Moral duality
October 27th, 2008 by JohnO
The positing of a firm distinction between good and evil, e.g. in the realm of human behavior. Most religions maintain some such distinction, but some forms of pantheism have tried to remove it, not least by labeling it ‘dualism’ and associating it with other dualisms that are deemed to be unwelcome. NT Wright, New Testament and the People of God, pg 253
It is a common attempt, both inside and outside religious circles to make general statements that ‘dualism’ is really just extremism and unwelcome. As we’ll see when we conclude our small sections on dualism – some are very uncommon, present in only fringe groups and largely frowned upon. While others form the fundamental bedrock of (in this case Jewish) religious belief.As some of us know very well, a fair amount of the new-age/post-modern movement tend to relativize most behaviors, blurring morality in the process. The fundamental Jewish belief in the first century sees through this blurring based on the revelation they’ve received in Moses and Torah. That revelation is taken on its own merit, and not mixed with existential theorizing from anthropology, or psychology.
It is, further, clear throughout Judaism that a distinction was maintained between good and evil in the realm of human actions: even Josephus, with his strong doctrine of divine providence, clearly things that some humans act wickedly. ibid. pg 254
Josephus’ (typically Saduccean) strong belief in determination in a way mirrors Calvinistic pre-determination/election. But, even though evil does happen, and God is sovereign, humans are responsible for their moral actions which are distinctly and clearly theirs, and either evil or good.