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Four Uses of Scripture for Christian Ethics

  Introduction:   By way of introduction, several scholars’ attempts to explain levels for the use of Scripture in Christian ethics will be presented.  Then, in order to illustrate my own four uses of Scripture for Christian ethics, the recent issue of homosexuality and the Bible will be used.  The conclusion of this essay will be the proposal of a grid or table to use for moral enquiry in general and, particularly, the use of Scripture for Christian ethics.   Four Levels for Engaging Scripture:   If one allows that there is a meaning apart from the reader's response to a text, [1] then there are four ways in which the Bible contributes to moral discourse.  Each requires the attention of Christians in their use of Scripture .  The Bible, then, may be used--   (1)    to specify action;  (2)    to warrant moral choices, actions, and dispositions; (3)    to witness to the moral life of God's people; (4)    to symbolise the world which we inhabit.   For example, w