance and then the eternal fires of hell when you fail, if you

have recognized your sins and are genuinely sorry for them (something that only God can

know) then you will receive divine forgiveness and grace, if you strive your best and regret

your failures. This allows Christians who are true to their faith to bridge the gap between the

weak, malicious creature that is man, and get that much closer to achieving the goals and

expectations that God has set for them. Because of this, we as Christians are continually

striving to go forwards and to do our best, and when we fail our sorrow causes God to grant

us divine forgiveness, which allows us to try again.

Because so much of Christian theology focuses on forgiveness and good actions towards

your fellow humans, the author argues that Christian ethics dictate that Christians are not

called on be just, they are called on to love (Matthews, 58). Within the faith, because of the

examples set by Jesus and many of the saints, Christians are encouraged to do onto others,

as you would have them do onto you, and apart from the similarity this conjures up to ideals
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such as karma, this leads individuals being encouraged to forgive the sins and bad actions of

others so that when their turn comes around they are forgiven by the people that they sinned

against, however, they must love the sinner, not the sin, which means that they forgive the

sinner, but that their love doesnt necessarily manifest itself in what we consider to be love

today (in a sense this is a perfect example of tough love). The author also mentions that

Christians, as they follow role models such as Christ are encouraged to practice love towards

others, much the same as Jesus did during his life. By loving others, we come that much

closer to what God wants of us, and this plays in perfectly with the idea of Christians through

the practicing of their faith being able to bridge the gap between the behavior of man, and

what God expects of us.

When one scratches the surface of what we consider to be the three major religions (Islam,

Judaism, and Christianity), they appear to all be roughly the same. However, after having

read Mathewes chapter on Christian Ethics, it is apparent that Christian ethics are unique

when compared to other two religions. Christian ethics highlight the malicious and weak

nature of humanity, the lack of knowledge that we have about Gods plan, the differences that

exist between the type of life expected to live as a Christian and the type of life that best

helps those in the secular world, acceptance and remorse of sin as a pathway to grace and

forgiveness, the duty that all Christians have in which they must love their enemies, and the

divide that it creates between what God expects of us. Although this forms a picture

reminiscent of a bowl filled with knots of pasta, it does seem that these religions share at

least some of the same teachings, and I take comfort from these as they seem relatively easy
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to follow: Love your neighbor, and do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

These are words by which we all can truly live by.