Divine Command Theory

• what is divine command theory?

  a meta-ethical theory which proposes that morality is determined by whether something is commanded by God
• what is morality determined by?

  God's commands, for a person to be moral, they are to follow god's commands
• why must whatever God commands be good?

  because God is the source of all goodness, and what he forbids must be evil
• However, what questions are raised with this?

  how do we know how to make moral decisions
• for example, different denominations and religions have different ideas of what is good, give an example:

  Hindu's - don't eat meat, to prevent animal suffering

  Christians - see it as an act of dominion
• so, what should we not assume?

  that in every situation, there's going to be definitive religious rule
• nevertheless, what is the fundamental principle of divine command theory?

  that people should act in a way that reflects the will of God for them, as they best understand it
• in protestant Christianity, for example, DCT has a basically straightforward rationale: God is the...?

  creator of everything
• there must therefore be an organic link between what?

  creator and created (humans are created imago dei)
• what do most theologians take this to mean?

  that humans are like God in having a rational and a moral character
• it follows therefore that...?

  human moral behaviour should literally follow God's commands
• protestants = "sola scriptura" so God''s commands are...?

  seen specifically in scripture
• in summary then, what is DCT based on?

  both God's moral character and Gods moral commands
• these commands are understood as...?

  statements of God's will
• DCT has a long and influential history in Christian theology for example, in who?

  John Calvin and Karl Barth
• CALVIN: the will of god is the...?

  "supreme rule of righteousness"
• CALVIN: "so that everything which he wills...?

  must be held to righteous by the mere fact of his willing it"
• CALVIN: what is Calvin doing here?

  using DCT to justify his view of predestination
• CALVIN: what is Calvin's key theological argument here?

  that God cannot be "caused" to do anything, because that would imply that there is a force external to God
• CALVIN: what would this breach?

  his omnipotence
• CALVIN: also, to challenge or question God's will is to do what?

  ask for something greater (not possible)
• CALVIN: for Calvin, what is DCT?

  a natural result of the absolute power and sovereignty of God
• CALVIN: whatever God has commanded is righteous, why?

  merely based on the fact that it's commanded by God
• CALVIN: since predestination is part of God's will...?

  it's inherently good, and humans must accept it
• BARTH: what is Barth not surprised about?

  that people have always tried to understand the ethical problem of "what is good?" But this is NOT his concern
• BARTH: what does Barth argue?

  that man's obedience to God is the answer to all questions about ethics
• BARTH: scripture should be used to...?

  critique society, not the other way around
• BARTH: what do the commands of God do?

  set Christian ethics totally apart from general discussions on what is right and wrong
• BARTH: the commands of God also override what?

  fallible human debates on moral issues
• BARTH: for Christians, the question of good and evil is settled by what?

  the decree of God (God's will, what God says goes)
• BARTH: why do Catholics believe that the pope has the power to make decisions on ethical dilemmas?

  because God gave him authority
• what is another form of DCT?

  religious legalism
• what is religious legalism?

  where a believer would argue that every law contained within their scripture is completely right/must be followed
• what is legalism also known as?

  religious fundamentalism
• why is legalism also known as religious fundamentalism?

  as the scriptures of a religion are seen as giving fundamental rules that must be followed in all circumstances
• what do religious liberals reject?

  legalism
• what do religious liberals argue?

  that many religious rules are outdated, so they don't apply in todays society
• (s) for religious people, obviously they would follow DCT, why?

  God is omniscient and omnibenevolent so he must be correct in what he says
• (s) the rules are universal, so what does this avoid the problem of?

  trying to sort out different moral ideas in different places, at different times
• (s) the system is clear and straightforward, how?

  what God says is right/wrong and good/bad MUST be right/wrong and good/bad