I often cringe whenever I hear a Christian being introduced in an ethical debate. Don't get me wrong I love Christians, more than that I love the teaching the bible gives on ethics. I think the bible contains the key to living a life fully human, and fully alive. Yet the reason I cringe is most often Christians who argue in the area of ethics do such a bad job!
Christians often start their arguments alright, with a general understanding of why they believe what they believe, but it often end with something like "Well I believe the bible" Implying if you don't agree with their position you must not.
But there is a problem with this argument, because the bible is a story, a narrative written for the people living in the ancient world; when we attempt to systematise the biblical narrative to a clear concise argument, we miss so much narrative truth.
When we do this in effect we attempt to take away the grey area, we explain away the hard parts of the story in an attempt to remove any awkward tension the bible has. We make the bible out to be a rule book, as believers we have a duty to follow these rules and regulations.
Heart of humanity
But form the beginning I believe the bible has been focused on the heart of humanity. As western people we have been born into a culture of rules and laws. Due to both upbringing and the biblical content, people tend to imagine Christianity as being almost completely a duty based ethical system, with virtue playing a small part as consequence of following a set of rules.
When pressed people may associate the Old Testament with a duty based ethic due to the emphasis on the law and the prophets; and the New Testament with a character ethic due to Jesus emphasis on love. Though if studied closely, both Old and New Testament deeply emphasis a virtues based ethical system; one of the great theological errors is to see either as a duty based ethic. The biggest problem Jesus had with the Pharisees was their duty based interpretation of the Old Testament.
The Sermon on the Mount is a powerful example of, and an argument for virtue ethics. In Matthew 7, the point is made that a certain kind of plant, produces a matching fruit; the kind of plant determines the kind of fruit. Put simply: people who are fundamentally good or evil: their actions are merely a by-product. This thought radically underpins the whole sermon.
But finding a clear virtue ethic in the New Testament is made obvious through what seems a strong duty based ethic found in the Old Testament. What do you then do with the Ten Commandments, and the seemingly endless laws through Exodus and Deuteronomy? People often conclude that the Old Testament god was all about laws, and love wasn't big on his agenda.
Jesus' understanding
But this is not how Jesus and the writers of the New Testament understood the Old Testament to be; with Paul saying that "the law was given to expose wicked hearts" The law wasn't trying to make people better!
We even find in the Ten Commandments themselves traces of a virtue based ethical system. Consider the tenth commandment: You shall not covet what your neighbour has. Converting is not an outward action, but is at its core an inward desire. It is not the same as stealing, or taking something that is not yours, but an inward attitude towards someone or something.
It is an aspect of the person, a reflection of virtue. Taking the greatest commandment: "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Again this is not an outward display or action, but an inner attitude, closely related to character; like this the second greatest commandment, to "Love your Neighbour." These examples all hint at the heart of the Old Testament law, which is in essence a virtue ethic.
Not about rules
If people would begin to understand that the bible isn't about having rules that can be slammed down the throat of someone to make them a better person. Rather the bible says various things about the nature of humanity, which can help us, become better people, not because we have to, but because it is the best way to live.
When we understand that the bible is not calling us to live like ancient people, in a modern world. But that the story, is calling us forward, in to a new reality. Our ethics is now becomes nothing to do with law, but love. The focus of biblical ethics shifts from attempting to make all people follow a set of clearly defined rules, but in community becoming the best people we can be.
Ethics now is a community of people guided by the bible, pulling each other forward, becoming more human; closer to this Kingdom that we believe has broken into human history, and is being drawn to completion through the people of God.
Christian ethics now doesn't look like winning arguments; rather it looks like people discovering the love of God. Love is now the context, as our ethics guides us towards a new humanity.
Tim Shallard is a part owner of a pretty cool Café in Auckland City. He studies theology at Carey Baptist College, runs a poetry collective, and is passionate about coffee, community, and living the dream.
Tim Shallard's previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/tim-shallard.html