McQuilkin and Copan go through a variety of arguments when it comes to
morals and ethics. As humans, and image bearers of Christ, morals are
something that play a large part in the way that people live their life. But,
because of sinful nature, there are many times, that moral relativism
comes into the picture and ultimately taints the morals and ethics that
were set forward by a holy and perfect God. Evolutionary ethics, in a
similar sense, is something that has produced a dominant view in today’s
society. Overall, McQuilkin and Copan do a good job of explaining the
importance of this topic without overstating themselves and being
monotonous. With varying examples and explanations, the reader is able
to fully understand the importance of why Evolutionary Ethics does not
align with a believer’s mindset.
To answer if a Christian can follow this ideology, it is something that does
not seem to be compatible. An atheist, Michael Ruse, that falls into
evolutionary ethics states that, “Morality is a corporate illusion ‘fobbed off
on us by our genes to get us to cooperate.” We don’t have real duties,
only the illusion of them”. [1] Stating that morals in this case are not real,
and that they are not to be followed in the same way that a Christian
believes they should. Although it seems like Evolutionary ethics would
make sense, the devaluing of moral importance causes a roadblock with
commandments set forth by Scripture. Because there are several areas of
ethics that fall to the wayside through thinking this, and show the sin
nature of man, this cannot align with the Gospel and what a Christian
would fall into following.0 The most compelling argument to reject this
form of ethics though that McQuilkin and Copan focus on, is that when
Evolutionary Ethics becomes the centerpiece, it devalues mankind. It
makes morality an obligation, something that ought to be done, and
something that mankind can not do well because we are sinful.0 “We
begin with value (a good God) and so we end with value in this world
(valuable human beings). There is no illogical leap from “is” to “ought” if
we start with a supremely valuable God”. [2] What the authors stress to
emphasize and address in this portion of the literature is that because
God values humans, life, and justness, simply arguing that morals and
ethics evolve from person to person cannot be honoring to the Lord.
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0Bibliography:
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[1] McQuilkin, Robertson, and Paul Copan.0An Introduction to Biblical
Ethics: Walking In The Way Of Wisdom.InterVarsity Press Academic,
Downers Grove, IL. 2014. 180.
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[2] Ibid., 182. 0
