On the blog that I love to read, there is a discussion on ethics. No, not on ethics, per se, but on disagreeing charitably. It is quite a good set of thoughts and I posted the response below on that blog. But, in discussing ethical conflicts, I wondered whether the author had gotten caught in what I often see as a problem in the “structure” of our ethics. That is, most of us have, what I would like to call, one-dimensional ethics. That is, they often see ethical values as simply a matter of right or wrong. Thus, if something is wrong, one can never do it, regardless of circumstances. We often do not consider what happens when two correct ethical values conflict. I would like to share my reply:
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Many Christians have another dimension in their ethical thinking and that is a hierarchy of values. I am one of them. That is issues are not simply right or wrong, but are also-to way oversimplify-in a “more important / less important” relationship to each other. What do I mean? Let me give you one quick example from Scripture, Rahab the harlot in the Book of Joshua.
When Rahab was asked about the Israeli spies, she lied. Nowhere does the Bible ever condemn her, or rebuke her, or even chide her. If anything she received an indirect commendation for her actions, up to, and including, her lie, and that in the New Testament: “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.”
In fact, if you think about the role of a spy, it is to lie by word, action, clothing, etc., to so deceive the enemy as to make them believe that they are someone other than who they really are. And, yet, the spies who were hidden by Rahab are clearly commended for their actions.
Why are both Rahab and the spies not called on their lying? Why is there no thought given to the several falsehoods that were told? Because in war, lying can take a lower priority to gathering information about the enemy and to protecting lives. Thus, Corrie ten Boon openly admitted that her family lied to the Nazis when they hid Jews.
But, in all of life, this type of “comparing” of priorities happens. Many times there is no conflict between issues, the answer is clear cut. But, there arise those times when one ethical mandate conflicts against another. We are not to lie. We are not to betray innocent people, especially if they are God’s people, to a brutal enemy. Life wins over lie, so we hide the Jew and need suffer no pang of conscience whatsoever over the fact that we told a bald faced lie to save their life.
The problem with “situational” ethics is that it is all too often based on this undefinable “love,” which all too often simply means what feelings you have about the matter at the time the decision must be made. The problem with a strictly one-dimensional black/white ethic is that all too often conflicts arise between competing ethical values, which can lead to an ethical paralysis and difficulty in making choices.
Hierarchical ethics says, on the one hand, that different situations may merit different responses, but, on the other hand, it says that the decision is made based on a hierarchy of values which help order what value has a higher priority than what other value. BTW, the hierarchy comes from observing how conflicts of value were handled in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and Holy Tradition. [Eastern Orthodox do not have a unitary Magisterium like the Roman Catholics.]
I had better stop here, but more could be said.
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Part of the more that could be said is that the Eastern Orthodox believe in “economia.” That is, we actually have a principle that helps us in the application of ethics. It is a formal principle, thus it is not simply the generalized idea of “love.” Let me quote from an article, and finish with that quote, as I believe that it is self-explanatory.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church there exists a text called the Pedalion or Rudder. It is a collection of guiding canons composed by the Apostles, the Fathers, the local or regional and general or ecumenical Councils, and used by the hierarchs to govern the church. This text has always been understood to be a “Guide” and not a “Rule Book”. Orthodox bishops have the ability to relax the strictness of the guide in special cases. This ability is called economia. Economia means leniently. Akreveia means strictly. Since the Orthodox Church structure is based on the concept of spiritual guidance, it has always been understood that every situation is different and nothing can be treated in a legal way or automatically (latae sententiae). According to the canon law of the Orthodox Church economia is “the suspension of the absolute and strict applications of canon and church regulations in the governing and the life of the Church, without subsequently compromising the dogmatic limitations. The application of economia only takes place through the official church authorities and is only applicable for a particular case. Because of this concept, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Love, Mercy, and Compassion remain more in control than absolute law.
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