In Fear and Trembling , the Protestant theologian Soren Kierkegaard reflected on a question that has troubled Jews for two millennia: How could Abraham have possibly gone along with God’s command to sacrifice Isaac? He argued with God about the fate of Sodom; how could he fail to question a command that contradicted the most fundamental moral principles?
Kierkegaard’s famous answer: to be a “knight of faith,” to maintain his relationship with God, Abraham was willing to engage in a “teleological suspension of the ethical.” Even in theological morality, it seems, the end can justify the means.
To say the least, this is a dangerous stance, because not only valued relationships but also one’s spiritual integrity are at risk. You have to be very sure that it is God, not just a voice in your head, urging you to make the sacrifice. And if you get it wrong, you pay a huge price.
________
“Has Trump caused white Evangelicals to change their tune on morality?” by William A. Galston, Brookings Institute, October 19, 2016.