Liberty University
Capstone Essay: Virtue Ethics and Abortion
ETHC 101: Intro to Ethics
May 7, 2023
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................................................1
IN THIS PAPER, I WILL......................................................................................................................................................1
VIRTUE ETHICS...............................................................................................................................................................1
MORAL ETHICS...............................................................................................................................................................4
ABORTION.....................................................................................................................................................................5
BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................................................................................................................................... 8
Introduction
In this paper, I will be trying to answer the question, “Should the Christian community
support abortion in the United States.” In answering this question let’s look closer into this
question, “Does the Christian community support abortion in the United States.” Ethics is an
important part of our lives and helps point us in the right direction to do the right things. Virtue
ethics suggests that everyone has the same chance to express their virtuous abilities. Each person
can make their own choices but not without challenges. Despite these challenges, virtue ethics
remains in our everyday lives which allows us to question until we know when to make the right
decisions. Every day people are put in positions to make those right decisions. This metaethical
theory suggests that people can establish their right and wrongs which allows them to utilize
their abilities that they have either developed themselves or through God. Virtue ethics allows
one to seek outside sources such as other people which helps them with their decision-making.
Virtue Ethics
The ethical theory that I will be focusing on in my essay is virtue ethics. I intend to show
that it is the most effective theory among all metaethical theories. This theory helps individuals
process before making a decision. This process, it’s more of a moral reasoning to make
decisions. Moral reasoning is the process of asking questions to yourself or of others that will
assist you to make the right decision. Some decisions can be guided by your cognitive or
noncognitive views of morality. Your cognitive views are truth-value meaning you need facts to
be able to make a decisive decision. As for noncognitive, this is stating that moral statements do
not deliver a truth value these are only words of approval or disapproval, missing the facts.
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Virtue ethics also includes family, friends, co-workers, and factual sources, such as the Bible,
that can assist with making the right decision. Virtue ethics can be complicated for some but this
form of ethics suggests that it is okay to live with the various means provided by God.
Individuals create norms for themselves as well as for others within society therefore those
individuals will continue to look for those various means to make their own right decisions. This
makes it easy for all to achieve their main goals and create a purpose while remaining on this
earth. In virtue ethics making the right decisions and creating a purpose is influenced by good
habits and meaningful practices for that individual. A person can create an idea for making the
best decisions easily even when it may seem complex in the beginning. When trying to make the
best decisions can require seeking guidance from a virtuous person, especially when unsure of
your abilities to make the best decision. In the case of virtue ethics, we have many virtuous
figures especially those in our personal lives. We can turn to those individuals that we trust by
the knowledge of their beliefs. We can ask questions like “What would this person do if he or
she were in my situation?” Having a good understanding of those individuals and the knowledge
that they have within them will allow us to become better individuals for ourselves. For us
Christians, we find ourselves asking the question, “What would Jesus do?”
As Christians and in the Christian community, our greatest goal is to abide by God's
commandments. Living by God’s commandments, Christians are in a virtuous place, and when
we are seen as virtuous people others recognize our beliefs. In society, this is called a status and
to achieve this status you must make many moral decisions as well as ethical decisions. For
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example, when some seek revenge as Christians Jesus says “But I say to you, Do not resist the
one who is evil, but if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” Matthew
5:39. Metaphorically this was a teaching moment for His disciples, which can be a reference
point for those virtuous figures. Pincoffs states “The adult of good moral character must indeed
be able to handle difficult situations”.1 This is an approach that requires trust and faith in others.
The people that we want to think highly of must make the right decisions. The people whom we
respect need to understand that we will lean on them to make our own decisions. Not all figures
turn out to be that way as some may do the opposite. This causes problems with this metaethical
theory. A good example is when one is reading the Bible and is using the guidance that God
provides within the Bible. Rae states, “Virtue ethics sometimes come under criticism for its
apparent inability to make decisions when faced with a moral dilemma”.2 Having a point of
reference for virtuous some decisions are difficult to make on those split-second decisions. This
causes issues with norms that will help when one has moral intuition. When one has a moral
intuition, it makes quick decision-making easier. This is not the case with virtue ethics at times
especially those difficult decisions to make. Even though these dilemmas are not frequent a
moral system has to address these dilemmas properly. Rae mentions, “What does this decision
reveal about my character?”.3 This disqualifies certain individuals as they are not digging deep
into their character. Rae states, “It’s important to recognize that the only way virtues are made
1 Rae, Pincoffs, Moral Choices: Introduction to Ethics, 2018, p.63
2 Rae, 2018, p. 65
3 Rae, Moral Choices: Introduction to Ethics, 2018, p. 384
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evident is by a person's actions.” 4 This easily confirms we must be careful when considering
different metaethical theories. As Christians, we have the bible to guide us, and Jesus is our
virtuous figure.
Moral ethics
Ethics is the systematic study of morality; it is the attempt to discern what is morally right
and what is morally wrong.5 Moral ethics is subjective because ethics change spheres of life.
Therefore, virtue ethics is good, but it does not meet all universal requirements when it comes to
one's decision-making. At this point, it should be clear that there were many ways to approach
metaethical theories. To many, this makes sense that you must take the proper areological
approach to get them to metaethics. This establishes right from wrong which identifies the virtue
ethics. To conclude my definition of virtue ethics, I can say that virtue ethics is one of the
greatest of the metaethical theories as this theory has a combination of common sense, and
logical thinking, and needs facts to make the right decision. It also works best when an individual
is surrounded by other like-minded people to help make common sense-logical and factual
decisions. As for myself, I am 100% this person. I have to have facts, logic, and common sense
for myself and others to make small to large decisions. Lastly, I believe the Bible has all the
above and remains our most direct guide to life.
4 Rae, 2018, p.40
5 Jones, Farnham & Saxon, Talking about Ethics, 2021, p.23
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Abortion.
“Abortion is the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus to end a pregnancy.”6
The debate over abortion is an emotionally charged topic. We as a society are split into two
sides, you are either pro-choice or pro-life and that's it. Pro-choice is the belief that every woman
should be endowed with the right to her own life and body. Therefore, by this definition, denying
a woman an abortion is denying her the right to bodily autonomy (or the right to privacy,
depending on the argument presented). 7 Those who are Pro-choice also believe that the father of
the child has no legal rights and therefore no right to make any decisions. In addition, the pro-
choice movement claims that abortion is a reproductive right, which falls under women's health
care. Pro-life is the belief that all human life is created equal regardless of size, level of
development, education, and degree of dependency. Consequently, by this definition, taking the
life of a preborn baby is a violation of the fundamental right to life. Let’s look at how we got
here, Roe vs Wade was based on Norma McCorvey (Jane Roe) claiming to be gang raped and
wanting to end her pregnancy. When she was denied an abortion, this case went all the way to
Supreme Court claiming it violated the due process clause of the 14th Amendment of the US
Constitution, the “right of privacy” which extended to the woman’s womb allowing her to end
her pregnancy. So, in 1973, it became legal to have an abortion in which most states adopted this
into their state constitutions. Fast forward to 1995, Norma McCorvey joined a church that was
outspoken on the pro-life movement. She accepted Christ and she repented and admitted that she
6 Piper, PRO-LIFE AND PRO-CHOICE: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?, 2022.
7 Piper, 2022.
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lied about her reasons for wanting an abortion. With that being said, this is evidence that God’s
words remain truthful.
In the Christian community, Biblically, God is life and as Christians, we are to protect the
life that God creates. In Exodus 20 “You shall not murder”,8 there is no justification for taking an
innocent life. As a Christian, I believe in the protection of the innocent and choices have
consequences. With that being said, women have many options to be proactive with their bodily
care. Meaning there are many choices to protect yourself from unwanted pregnancy. In saying
that, there are also many decisions other than abortion such as adoption. Many women are not
physically able to have children, so adoption is their only option. Some use the argument about
financial hardship, there are many resources to assist such as classes that a mother (couple) could
attend to get more information on what she or they need to learn how to budget properly. In
conclusion, Abortion has been and will always be an emotional decision to make. However,
these decisions should not be made alone. Unfortunately, in society’s eyes, it’s only about the
mom and the father has no say about their unborn child. My conclusion on both virtue ethics and
abortion is that Christians view abortion differently than non-believers. We have faith in what
scripture says, such as in Mark 10:14 “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to
such belongs to the kingdom of God”.9 Since Non-believers have no belief in God, they choose
to have the belief in the world and side with the notion of “whatever works for you, no judgment
8 Holy Bible, English Standard Version, 2016.
9 Holy Bible, English Standard Version, 2016
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here”. We deem abortion as a violation of the scripture. In saying this, we are to not condemn
women who find themselves in a situation where she feels the only way out is to abort her
unborn. However, we as Christians must come from a place of love, understanding, and
compassion just like Jesus. If God sees everyone as having value, we as his children should in
return see the value for all life. In closing, the question of “Does or should the Christian
community support abortion in the United States”, I feel it has been answered but let me testify
that biblically no the Christian community should not support the act of abortion but should
support women who are dealing with the decision to abort or not.
1 John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been
born of God and knows God”.10
10 Holy Bible, English Standard Version, 2016
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Bibliography
Holy Bible, (2016). English Standard Version
Jones, Farnham, and Saxon, Talking About Ethics: A Conversational Approach to Moral
Dilemmas, 2021
Piper, Kirstie, Pro-Life and Pro-Choice: What Does It Mean?, 2022
https://www.focusonthefamily.com/pro-life/abortion/pro-life-pro-choice/#what-is-pro-life
Rae, Scott, Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics, 2018
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