How do Christians make moral decisions?

The key question in Christian decision making on ethical issues is what source of authority a person considers as most important. This will vary a huge amount between different Christian denomination/groupings and within these groups. However a simplified but nonetheless useful distinction can be drawn between three main groupings. Denomination/Group Roman Catholic Evangelical Liberal Main Source of Authority Church Teaching Bible Individual Conscience

NB

Note that the table shows the main source of authority. Catholics will of course use the Bible but the Catholic Magisterium has the ultimate say on how to interpret it. Also evangelicals listen to their church leaders but ultimate authority rests with the Bible. Liberals will look to the Bible and church leaders but ultimately they are free to use their own conscience.

The Church Catholics believe Jesus gave His authority to Peter, and it has been passed down ever since, currently lying with Pope Benedict. The Catholic Church has a magisterium - its teachings have a God-given authority that is equal to the authority of scripture. The Pope has even got the power (rarely used) to make infallible statements - statements that cannot be questioned. Within Protestant churches, the church has an advisory role. It can recommend one action over another, it can condemn certain actions entirely - you can even be kicked out of the church for certain actions. However, the individual is still left to decide where to stand in relation to church teaching. In Protestant churches, the Bible has a much greater authority than the church. Natural Law Within Catholic theology Natural Law holds a dominant position. The Church encourages a range of different approaches, but when it comes to official church teaching, the vast majority of statements, encyclicals etc. are strongly in-line with Natural Law.

Within other denominations, Natural Law theology still has a significant impact. Many Christians adopt deontological positions and think we should act according to God's design or purpose for our lives. They may be less influenced by Aquinas in this, and Protestants tend to be less sure about moral absolutes. However, there is still a strong sense of following rules within most Christian denominations. The Bible The Bible clearly has a significant role in shaping Christians' ethical responses. Within the Catholic tradition, the Bible's authority is the same as the church. In practice this means that Catholics tend to listen to the church on ethical issues as the church interprets the Bible in the modern world. Within Protestant churches, a much greater emphasis is put on the Bible. Without a God-given authority to put faith in, Christians are expected to read the Bible for themselves and make their own decisions about important ethical issues. There are two key issues here: 1. What authority does the Bible have? Is it literally the word of God or just inspired by God and if so what does inspired mean? 2. How do we interpret the Bible, especially when dealing with issues that have only arisen in recent times? E.g. cloning. Situation Ethics Situation ethics has been very influential among liberals with its emphasis on love rather than rules and the way it can adapt to changing circumstances. Proportionalism The challenge of situation ethics is so great that some Catholic theologians believe there needs to be a compromise between Natural Law and Situation Ethics. 'Proportionalism' (the title of a book by Brtitish philosopher Bernard Hoose) accepts, as Natural Law does, that certain acts are wrong or evil acts in themselves. However, it says that it might be the right thing to do, if there is a proportionate reason, to perform such acts. The Holy Spirit, Conscience, Prayer, Religious Experience etc, This is a large number of important factors to lump together. Christians can get inspiration from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Many Christians believe the conscience to be 'the voice of God'. The vast majority of Christians pray for guidance even when they wouldn't pray for intervention (some Christians don't ask God to actually solve their problems, but those who pray tend to believe that God responds or gives answers to prayer). Some Christians have had a direct, lifechanging experience of God, which may mean seeing a vision, hearing a voice or feeling God's presence. All of these factors can have a profound effect on the individual and can contribute significantly to the ethical decision-making process. However, because they are personal and individualised, there is very little to say other than to recognise their importance, and that this can lead to a wide variety of different Christian responses.