Chapter 3 Divine Command Theory independent and apart from God.

God then becomes the

ultimate source of morality.
It is indeed undeniable that several of our ethical
beliefs, of what is right and wrong, good and bad, what For instance, the act of stealing is wrong all because
we come to hold as moral or immoral, are primarily based God forbids it. The same is true with murder, lying,
on religion, either directly or indirectly. cheating, etc. These actions are wrong or evil precisely
because God does not permit them to be done. Again,
According to some, religion is necessary for moral
morality is totally dependent on what God permits or
behavior. Without religion or some kind of belief in a
allows or does not allow.
supernatural being or a divine reality, it would be
impossible to lead a good life or even pursue anything of Sources of Knowledge of Divine Command
moral value. This particular ethical belief and philosophy
Advocates and defenders of the Divine Command
that grounds morality and the good life to religion is
Theory provide us with the following as sources of our
known in the realm of ethical thought as the Divine
knowledge as to what God wants us to do and not to do
Command Theory.
(See Barry, 1985):
Simply stated, the Divine Command Theory claims
1. Holy Scriptures - We can find out for ourselves what
that whatever God permits/commands and
God would like us to do and avoid in the words found
prohibits/forbids is what makes certain actions right or
in the Holy Scriptures. If you are a Christian, you
wrong. More specifically what God says as right or good
have the Bible, or, if you are a Muslim, you have the
is right or good simply because God says or commands
Koran. For the Christians, the Ter Commandments
it. On the other hand, whatever God says as wrong or bad
personally handed by God to Moses at Mt. Sinai
is wrong or bad simply because God commands or says
formed the basis of what we are supposed to do and
it is wrong or bad, nothing more and nothing less.
not to do.
Thus, the specific and sole basis and ground of
morality, of what is good and bad, right and wrong is 2. The "Voice" of Conscience - This concerns the idea
nothing but God's will (what God wants). This would that God speaks to us through that "tiny little voice"
mean that morality has no meaning and significance within each person known as conscience. It is said
that we can know what is good and bad if we listen
 carefully to this voice. Our conscience tells us to do wants is the fact that we are all limited in our knowledge
what is right and avoid what is wrong. And since and judgment as to what is right or and decision due to
everyone has a conscience, whether one our inherent limitations as mortals, it would be wise for
acknowledges or recognizes it or not, the divine will us to surrender to God's will to direct our actions in the
is then open to everyone, regardless of one's religion. right path.
Again, another related reason why obeying God is
good is that, if God is the ultimate source of morality,
3. Religious Authorities - Throughout history, God's
and thus, has the power to reward and punish in
commands to His people have been taught by those
accordance to liis commands, then, human beings just
who are given the primary task and responsibility to
have to follow to avoid punishment in the end. This may
spread God's words. Priests, Pastors, Rabbi, Imam
sound too negative, but the reality remains that God is a
and others are viewed as God's instruments to make
God of justice and retribution is an integral element of
known what kind of life He wants His people to lead.
that justice.
Thus, even if, for the sake of argument, one is not
certain as to what his/her conscience tells him/her, Criticisms of the Divine Command Theory
one can always ask for help and guidance from
1. Plato's Criticism - The oldest objection to the Divine
religious authorities.
Command Theory comes from ancient Greek
Justifications for Obeying What God Commands philosopher Plato (c.428-343 B.C.). In one of his
famous works called the Euthyphro, Plato asks: "Is
One argument that is put forward why obeying
something right because God commands it, or it is
what God commands is good is that God knows
right that is why God commands it?" Here, the
everything. Being infinite in wisdom and in knowledge,
objection points to the very reason why God
God fully knows what is good as well as what is bad for
commands something as right. Plato would like to
all of us. Thus, following God's commands would be for
show that goodness is not dependent on God but
our best interest. All other norms or teachings become
rather it is the other way around.
secondary and even irrelevant since what matters at the
end is knowing God's will for us and following it.
Another related reason why we have to obey what God
 More specifically, Plato, it appears, wonders if
God Himself has any reasons for calling certain
actions as right or wrong, good or bad. In the Divine
Command Theory, Plato points out that God cannot
have any reasons. God's will alone is the reason why
some actions are good and others are bad.
In here, Plato thinks (correctly, I think) that if
that is the case, those actions are only good or bad
simply because God says they are, then that would
make God irrational. But being irrational does not
simply fit with God Himself (God being the source
of infinite wisdom and knowledge).
Thus, Plato wisely concludes, God must have
reasons why He makes some things good and others
bad. In that case, Plato notes, it is reason that truly
determines what is good or bad, and not simply
because God decides, out of whims that some things
are good and others bad.
This brilliant analysis by Plato strongly
suggests that goodness is independent from God.
That ethics is separate and distinct from God and
religion. Hence, we can say that one can still be good
even if one does not have a religion or does not
believe in God.
2. Religious Pluralism - If God's law is the only
correct and valid norm and standard of morality, then
how do we determine, religious , in the midst of
plurality in the world today, (each having its own
standard of what is good and what is bad) which
religion truly expresses God's will? Though a lot of
similarities are noticeable among the various
religious beliefs and traditions, it is also an
undeniable fact that there are also a lot of radical
differences that exist ainong them (See Shanahan &
Wong 1996:10).
3. The Problem of Interpretation by Religious
Authorities - Since religious authorities are also
human beings who have their own shortcomings and
limitations, it would be unwise to take everything that
they say with regard to their way of interpreting what
God wants. Even within the Christian religion for
instance, conflicts of interpretation has arisen in
several occasions that led the Vatican (the Center of
Christendom where power is also located in terms of
interpreting matters of morality, at least for the
Catholic Christians) to expel a number of its flock
who dared to challenge its own interpretation (See
Barry, 1985:52). say that the
4. The Fallibility of Conscience - Many people
would authority of conscience as a guide to proper
ethical and moral behavior and conduct is overrated.
As practically experienced in several instances by
numerous well-meaning individuals, the dictate of
the voice of conscience is really not clear and
definite. There are also so many people who do
certain actions that are commonly viewed as bad or
wrong claiming that they are just following their own
conscience.
5. Not Everyone Believes in God - Central to the
belief that morality is grounded on the Divine Will
is the assumption that there really is a God. The
problem here is that, rejection or a mere challenge
on the philosophical ground of that very
assumption leads to a serious flaw of the whole
theory (Barcalow 2003:37).
Atheists, many of whom also live good lives,
do not appeal to any divine authority as a basis of
their conduct. The fact that there are many people
who are moral and who do not believe in the
existence of God undermines the claim that we can
only be good if we follow God's will.
Finally, the most obvious difficulty of the
belief that God's will is the ground of morality and
therefore should be followed is that anybody could
easily claim that he or she is exactly doing what God
wants. The point here is that whether it is true or not,
based on reality, is always and will always remain a
question. Invoking God's name is easy. Knowing
whether one is really doing what one claims to be
coming from God is an entirely different story.
All these problems and objections, in one
way or the other, to some extent, posed a serious
challenge to the acceptance of the Divine Command
Theory as a reasonable basis of morality. This does
not mean however, that the whole theory collapses
because of these objections. This only means that
there may be other reasons that may perhaps make
the theory stronger other than what its advocates and
defenders provide. The search of these "better
reasons" is a task for everyone who is serious in
pursuing honest philosophical thought.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Case No. 1. Suicide Bombers ("Paradise Now")
It is said that the suicide bombers of
fundamentalist and militant groups (which have their
presence felt in more than 30 countries worldwide)
carry their mission fully convinced that they are
doing. them (bombing missions) following their
religious convictions (doing God's will). They
believe in the reward that awaits them in the beyond
for fulfilling what their religion requires Islamic
militant organizations (including AL-Qaeda, Hamas,
and islamic had) contend that martyrdom (bombing)
operations are justified according to Islamic law, this,
despite Islam's prohibition of suicide and murder. (A
vast majority of Muslims, according to Professor
Charles Kimball of the Department of Religion at
Wake Forest university, believe that their holy texts
forbid suicide. Nevertheless, re is no universal
protocol for or against suicide bombings in Islom, as
Islam has no centralized authority. (See
http://en.wilipedia. org/wiki/Suicide bomber How do
we argue with people of groups who claimed that the
act or suicide bombing is in accordance with religious
faith, and thus morally justified?
Case No. 2: Death for Converting to Christianity
Abdul Rahman, a 41-year old Afghan man is facing,
death at penalty for abandoning the religion of Islam
in favor of Christianity. Rahman who is now in
hiding, was earlier put in the high security prison in
the outskirts in Kabul for the act. (He was, however,
eventually freed after the court dropped charges of
apostasy against him for lack of evidence. The
President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai had been
under heavy international pressure to drop the case.)
As of this writing Rahman is now reportedly seeking
asylum in Italy after Muslim clerics threatened his
life. They are also threatening to incite violent
protests. The United Nations (UN) said it has been
working to find a country willing to take him. Over
in the Vatican, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI had
appealed to Karzai to protect Rahman. Do you think
Rahman's conversion to Christianity morally
condemnable? Why or why not? What do you think
believer in the ethics of Divine Command Theory say
about this?
Case No 3: The Prohibition of Eating Pork
Robin is a Muslim. He does not eat pork because it is
against his religion. Following what God wants is
what is morally good. For Robin, an det il wrong
because God says it is wrong. Is Robin's ethics in
agreement with the Divine Command theory? Is
something right due to God's commands or not?
Explain your answer.
Case No. 4: Blood Transfusion on a Jehovah's
Witness
Joan a 35-year old Jehovah's Witness and a
mother of three small children suffers a major head
injury and badly needs a blood transfusion in order to
save her life. However, the patient together with her
family refused to have the transfusion due to their
religious belief (Jehovah's V Witness is e religion that
believes the Bible forbids transfusions). The
attending physician must make a quick decision on
the matter before everything will be too late. Should
the doctor follow what the patient and the family
wants or should he proceeds with the transfusion?
What is the morally right thing to do here Will the
doctor be violating the Divine Command Theory if
he gives the transfusion? Why on why not?
Case No.5: Religious Differences and the Search
for Moral Truth
Linda and Paolo belong to different religions.
They both sincerely believe that their respective
religion is the true one. They are both trying to live
their lives morally in accordance to their religious
beliefs. Do you think both of them can arrive at the
same moral truth? Do you think their religious
differences pose a problem as to really knowing
whose religion should be followed in terms of God
really wants?
Case No. 6: The Moral Atheist
Arnold, a university philosophy professor in a
highly reputable state university, though a self-
confessed atheist, is really a good person He is doing
the very things that believers in God (regardless who
may be their God is) are also trying to do in practice
(such as doing acts, of charity, being faithful, honest,
loyal, etc.). Do you think Anton is living a truly moral
life in spite of his atheism? Why or why not? Is it
necessary for a person to believe in God in order to
live a moral life?
Case No. 7: Is God's Wil Identical with the Voice
of Conscience?
When elections are near, religious authorities
always make it a point to remind their members to
choose leaders according to certain moral criteria of
guidelines, such as integrity, honesty, faithfulness.
etc. Others would simply tell their flock to obey the
dictates of their conscience in choosing the rightful
candidates. More often than not people eventually
choose the candidates that they believe could help
them uplift their conditions in life regardless of what
the religious leaders told them. Can we say that these
people are not doing what God wants them to do and
are immoral? Why or why not?
Cast No. 8. Vox Populi Vox Dei
It is said that in a democratic country, such as
the Philippines, "the voice of the people is the voice
of God. In our present electoral system, we are taught
to respect the voice of the majority Thus, hoover gets
the most number of votes in an election is viewed as
having been indirectly chosen by a divine decree
through the copies voice as expressed through the
ballots. Do you honestly think that God's will is
expressed through the voice of the majority this
always the case? Why or why not?
Case No. 9: Like Abraham
A good Christian friend sincerely tells you that
while in deep prayer He heard God commanding him
to kill his parents to prove his trust in the Lo "Like
Abraham, your friend's faith in God is so strong that
no matter how bad" it may appear he is bent to follow
what God commands him to do. Will he be doing
something right according to the Divine Command
Theory? Why or why not?
Case No. 10 Genetic Engineering: “Go to the
World Multiply!
Some modern Christians especially in advanced
count that there is nothing basically wrong with
producing through the wonders of genetic
technology/engineering such as cloning and artificial
insemination. For them this is just another way
(though in a sophisticated manner) of following what
God commanded in the bible (Genesis 1:22): "Go to
the world and multiply!" Are these people morally
right? Why or why not?
Review Questions
1. What is the Divine Command Theory? Elaborate.
2. How do we determine what is right and wrong in
the Divine Command Theory?
3. How do we justify the contention that ethics is
grounded on religion?
4. Give some examples of certain moral conduct that
are based on the teachings of religion.
5. Why do we have to obey God's commands?
6. Do you think the reasons given why we have to
obey God's will are convincing? Why or why not?
7. What is the connection between ethics and
religion? Do think the connection is justified on
the philosophical ground?
8. What are the objections to the Divine Command
Theory? Enumerate and explain.
9. How does the fact of religious pluralism in the
world today pose a specific problem to the Divine
Command Theory?
10. Do you think the voice of conscience can be
wrong? Why or why not?
11. Do you think anyone can truly live a good life
without believing in God? Justify your answer.
12. Which of the objections to the Divine Command
Theory do you think is the most convincing?
Why?
13. Which of the objections to the Divine Command
Theory do you consider as the weakest? Why?
14. Can you think of some other objections to the 5. Try asking people who follow things as they are
belief that morality is grounded on the divine commanded by authorities. Are they following
will? What are they? these things for the sake of following them or do
15. Can ethics or morality be meaningful and they have other reasons why they follow orders
significant apart from religion? Why or why not? from authorities?
Exercises / Seatworks / Assignments
1. Make a list of specific actions or behaviors that
are considered wrong/bad/immoral based on the
teachings of your own religion.

2. Try to compare the teachings of one religion with

regard to the morality or immorality of certain
actions to another religion. Note the similarities
and differences.

3. Look for the "reasons" why God allows or permits

certain actions to be done and prohibits others. Do
you agree with these reasons or not? Why?

4. Go over the Decalogue (Ten Commandments in

the Bible) and say whether they are good because
God commanded them or there are "reasons" why
they are commanded by God: What are they?