VERITAS: Ethics in Christian Perspective

In our first issue of the Areopagus Journal (then titled Radix), I quoted Dr. Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary as he sounded an alarm, “The most basic contours of American culture have been radically altered. The so-called Christian consensus of the last millennium has given way to a postmodern, post-Christian, post-western cultural crisis.”

Recently, Newsweek religion writer Jon Meacham wrote a very provocative feature article, “The End of Christian America,” in which he interviewed and quoted Dr. Mohler. Mohler said, “A remarkable culture-shift has taken place around us.” And then Dr. Mohler followed with the exact same statement given above which he made in 2001. Mohler went on to observe that a new “post-Christian narrative is animating large portions of this society.” [1]

Numerous research surveys, as well as state and national governmental elections and legal decisions, validate these claims. For example, the 2008 American Religious Identification Survey found that 86% of Americans identified themselves as Christians in 1990, but that number had shrunk to 76% in 2008. “Born-again” Christians shrank from 40% in 2002 to 34% in 2008. [2]

To add to the problem of number shrinkage, only 19% of “born-again” Christians now possess a Biblical worldview, compared to 9% of the overall population. These numbers have been such since 1995. It’s truth or consequences.

An example of the shift in ethics in legal issues is that six states and the District of Columbia now recognize or allow same-sex marriages. Five states and the District of Columbia allow spousal rights to unmarried couples (domestic partnerships). California voters narrowly passed Proposition 8 prohibiting same-sex marriage after their Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that same-sex marriages were legal. But if the waning of a Biblical worldview and moral slide continues, this trend and others will continue to grow.

A very recent AOL poll (5/18/09) revealed that 51% of the 117,722 respondents said abortion should be legal compared to 49% who said it should not. This corresponded to a PEW Research poll a month before that showed 46% indicating abortion should remain legal compared to only 44% who were not in favor.

Evangelism is markedly down, and, in addition to that, the research demonstrates that worldview discipleship has been significantly neglected in the Church. By worldview, I mean the interpretive framework through which one makes sense of the world, by which one determines priorities, and by which one explains one’s relationship with God and one’s fellow human beings.

A worldview assesses the meaning and purpose of life’s events and one’s life activities. It shapes, influences, and directs a person’s entire life consciously or unconsciously, as well as society, in areas such as morality, law, ethics, science, religion, politics, social structures, financial systems, art, and education.

For example, have you ever heard the expression “you can’t legislate morality”? This is nonsense. Number one, all legislation (law) is someone’s morality or ethics. The question is “whose?” and “on what basis?” All law is based on moral ethics. Law reflects fundamental “doctrines” of reality. Laws and rules do normally serve society as a deterrent from massive wrong-doing.

For the Christian, there must be a relationship between our ethical, moral beliefs which are held to be truths, and our moral behavior. This relationship normally extends to the collective society and culture. The Christian ethic is based on an antithesis between what is, and what ought to be.

God’s revelation to us and this basis of our conviction is that all mankind, being made in the image of God, know in their “heart of hearts” and conscience, what is right and wrong (Romans 2:14-15). But due to the Fall, mankind suppresses truth in varying degrees and instead makes a corrupted humanism or false religions their ultimate criteria of ethics, laws, and morality (Romans 1:18-25).

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” His kingdom was that of sharing the ultimate authority of truth (John 18:33-37), not in the context of a monarchy or theocracy. In our “Lord’s Prayer”, Jesus prays, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (John 6:10).

The context of God’s kingdom is always His change and rule of mankind’s hearts. This collectively leads to a true and lasting betterment in individual, family, social, national, and international conditions. Our apologetic goal is to edify and exhort the Church in God’s truth. In this area, the focus is on a Biblical worldview and ethics and to resist and engage the humanistic systems. We are then to be the salt and light of the world, a city set up on the hill—not hidden (Matthew 5:13-16).

Because of the neglect of teaching and living out a comprehensive Biblical world and life view, the culture has been experiencing a deadly “frog in the kettle” syndrome where the bar of truth and righteousness moves ever lower.

The late Dr. Francis Schaeffer sounded the alarm in his book, The Great Evangelical Disaster, back in 1984. Speaking of this “disaster,” Schaeffer wrote that “the failure of the evangelical world to stand for truth as truth,” is due to “accommodation.” [3]

Schaeffer rightly challenged the Church earlier: “As Christians we are not only to know the right worldview, the worldview that tells us the truth of what is, but consciously to act upon that worldview so as to influence society in all its parts and facets across the whole spectrum of life, as much as we can to the extent of our individual and collective ability.” [4]

What is the evidence of this decline? As I wrote earlier, the research surveys demonstrate the enormity of the problem. George Barna’s research indicates that only 9% of American adults have a Biblical worldview and only 19% of “born-again” Christians have one.

Only 34% of adults believe that moral truth is absolute, while only 46% of “born-again Christians are certain! Only 9% of teenagers believe it. This dramatic postmodern turn continues to uproot the Judeo-Christian consensus. The gradual cultural slide, now escalating, can be most clearly seen when one compares the ethical views of the various generations. There is much accommodation with the values and ethics of the fallen world.

Barna research found “a significant divide between the nation’s young adults (Busters, aged 21-38) and its older residents (Boomers, aged 39-57)” in the area of morals and sexuality (extramarital sex, pornography, homosexuality, profanity in public, lying, stealing, gambling, and downloading music illegally).

For example, more than two-thirds of Busters said cohabitation is not morally problematic compared with half of Boomers. Most Busters contend that sex outside marriage and pornography are acceptable while only one-third of Boomers agree. One-half of Busters believe homosexuality is acceptable compared to one quarter of Boomers.

Busters were twice as likely to engage in profanity, lying, intoxication, stealing, gambling, and ten times more likely than Boomers to download music online illegally. Two-thirds of those over 40 said humans should determine what is right or wrong morally by examining God’s principles. Less than one-half of Busters (just one-third of those in their 20s) felt this way. [5]

This issue of Areopagus deals with ethics and culture. We will focus on the origins and basis, nature and content, and several applications of ethics in culture. On what basis does anyone make moral decisions? What criteria do we use to define what is ethical and right, and to evaluate the options in moral issues?

Christianity, unlike Islam, is not a theocracy where we mandate God’s law in society. We believe that the “wall of separation” between Church and State means that neither the Church nor the government can control the other. But it does not mean that the Church cannot impact or affect the consciences of the people and their votes and choices.

Christians have no right to force their ethical values on others, but we do have the freedom and opportunity to express, persuade, and live out our values in ways which change society and its values. Then, in a democracy or republic, society can vote in laws that support their standards.

It is necessary that we understand the significance of this decline and what we must do to redemptively engage people, ideas, and culture. Part of our apologetic task is to engage in ethical debate over issues that face individuals and collectively the society. But first we must learn what is the basis of Christian ethics, and the substance of Biblical ethics on cultural issues.

How do you respond to Newsweek’s Jon Meacham in his article “The End of Christian America” as he writes, “While we remain a nation decisively shaped by religious faith, our politics and culture [personal and collective ethics], in the main, are less influenced by movements and arguments of an explicitly Christian character than they were even five years ago. I think this is a good thing – good for our political culture, which, as the American Founders saw, is complex and charged enough without attempting to compel or coerce religious belief or observance. It is good for Christianity too.”

My response is that Meacham is right and he is also wrong. He is right in that Christians are not to prioritize their focus on government to usher in the kingdom of God – to be the primary locus for ethical and just behavior. We are to individually and collectively redemptively engage fallen people, ideas, and cultural institutions with the gospel, our time, our resources, and reformation – based on a Biblical worldview and ethics. And in a republic or democracy, we can influence laws, legislation, and customs with God’s life-giving moral truth.

While we are not to impose or force our ethical values on others, we currently do have the opportunity and freedom to express, vote, and live out our values in ways which challenge society and its values. God’s values are good for everyone.

Part of our apologetic task is to engage in ethical discussion and debate (when necessary) over the issues that affect individuals and society. We must understand the derivation of humanistic principles and learn how to deal with conflict between competing principles. This allows Christians to show the strength and validity of Christian values. We can no longer neglect the implications of loving God with all of our hearts, minds, soul, and strength, and our neighbors, as well as being salt and light.

In this issue of Areopagus, we offer assistance in understanding how to engage ethical issues, correcting opponents’ errors, and teaching them the truth (2 Tim. 2:23-26). ARC’s associate director, Dr. Steve Cowan begins with “A Christian Ethical Theory.” In it he presents what he believes as “the best and most defensible version of a Christian ethical theory.”

Dr. Cowan points out the weakness of pantheism, the foundation of Eastern and “New Age” religions, as well as the problems with humanistic naturalism and scientism.

Dr. Cowan also points to some shortcomings displayed in a few Christian philosophical approaches to establish our basis for ethics and morality. He then proceeds to build the case for Christian ethics based on a combination of conscience, duty, consequences, logic, revelation, and its role in public policy.

Next, Dr. Cowan addresses the topic of how one acquires ethical knowledge in the midst of finite and fallen human beings and differing cultures. He combines natural law theory and revelation.

Then Dr. Cowan moves to what then are our moral obligations since we possess an understanding of moral law. What are the specific responsibilities of loving God with all our hearts, minds, soul, and strength, and our neighbors?

He concludes with the three uses of moral law which are a means to show our guilt and the need for grace and a Savior, a normative use of being a roadmap to follow toward maturity, and the civil use through a congruency of moral law with the laws of the land.

Our next article is written by ARC associate Frank Ellis, “Christian Ethics and Contemporary Issues.” He sets the context for the content of his article, “When speaking from the ivory towers of theology and philosophy, we must be sure our truth claims translate into application.”

Ellis applies Christian ethics in the areas of personal economics, marital/sexual, and medical. He focuses mainly on personal ethics but does point to societal application. Subtopics include homosexuality, bioethics, and abortion.

Our third entry is “Relativism on the Ropes,” written by Greg Koukl, president of Stand to Reason ministry. Koukl begins with the charge that if moral relativism is a fact, then “the existence of a transcendent, objective, moral law [and God] is a fiction.”

Koukl then makes a strong case demonstrating the irrationality of moral relativism, at the same time demonstrating the coherence of God’s absolute moral law.

We have covered a number of these worldview and ethical issues in significant depth in past issues of the Areopagus Journal. I encourage you to procure the following past issues for your study and passing them on to others – especially the next generation of believers: “Building a Christian Worldview”; “Calling Evil Good” (homosexuality, euthanasia, abortion); “Nothing Shall Be Impossible for Them” (cloning, genetic engineering, reproductive technologies); “Abandoning Nature” (homosexuality); “War: What Is It Good For?”; and “Has Postmodernism Killed Truth?” Visit our website and order these important back issues, www.arcapologetics.org.

Craig Branch is director of the Apologetics Resource Center, Birmingham, Alabama.