Abstract
Having considered the interplay of secular reasoning with theological reasoning and arguments, this chapter considers the various forms of ethical authority that influence both secular and theological ethics. It is arguable that it is sources of authority and approaches to them that cause the greatest divergence between theological and philosophical ethics. The sources considered include personal autonomy as informed by personal and social experience, the nature of conscience, intuition, care and relationships. The role of law as ethical authority is explored as applicable to both secular and religious paradigms, also recognising the varying attitudes to law and written authority within different theological traditions. The relationship between secular or state law and religious laws particular to specific communities will also be examined. Finally, the impact of communal authority, both through religious and community leaders and through communal decision-making processes and fora will be considered. This chapter will also introduce ethical issues in relation to power, gender and minorities which are all affected by attitudes towards authority and different sources of authority. There will also be some analysis of how far these issues are acknowledged or addressed within different ethical paradigms and worldviews.
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Notes
- 1.
Adams N. Confessing the Faith: Reasoning in Tradition, pp. 209–221 In The Blackwell Companion to Christian Ethics, Eds. Hauerwas S & Wells S. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2004 at pp. 212–213 (Adams 2004).
- 2.
Roald AS. Women in Islam: The Western Experience. Malmo: Routledge2001 (Roald 2001).
- 3.
In the 1883 Corrupt & Illegal Practices Act, now s.115, 1983. Representation of the People Act.
- 4.
- 5.
Romans 7: 15–20.
- 6.
Analyses of Hume’s on necessity and freedom see: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hume-freewill/; Botterill G. Hume on Liberty and Necessity. http://www.philosophy.dept.shef.ac.uk/papers/Botterill2002.pdf.
- 7.
Swartz DL. The sociology of Habit: The perspective of Pierre Bordieu. http://www.bu.edu/av/core/swartz/sociology-of-habit.pdf.
- 8.
Allegations of ‘undue spiritual influence’ recently resurfaced in the trial of Lutfur Rahman for electoral fraud although exhortations over decades by the Roman Catholic church to vote for anti-abortion candidates and the Hindu Council to oppose legislation on caste by voting Conservative at the 2015 General Election went unnoticed. See Giles Fraser. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/29/lutfur-rahman-tower-hamlets-mayor-verdict-undue-spiritual-influence; http://www.lawandreligionuk.com/2015/05/04/spiritual-influence-and-the-law/;
- 9.
Woodhead L. Religious leaders don’t represent religious people – 20 August 2013. http://www.publicspirit.org.uk/religious-leaders-dont-represent-religious-people/.
- 10.
And more recently through child abuse scandals.
- 11.
Lubin T. et al., op. cit., pp. 191–192.
- 12.
See e.g. Hauerwas S & Wells S. Blackwell Companion to Christian Ethics. Oxford University Publishing, 2010.
- 13.
Hauerwas S. A Community of Character. Notre Dame University Press, 1982.
- 14.
John Woolf (Ed.). Global Religious Movements in Regional Context. Ashgate, 2002. p. 45 & pp. 109–156 (John 2002).
- 15.
Mark 7: 25–30 & Matthew 15: 21–28.
- 16.
Some suggest that this explains the appeal of the humbly born Nichiren, over Buddha as the founder of Nichiren Buddhism and the Soka Gokkai movement Global Religious Movements in Regional Context. op. cit. pp. 109–156.
- 17.
Themes explored in a range of feminist religious writing including, e.g. Welchman L & Hossain S. Honour Crimes, Paradigms & Violence Against Women. London: Zed Books, 2005 (Welchman and Hossain 2005); Soskice JM & Lipton D. Feminism & Theology. Oxford University Press, 2003 (Soskice and Lipton 2003); Roald AS. Women in Islam: The Western Experience. Malmo Sweden: IMER Routledge, 2001 (Roald 2001); Plaskow J. Standing at Sinai: Judaism from a Feminist Perspective. London: Harper One, 1991 (Plaskow 1991); Esposito J & De Long Bas N. Women in Muslim Family Law. Syracuse University Press, 2001 (Esposito and De Long Bas 2001); Awde N. Women in Islam. London: Bloom & Bennett, 2005 (Awde 2005); Badawi L. Women in Religion. Eds. Bowker J & Holm Continuum, London, 2000 (Badawi 2000); Pui Lan K. Introducing Asian Feminist Theology. Bloomsbury, 2000 (Pui Lan 2000); Radford Reuther R. The Development of Feminist Theology: Becoming Increasingly Global and Interfaith Svenska kyrkans forskardagar, Uppsala 12 September 2011. https://www.svenskakyrkan.se/default.aspx?id=863846.
- 18.
e.g. Alehossain A. Islamic Liberation: Theology for Women. Grin Verlag GmbH, 2014 (Alehossain 2014); Radford Reuther. Liberation Theology: Human Hope Confronts Christian History and American Power (1972) (Radford Reuther 1972); New Woman/New Earth: Sexist Ideologies and Human Liberation Harper Collins, 1989 (Radford Reuther 1989); Bianchi & Reuther. From Machismo to Mutuality: Essays on Sexism and Woman-Man Liberation (1976) (Bianchi and Reuther 1976). Religion and Sexism: Images of Women in the Jewish and Christian Traditions. Simon & Schuster 1974.
- 19.
Lubin T, Davies DR & Jayanth KK. Hinduism and Law An Introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2010. pp. 1–16 (Lubin et al. 2010); Rocher R. Creation of Anglo-Hindu Law. Lubin et al., op. cit. pp. 78–88.
- 20.
Davie G. Religion in Britain Since 1954. Sage, 1994.
- 21.
1 Corinthians; see also Galatians 8, for a statement of equality. The letter to the Galatians carries more authenticity as Pauline than does 2 Corinthians the authorship of which is doubted.
- 22.
Book of Judith NRSV Apocrypha.
- 23.
Romans 16: 1.
- 24.
Acts 16.
- 25.
For a detailed analysis see Roald AS. Women in Islam. op. cit., pp. 150–165; 237–253.
- 26.
Qu’ran 24:2; Deuteronomy 22:22.
- 27.
Leviticus 18: 22; Qu’ran Surah 7: 80–84.
- 28.
The next chapter provides further analysis of scriptural interpretation.
- 29.
Equalities Act 2010 Schedule 23.
- 30.
Douglas G, Doe N, Gilliat-Ray S, Sandberg R & Khan Asma. Social Cohesion and Civil Law: Marriage, Divorce and Religious Courts. AHRC & Cardiff University.
- 31.
Ramadan T. Western Muslims and the Future of Islam. Oxford University Press, 2004. pp. 86–101 (Ramadan 2004).
- 32.
The sayings of Mohammed.
- 33.
Hanafi, Hanbali, Shaafi and Maliki.
- 34.
Ramadan T., op. cit., pp. 62–86.
- 35.
Catholic Canon Law covers the ministry of all members of the Church unlike Church of England Canons which regulate predominantly access to sacraments and church offices and the ministry of those who are ordained and the few formally licensed lay workers.
- 36.
Rerum Novarum Pope Leo XIII 1891 and Laboren Exercens Pope John Paul II 1981.
- 37.
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2015/04/10/sanctity-of-life-is-top-issue-facing-voters-say-scottish-bishops/; http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-defends-abortion-stance-amid-sharp-catholic-criticism-1.2649810; Byrnes T. Catholic Bishops in American Politics. Princeton University Press, 1991 (Byrnes 1991).
- 38.
e.g. ‘Woe to you lawyers…’ Luke 11: 46 & 52.
- 39.
Mark 2: 23–27 & 3: 1–6;
- 40.
Korban Mark 7:10–12.
- 41.
See e.g. Lubin T. et al. in Hinduism and Law: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2010. pp. 1–4.
- 42.
Especially Easter because of its variable date.
- 43.
This contrast between theological ethics and civil law is seen in Re J [2001] 1 Fam (CA); the court decided an application for religious circumcision of a son but was not prepared to rule whether he should eat bacon.
- 44.
Lawton CA. Judaism, pp. 168–215. In Ethical Issues in Six Religious Traditions, Eds. Morgan P & Lawton C. Edinburgh University Press, 2nd edition, 2007 at pp. 190–191 (Lawton 2007).
- 45.
See for example the debate caused by former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan William’s speech at the RCJ – now recorded in Islam and English Law. Ed. Griffiths Jones R. Cambridge University Press, 2013, pp. 20–34.
- 46.
A further review of Shari’a Courts is due under the Chairing of Mona Siqqiqui.
- 47.
Tariq Ramadan. Western Muslims and the Future of Islam. Oxford University Press, 2005.
- 48.
Shah P. Judging Muslims, pp. 144–156; Ali SS. From Muslim Migrants to Muslim Citizens, pp. 157–175 in Griffiths Jones R. Ed. Islam and English Law, op. cit.
- 49.
Levine S. Mystics, Mavericks and Merry Makers. New York: New York University Press, 2003 (Levine 2003).
- 50.
McClintock Fulkerson M. Women’s Discourses and Feminist Theology. Fortress Press, 1994 (McClintock 1994).
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Woodhead, L. Religious leaders don’t represent religious people, 20 August 2013. http://www.publicspirit.org.uk/religious-leaders-dont-represent-religious-people/.
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Shelley, C. (2017). By Whose Authority? What Gives Ethics Their Power?. In: Ethical Exploration in a Multifaith Society. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46711-5_5
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