Would you break the law if you thought it would save the life of your spouse? Would you break the law if you thought it would save the life of a stranger? What does the Bible say about dealing with people at different stages of moral development? Episode 22 – Leadership Ethics Since I am the leader, I can do anything I want, right?  Have you had a leader like that or knew anyone that thought like that?

Php 2:3–5 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

Verses:

Ga 5:16–26 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things… 1 Pe 1:15–16 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Ethics  Definition and Theory

·         Is a derivative of the Greek word ethos, meaning customs, conduct, or character

·         Is concerned with the kinds of values and morals an individual or society ascribes as  desirable or appropriate ·         Focuses on the virtuousness of individuals and their motives

Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development

In 1958 Lawrence Kohlberg had the idea that moral reasoning was linked to cognitive development.  Kohlberg studied this by posing questions about morality to children aged 10 – 16 years and what he found was there were three levels of moral development and each level was split into two stages.  Kohlberg also noted that people progressed through these in a fixed order. One of the best known of Kohlberg’s (1958) stories concerns a man called Heinz who lived somewhere in Europe.

Heinz’s wife was dying from a particular type of cancer.  Doctors said a new drug might save her.  The drug had been discovered by a local chemist, and Heinz tried desperately to buy some, but the chemist was charging ten times the money it cost to make the drug, and this was much more than the Heinz could afford. Heinz could only raise half the money, even after help from family and friends.  He explained to the chemist that his wife was dying and asked if he could have the drug cheaper or pay the rest of the money later. The chemist refused, saying that he had discovered the drug and was going to make money from it.  The husband was desperate to save his wife, so later that night he broke into the chemist’s and stole the drug.

Kohlberg asked a series of questions such as:

1.      Should Heinz have stolen the drug?

2.      Would it change anything if Heinz did not love his wife?

3.      What if the person dying was a stranger? Would it make any difference?

4.      Should the police arrest the chemist for murder if the woman died?

Stages of Moral Development

·         Level 1.  Pre-conventional morality - Preconventional morality is the initial stage of moral development, lasting approximately until the age of nine.  Children do not have a personal moral code at the preconventional level; instead, moral decisions are shaped by adult standards and the consequences of following or breaking their rules.  For example, if an action leads to punishment is must be bad, and if it leads to a reward is must be good.  Authority is outside the individual and children