Transcript The principle of Agape is a better guide to ethical decision making

‘The principle of Agape is a better
guide to ethical decision making than
the concept of Duty, when
considering New Testament Ethics in
relation to dealing with issues of
Sexual Ethics’
Introduction:
• Sexual Ethics is fundamentally a Religious ethic
as it is arguable Religion that has made issues
such as Homosexuality the topic of ethical debate
• Therefore it follows that a Religious ethical principle
would be most appropriate when considering the
morality of specific sexual issues
• Both the principle of Agape and the concept of
Duty are traditionally considered to be founded in
New Testament ideas BUT how prominent are they
in dealing with practical issues in a modern world?
‘The principle of Agape is a better guide to
ethical decision making than the concept
of Duty, when considering New Testament
Ethics in relation to dealing with issues of
Sexual Ethics’
AGREE
or
DISAGREE
‘Those who sin sexually…
men who have sex with other men…
will not inherit the Kingdom of God’
‘…Love your
neighbour as you
love yourself’
1 Corinthians 6:9
Matt 19:19
HOWEVER! This contradicts
New testament teachings
Theoretically… YES!
Does this mean that it is ok to
have a homosexual relationship
as long as you do so with a
loving purpose?
SITUATION ETHICS:
Applying Agape
Do the most
loving thing in
each situation
‘The rightness or
Wrongness of an action
depends on whether or
not it has a loving
purpose’
You should
accept people
as they are
AGAPE=
unconditional
love
AGREE
How would
you want to be
treated?
You shouldn’t
Judge others
‘Do not Judge other
People or you will
be judged’
Follow Jesus’
Example…
Matthew 7:1
Problem is that Jesus
wasn’t gay & neither did
he talk Specifically about
Homosexual relationships
Catholics take this
to the extreme
Ex-communicating
People in homoSexual relationships
NATURAL MORAL
LAW:
Teaches the importance
of Doing our ‘Duty
However there aren’t any
Specific teachings on ‘Duty’
In the New Testament
Not very
accepting!
The Old Testament
Teaches that we
Should follow
Deuteronomy
God’s will
Duty could also be
Applied to sexual
ethics
DISAGREE
There are also specific
teachings on homosexuality
in the New testament
‘Those who sin sexually…
men who have sex with
other men…will not inherit
the Kingdom of God’
Ecclesiastes
O.T.
Teachings
The O.T.
Gives specific
teachings about
Homosexuality
The New Testament
Seeks to re-apply these
Old Testament laws
‘Don’t think that I come to
Destroy the old law or the
Prophets. I didn’t come to
Destroy but to fulfil’
1 Corinthians 6:9
Matt 5:17
Conclusion:
•AGAPE: it is hard to combine such a relative
and subjective concept with other scriptural
teachings when applying them to sexual ethics
•DUTY: duty relies on knowing God’s will in each
situation, some Christians (Baptists) may argue
that the New Testament helps to reveal God’s
will. However, we can never be sure and the
absolute stance of a duty based morality clashes
with the more relative approach taken in New
Testament ethics
•So…
‘The principle of Agape is a better guide to
ethical decision making than the concept
of Duty, when considering New Testament
Ethics in relation to dealing with issues of
Sexual Ethics’
‘I would say that neither the principle of Agape nor
the concept of Duty are any more useful than the
other when dealing with issues of Sexual Ethics’