Virtue Ethics in Christianity - Literature review Example

Religion and Theology: Virtue Ethics Chappell defines a Virtue ethics is the approach to morality that put emphasis on a persons character as the main component of ethical thinking, instead of the rules or the consequences about the acts1. According to MacIntyre, “Virtue Ethics is a category of Normative Ethics that tries to determine, classify and apply what might be considered a moral character a base for an individuals choices and actions."2 This essay discusses the nature and potential of virtue ethics to the contemporary Christian church and its relation to Protestants’ tradition of bible interpretation. In his book ‘After Virtue’ MacIntyre, the overall impression behind Virtue Ethics is its focus on a person’s choice for his/her own personal character, personal inward behavior, rather than relying exclusively on the external customs and laws of his or her culture3. It focuses on a person rather than an action4. In addition, virtue ethics stresses that if a persons character is good then his or her actions and choices should also be good5. The ideals of Virtue Ethics are directed by value. According to Hauerwas, virtue ethics works with the value of directing a persons attention away from popular opinion and placing the attention back upon the person him/herself67. Hauerwas argues that, the nature of virtue ethics is that acting rightly does not mean following rules but rather it is identifying the proper way of acting while having to make a choice between two vices at the extreme and opposite ends with possibilities89. Virtues are a substance of habit10. People are not born virtuous, but must practice virtue in their lives. For example, one must practice giving to achieve generosity or saving to be thrifty. In addition, mere practice of virtue is not sufficient; one must enjoy practicing virtuous deeds11. Aheam et al (2005) outlines that, the nature of virtue demands that an individual must know that his or her actions are virtuous and make a decision or choice to do them because of their nature as virtuous deeds. For example, of one gives accidentally, then the individual is not virtuous12. Moreover, virtues are averages between extreme vices where both extremes have consequences based on which extreme an individual chooses13. Thus, generosity is the average between profligacy and stinginess. Virtues demand individuals’ right way of thinking, not in following the cultural rules or any other rules, but using the inner conscience to decide on the proper deeds or actions for every situation14. Because Virtue Ethics focuses on the person rather than the action, it considers the virtue character of the individual carrying out an action15. Ethical rules or duties and the consequences of specific actions are of no concern to virtues because it considers doing right and only right according to a person’s judgment16. In that approach, virtue ethics is naturally concerned with the whole of an individuals life, rather than particular actions or episodes1718. For example, everyone knows giving is the right thing to do, but not everybody gives away. The art of generosity is a person’s decision both inward and outward, that is, both by knowing and doing19. Virtue ethics is a theory that is very useful in the society20,21. More often, people are always interested in assessing another person’s character rather than they are in assessing the morality of a particular action, that is, the goodness or badness of the action22. Virtue ethics, therefore, demands that the society be composed of good people and not people who follow rules and obey punishments to deter bad actions23. This is very important particularly in the Christian society where Christians are required to act as role models to other individuals in the society. The church and the people must use their conscience to discern the difference between good and bad and good and evil24. The contemporary Christian church faces many challenges. The society has changed. There is increased injustice and infidelity25. Immorality is in the rise. Information technology is changing the world in a very quick speed. Information is travelling faster than before, and moral ethics is depreciating worldwide26. The church is facing dilemma in all actions in dealing with the contemporary society. As an institution that people look up to for moral guidance, the church needs to apply virtue ethics in all its actions to be able to appeal to the society2728. Virtue ethics has high potential in the contemporary Christian church29. In a society where rules must be followed, and people must adhere to the laws, people are likely to take wrong actions against their will30. The church must ensure that people do not just follow rules and obey laws, but rather take actions that are right to the best of their judgment3132. The church both the Catholic and Protestants agree that the individual should know and apply what is right and separate good from evil. To know and do what is right; one must use and apply ones reason3334. Natural moral law or Virtue ethics is concerned with both interior and exterior acts that is, both action and motive of the actor35,36. The church shares this concern in its biblical teachings37. Simply taking the right action is not sufficient; the church says that to be truly moral a person’s motives must also be right. For example, it is wrong to help an old lady walk across the road (good exterior act) to impress somebody (bad interior act)38. Having good intentions dont always lead to good actions. The motive must coincide with the right judgment of ethical virtue3940. Following a rule is a good intention but doing what the rule demands might not be right. It requires the correct judgment of the individual to do the right thing. That is what virtue ethics demands, and that is what the church teaches41. Christianity and virtuousness go hand in hand; both demand moral actions and doing the right thing4243. The Christian teachings have one Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do to you" as in Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31. The same script is found in the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-7 and in Deutseronomy 5:6-21 and the Beatitudes. Everyone needs a better treatment from the other, which is the risght act to do to your neighbor4445. Protestants recognize the Bible as the only authoritative voice of God to man. Protestants interpretation of the bible is specific and direct; follow the bible teaching to the latter and act according to the bible requirements because that is what is right46. According to Christianity, doing a bad thing is considered a sin. Protestants believe that only the Bible the source of God’s exceptional revelation to mankind47 and that it teaches all that is necessary to mankind for his salvation from sin, which is doing the right thing4849. The protestant way of bible translation demands the use of virtue ethics. As aforementioned, virtue ethics entails both action and motive50. For example, the bible teaches that ‘love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ It is good for the right thinking man to love his neighbor but the bible; virtue ethics and Protestants teachings question the motive for such love51. Christianity and Protestants in particular requires human beings to practice the unconditional love of God. Any other love has a questionable motive and therefore is not right52. In conclusion, virtue ethics is the morals that demand doing the right thing with correct motives and not just following the established laws and rules. These are the morals that are required by the contemporary Christian church in guiding its faith. The Christians deem the actions and teachings of the church as right and have good motives that can save them from sin. Protestants share in this belief and that the bibles authority is, above all, other authorities53. Bibliography Ahearn, David Oki, and Peter R. Gathje. Doing Right and Being Good: Catholic and Protestant Readings in Christian Ethics. Collegeville, Minn: Liturgical Press, 2005. Carr, David, and J. W. Steutel. Virtue Ethics and Moral Education. London: Routledge, 1999. Chappell, T. D. J. Values and Virtues Aristotelianism in Contemporary Ethics. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2006. Clark, David K., and Robert Vincent Rakestraw. Readings in Christian Ethics. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books, 1994. Deane-Drummond, Celia. The Ethics of Nature. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub, 2004. Hauerwas, Stanley. Hannahs Child: A Theologians Memoir. Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co, 2010. Hauerwas, Stanley. Working with Words: On Learning to Speak Christian. Eugene, Or: Cascade Books, 2011. Kotva, Joseph J. The Christian Case for Virtue Ethics. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press, 1996. MacIntyre, Alasdair C. After Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory. Notre Dame, Ind: University of Notre Dame Press, 1984. Martinez, Joel. Is virtue ethics self-effacing? Australasian Journal of Philosophy 89 (2): 277–88. 2011. Melin, Anders. Living with other beings: a virtue-oriented approach to the ethics of species Protection.Berlin Zurich publishers. 2013 Merritt, M.“Virtue Ethics and Situationist Personality Psychology”, Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 2000, 3: 365–83. Moberly, Jennifer. The Virtue of Bonhoeffers Ethics: A Study of Dietrich Bonhoeffers Ethics in Relation to Virtue Ethics. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications, 2013. Smit, Dirkie, and Robert Vosloo. Remembering theologians, doing theology: collected Essays 5. 2013. Zack, Naomi. Ethics for Disaster. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2009. Read More