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Kerley
Over the last several months we have been eager to explore the shared common ground existing between Christian believers and unbelievers. Those aspects of nature, and life, and history from which two people might engage in fruitful discussion. After all, it has been the Bible skeptic Michael that we have spent much time in discussion with over the months. We have explored common ground through observationsofthecosmos:themoons, and the planets, and the stars. We also found common ground through exploring the apparent evidence of design found in nature; specifically in biological systems. And, we have explored common ground among human beings who are dualistic in nature having a material body, and an immaterial spirit, or soul. Indeed, muchcommongroundexistsbetween Christians, and the Michaels of the world. But that is exactly what the Christian would expect being that all men are created equal “in the image and likeness of God” (Gen 1:26). Common ground. Common ground between believer and unbeliever, however, also extends to our most recent topic: moral law. The question is this: does a natural law exist? Yes? That is the argument the Christian makes, and it is the argument we made here last week; there exists a moral (natural) law, which implies a Moral Law Giver. One might say it is a law of nature—it is just how things naturally are. A binding set of moral obligations that bear upon every human being simply by virtue of being a human being. Natural law. Oxford dictionary defines “natural law” as: “a body of unchanging moral principles regarded as the basis for all human conduct.” The interesting thing is that almost all civil and criminal law traces directly back to a nonnegotiable set of “natural laws.” It is the basis for affirmation of human dignity and basic human rights. It is the basis by which the West (America) criticizes the East (China) for their human rights violations. In America it is the very fabric of our nation: “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowedbytheirCreatorwithcertain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Sound familiar? Sounds a lot like natural law codified into The Declaration of Independence! And yet it provides common ground between Christian and unbeliever. Legal scholar Robert George writes of the significance; “so if there is a set of moral norms, including norms of justice and human rights, that can be known by rational inquiry, understanding, and judgement even apart from special revelation [Scripture], then these norms of natural law can provide the basis for a common understanding of human rights—an understanding that can be shared even in the absence of religious agreement.” That is natural law. That is the basisfortheargumentthatthereexist absolutes, and one of those absolutes is the existence of an absolute moral law. Here is an interesting case; all people in all places in all times live as if the Ten Commandments are absolute moral truths. Can you think of a society where people are encouraged to murder, lie, steal, commit adultery? In fact, the Ten Commandments are instances of natural law that have existed for all of eternity past. It is the natural law that Christians claim to be written on the human heart of all men (cf Rom 2:15). Whether we realize it or not the world’s civil and criminal statutes and laws find their ultimate foundation in the natural law codified in the Ten Commandments. These are rock-bottom basics of moral behavior known to all people; if they were not universally known, then moral reasoning is pointless. Governments and the courts would have no recognized power, society would fall into utter chaos. There would be no system of justice, no human dignity, no human rights. Natural law lawyer J. Budziszewski says that human reasoning only works in one direction moving “from known to the yet unknown; persuasion, from the conceded to the not yet conceded. Without common ground, the movement could never get started. There would be no place for it to begin.” Sure enough, the justice system in America is lacking and neglected in many areas. But the moral law pillars upon which the legal system rests is rock-solid because it is based upon universallyrecognized,nonnegotiable moral truths. The international justice systemalsoworks,andonlyworks because it is based upon universally recognized moral truths.
It seems to me the evidence is compelling that there exists a universal moral law—a natural law that bears upon all human beings. And that seems to imply a natural law Giver. Join us again next week as we continue to examine human morality as part of the ultimate quest to answer the question: is God dead?
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Ty B. Kerley, DMin., is an ordained minister who teaches Christian apologetics, and relief preaches in Southern Oklahoma. Dr. Kerley and his wife Vicki are members of the Waurika church of Christ, and live in Ardmore. You can contact him at: dr.kerley@isGoddead.com.