Explain How the Ethics of Religion You Have Studied Might Be Considered to Be Absolute

Explain how the ethics of the religion you have studied might be considered ti be absolute. (25 mark)

There is no easy way of looking at Christian ethics, through the vast and varied denominations Christian ethics has been perceived to be on many occasions and absolutist theory through the support of Natural Moral Law, the Divine Command Theory and Kantian ethics. Many Christians would follow these theories due to its absolutist and rigid structure giving clear guidelines and is centred on the belief that morality is placed within us by God and we have to use reason to discover it.

An aspect of Christian ethics is Natural law - the theory that an eternal, absolute moral law can be discovered by reason. This theory is considered to be absolute because of its deontological and authoritarian approach with the introductions of the Aquinas’ primary precepts. Although the secondary precepts were created to allow flexibility, they are primarily there to assist the absolutist primary precepts which were for every man to; reproduce, live in an ordered society, educate, preserve innocent life and to worship God,

It is evident that these laws have led many beliefs of the Christian tradition in the Catholic Church, to emphasise that reason is a tool for showing acts to either being intrinsically good or bad. However it is on the Magisterium who can confirm these moral laws and Christian believers in society as our reason is infallible from the incident of Adam and Even eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Hence why Christian ethics is seen as absolutist as these rigid laws provide humans with clear guideline to succeed in living a moral life, which will be rewarded in an eschatological aspect.

Just as Natural Moral Law being an absolutist source which Christianity has been founded from, the Bible also provides an absolutist angle. This is because Christians believe in the “word of God” and many literalists believe that everything should be interpreted to be true.

A strong example that helps Christianity be seen as an absolutist religion is the decalogue. A set of commands that provide humans with a clear understanding of morality. The decalogue is also known as the divine command theory one of the many deontological approaches to morality, because here it portrays that whatever God commands must be respected and followed by Christians without any deviation from it. Because God commanded these laws it is true regardless of moral obligations or religious beliefs as God is the only one who has the power to command it because he payed the ultimate price on the cross to save us from sin.

The way the decalogue came about is a key attribute to understanding and explaining why Christians ethics is seen to absolute, God is omnipotent and therefore has total freedom to do whatever he wishes. As he chooses not to act