Divine command

Devine command theory is widely used throughout the world and there are many variance and applications of the theory may vary from religion to religion and it may differ within each religion. Religion is often considered the most widely used system to make right decision and to conduct fair reasoning (Pollock, 2007). That is why people throughout the world rely on various religion to determine the most ethical action to take.

There are moral assumptions that make references upon the existence of a god and they are not the same, thus the divine command theory which is not commonly used anywhere in the world by organized religions. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share the same view that the Hebrew bible has authority over matters of religion. They therefore have reasons for sympathy with a divine command conception of morality(Quinn,2013). Devine command theory has so many problems with it to be used by large organized religions, although it is used by small cults and those who are not well informed about what their own religion embrace.In divine command theory the good is what the “god” commands which means whatever, whenever and wherever God tells them.

An opponent of the theory has made the west to reject it and instead hold for the Natural Law Theory – divine command theory does not only rely on scripture. Divine Command is divine command; people claim that God has commanded them to do a certain thing which is “good” therefore doing good is seen as an ethical act.According to William of Ockham in response to divine command theory which criticizes that the proponent argues that the critic is not a problem because if God had commanded murder, then murder would be an ethical requirement (Ockham, c. 1285-1347). He continued by saying that God could change the order of morality at anytime – therefore he fully embraces the command divine theory and his views are characterized by God being good which is analytically being true.

In conclusion many philosophers who read about Kierkegaard are in favor of his view on divine command law of ethics. However, their argument is based on morality is not created by God, but divine command from God transcends to ethics. Therefore, it is upon people to form their own morals and values which certainly does not mean that God creates human morality – religious people must be ready for any event of divine command from God that would take priority over moral and normal requirement which according to Kierkegaard the event is known as the teleological suspension of the ethical. Abraham the man of faith decided to obey God unconditionally and was given a son and regarded as the father of faith.

The choice to obey God entirely is true existential decision faced by an individual – it is either one chose to live in faith or ethically (Kierkegaard, May 5, 1813)

Reference

Bibliography

https://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialsciences/ppecorino/ethics_text/chapter_7_deontological_theories_natural_law/divine_command_theory.htm. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialsciences/ppecorino/intro_text/Chapter%208%20Ethics/D.

Kierkegaard, S. (1813-1855). Retrieved from www.newencyclopedia.org/Soren_Kierkegaard.

Ockham, W. o. (C. 1285-1347). www.newencyclopedia.org/entry/William_Of_Ockham.

Pollock. (April 17, 2015). Religion or Command in Divine Theory. In S. McCartney, Ethics in Law Enforcment. BCcampus .

Quinn, P. L. (2013). The Blackwell Guide to Ethical Theory. Blackwell.