The Moral Reasoning Gap in American Christianity
This reports on a Pew Religious Landscape Study, which the ARDA hosts; a link to the Pew study is on the ARDA webpage. The Pew study looks at how Christians in the US approach moral issues and what sources of insight and guidance they draw on when making ethical decisions. In particular, the study analyzes responses to the question “How important are each of the following to you when making decisions about right and wrong?” for which these four options could be chosen:
- religious teachings and belief
- logic and reason
- practical experience and common sense
- scientific information
While a large majority of those polled claimed that “logic and reason” as well as “practical experience” are “extremely important” or “very important” to them, when making such decisions, “religious teachings” are ranked only 28% (“extremely important”) and 25% (very important”) in significance, while “scientific information” received ratings of 36% (“extremely important”) and 39% (very important”).
Curiously, the Pew study, upon which the ARDA article is based, does not appear to specify what “religious teachings” constitute, for the purpose of the survey, leaving that up to the interpretation and assumptions of individual respondents. For example, a person may or may not view religious teachings to include both scripture and doctrine. The Pew study also does not ask about religious rituals and how the sentiments, habits, and affections instilled, developed, and reinforced through them may influence moral decisions. In addition, while responses to the Pew survey highlighted the value individuals placed on “scientific information” when making moral decisions, we could also ask how such information factors into ethical judgments.
God, Death, and the Right to Choose: A Religious Divide on Assisted Suicide
This article concentrates on religious perspectives about a specific moral issue. The article’s author, Ryan Burge, states that he “wanted to see if [he] could provide some empirical background on how views of suicide have changed over time, particularly across the religious landscape in the US.” Burge bases his article on information provided by The General Social Survey, conducted biennially by NORC, at the University of Chicago. Specifically, Burge reports on data obtained in response to four questions about suicide that the survey has posed for decades: “Do you think a person has the right to end his or her own life if …”
1. The person has an incurable disease
2. The person has gone bankrupt
3. The person has dishonored their family
4. The person is tired of living
With regard to religion, Burge notes “the dominant view in Christian circles is that suicide is an affront to God’s gift of life and is strongly discouraged.” In terms of religious and non-religious groups, support for suicide, when faced with an incurable disease, is highest among those with no religion (86%), followed by mainline Protestants (78%) and Catholics (70%). Least supportive of suicide under this condition are other faiths (60%), evangelicals (46%), and Black Protestants (41%). Burge also parses out differences in support or opposition to suicide, under these four conditions, by breaking down data in terms of frequency of worship attendance within Christian groups. The survey does not ask about different methods of suicide, which would likely involve one or more scientific, technical, or medical considerations.
