The Story of God

Chapter One: The Story of God

Two challenges in using the Bible in Christian Ethics.

  1. Historical and Cultural Distance. The Bible was written to and for other people in other times and in other places, usually radically different than our time and place. It does not address contemporary issues, because they were not issues (stem cell research for example.
  2. The multivocity of Scripture. The Bible is a collection of many books written by multiple authors and complied over 1000s of  years into one book. Plus, it is written in multiple genres. This leads to issues in applications to Christian Ethics.

In spite of the challenges, Christians generally believe that the Scriptures have relevance and even authority. Why?

  1. Authority comes for the events led to the Scripture, the events behind the text. The only witness we have to the Triune God.
  2. Authority is within the text itself. 
  3. Authority is in front of the text – that is, in the reader and the reading community. The texts have no authority until they are read, interpreted, and then followed.

The People of God. Three main parts to the OT.

  1. The law
  2. The prophets (including the history books)
  3. The writings

Approaches. Three, each with different strands

  1. Separation. OT is independent from the NT. Can lead to Marcionism.
  2. Seamlessness. Continuity between OT and NT. Difference between moral law and ceremonial (civil) law.
  3. Creative tension. Difference between precept and example. Approach the OT as the introduction to a play.

Characteristics. 

  1. The OT is about God. This is not a watchmaker God, but an involved God.
  2. The OT is about the people of God.
  3. The OT is about the story of God’s people.

Themes. Ethicists tend to find in the OT what they are looking for.

  1. Kingship and law. Focus on King David.
  2. Liberation and prophecy. Focus on the Exodus.
  3. Worship and community. Focus on liturgy and common life.

God in Person. A brief summary of Jesus’ life and ministry.

Is Jesus normative for Christian ethics? Answer depends on which part of his life is considered most important. And then whether you consider Jesus as illustrating truths or establishing norms.

  1. Incarnation and birth.
    a. Illustrative.  Jesus is seen as an unconditional affirmation of humanity and of creation.
    b. Normative.  Jesus was made man so that we might be made God. The Orthodox view.
  2. Ministry and Teaching.
    a. Illustrative.  To simplify, Jesus is seen as a “great moral teacher."
    b. Normative. St. Francis encouraged his followers to imitate Jesus in every way. There are cautions. Niebuhr said that when you go to political issues, something beyond the ethic of Jesus is required.
  3. Passion and death.
    a. Illustrative.  The cross of Jesus illustrated the fundamental reality of the human condition.
    b. Normative. Some say the cross is a cosmic victory over sin. Others that it is a specific event that has significance. John Howard Yoder takes up this issue.
  4. Resurrection and ascension.
    a. Illustrative.  Comes from people who view the resurrection as a spiritual event, not a real physical event.
    b. Normative. “The resurrection of Jesus is thus about overcoming sub‐natural enslavement to sin and death and about anticipating supernatural destiny. Ethics is the same.”

Following Jesus: The New Testament and Christian ethics. Four tasks in studying NT ethics (per Richard Hays).

  1. Descriptive. Understand the breadth and variety of the NT.
  2. Synthetic. Take the NT writings and attempt to make a coherent ethics.
  3. Hermeneutical. Understanding and interpreting the differences between first century culture and today.
  4. Pragmatic. Embody the text in a faithful community.

The Gospels and Christian ethics. 

  1. Matthew. No explicit rules, but a handbook for a community of disciples.
  2. Mark. Three interwoven stories: 1) creation of a new community, 2) mission to the crowd, and 3) confrontation with the powers.
  3. Luke (and Acts). Holy Spirit a significant part of Luke’s story. The church is at the center of the Luke’s ethics. 
  4. John. Mystical quality to John. Identity of Jesus important (“I am …” sayings.)

The Ethics of Paul and His Followers. 

  1. What God has done. The cross is important to Paul.
  2. What God will do. What will come is due to God, not human endeavor. And, it is not escape; it is a transformation of this world.
  3. What God is doing. The church is point of reconciliation between the world and God. 

The Diversity of New Testament Ethics. 

Charles Eklund 2018