Abstract
Postmodernism challenges the idea of any foundational truth on which theoretical and operational systems may be built. This has led to a meta-ethical revision of the resuppositions underlying different ethical systems. This article offers a meta-ethical critique of the possibility of constructing a Christian ethical system. It is argued that the general concept of ethics cannot be used as a foundation on which to build any Christian ethical system, as the Christian faith opposes a number of key meta-ethical assumptions for ethics. At the same time Christianity must be careful not to isolate itself from rational ethical debates through succumbing to the temptation of fideism. While the Christian faith may utilise certain ethical categories, and must permit itself to be judged by other ethical systems, it also has to develop its own unique response to reflect the faith, hope and love which the good news of Christ offers to broken sinners in a broken world.
Highlights
As Abraham trekked up the mountain, in obedience to the hard demand of God to sacrifice his son, his obedient action shattered the possibility of ethics for all people of Christian faith, the Danish philosopher, Kierkegaard (2008), suggests in a little book entitled Fear and trembling
Kierkegaard argues that Abraham’s act of faith can only be held to be praiseworthy by those who acknowledge that faith and love always take us beyond the realms of reasonable ethical judgements which are universally valid for all time
Abraham cannot be considered a tragic hero because in a tragedy the hero may well be forced to make some sort of supreme sacrifice, but such a sacrifice is usually made in the service of something ‘greater’ or ’higher’
Summary
As Abraham trekked up the mountain, in obedience to the hard demand of God to sacrifice his son, his obedient action shattered the possibility of ethics for all people of Christian faith, the Danish philosopher, Kierkegaard (2008), suggests in a little book entitled Fear and trembling. Instead of making ethical judgements, I will argue, Christians are instead called to express their faith through their actions on behalf of those who are not aligned to the will of God. This does
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