June 14, 2015

Chapter 9 – Ethics: Walking the Talk

Chapter 10 – Christianity as a Quest for Truth

A People’s History of Christianity

Luther struggled with this question:What saves us? Our good works? Our is it our

faith?

Luther wrote a treatise in 1520 entitled The Freedom of a Christian to address this question.

In this treatise, Luther laid out two principles he felt ethics must be based:A Christian is perfectly free lord of all subject to

none and,A Christian is perfectly dutiful servant of all,

subject to all.

Christian Ethics

Beneficence – an action that is done for the benefit of others. Beneficent actions can be taken to prevent or remove harm or to simply improve the situation of others.

Examples of beneficence: rescuing a drowning victim, providing vaccinations for the general population,etc.

Christian Ethics- Practical Moral Reasoning

Non-maleficence: This means to do no harm. Physicians must refrain from providing ineffective treatments or acting with malice toward patients.

Example: Stopping a medication that is shown to be harmful, refusing to provide a treatment that has not been shown to be clinically effective.

Christian Ethics- Practical Moral Reasoning

Autonomy – The personal rule of self that is free from both controlling interferences from by others and from personal limitations that prevent meaningful choice. Autonomous individuals act intentionally, with understanding, and without controlling influences.

Example: Presenting all treatment options to a patient, explaining risks in terms that a patient can understand, ensuring that a patient understands the risks and agrees to all procedures before going into the surgery.

Christian Ethics- Practical Moral Reasoning

Nazi intruders come looking for you and your Jewish family. You are hiding in a secret place. Your infant child starts to cry.Would you suffocate the child in order to save

the rest of your family?What are the goods in conflict?What moral principle warrants suffocating the

child? (beneficence or non-maleficence)What moral principle warrants not suffocating

the child? (beneficence or non-maleficence)

Christian Ethics- Practical Moral Reasoning – Case 1

A three year old child is in the second floor of a burning house. To get out of the house she needs to jump from the second story window. You and your neighbor are there to catch her or at least break her fall. She seems frozen and unable to move. You call up to her “It’s okay; we’ll catch you.” This is a lie in the sense that you are not sure you can catch her.From the perspective of the parent, what is the

good that is sought? What moral principle would justify the lie?

What are the goods in conflict?What would you do?

Christian Ethics- Practical Moral Reasoning – Case 2

Your daughter, Mary, is the valedictorian for her high school class. She has worked hard, is proud of her achievement, and looks forward to delivering the valedictorian speech at commencement. Mary’s grandmother, your mother, has planned to attend the graduation ceremony. On the morning of the graduation, you go to your mother’s house and find that she died in her sleep during the night. You call 911, and she is pronounced dead. You call your minister and funeral home and arrangements are made. Though upset, you are still able to attend the graduation. As you arrive at the high school, Mary comes looking for you. She finds you and asks, “Where is grandma?”

Christian Ethics- Practical Moral Reasoning – Case 3

What are the goods in conflict?What moral principle warrants a lie saying

that she wasn’t feeling well?What would you do and why?

Christian Ethics- Practical Moral Reasoning – Case 3

Two parents with a son age 14 and a daughter age 12 are at their dinner table. The son had a discussion at school about the dangers of drug use and abuse. After being asked what he did that day in school that day and saying “We talked about drug abuse,” you ask him what he thought about the discussion. He answers, and then asks you “Did you ever smoke marijuana or take any drugs”

For this case, lets assume you smoked marijuana in high school or college.

Christian Ethics- Practical Moral Reasoning – Case 4

What are the goods in conflict here?What moral principle would warrant lying

about past drug abuse?What moral principle warrants telling the

truth?What would you do?

Christian Ethics- Practical Moral Reasoning – Case 4

Next week: Chapter Eleven - Devotion: The Quest for Light