A "Yes, But" Ethic

Wouldn't it be great if everything could be yes or no, black or white. You have a slate of rules, and if you follow them everything will be great? But life isn't quite that easy.

Richard Beck, an Abilene Christian University psychology professor, reflects on Paul's guidelines in 1 Corinthians 8 through 10 that focus on interacting with a broader -- Pagan -- culture -- especially regarding meat and idols. Rather giving a yes and no ethic, Paul gives what Beck calls a "yes, but" answer, one that requires discernment and wisdom.

Here is a portion of that discussion, but be sure to read the whole thing:

In short, Paul is trying to guide the Corinthian church as she seeks to interface with and minister to the larger Corinthian culture. Paul could help the Corinthians by giving them some very simple rules to follow. He could turn them into a Yes or No Church, a church who reasons about issues in black and white categories. But Paul doesn't do this. He is trying to turn them into a Yes, but... Church. Which means a discerning church. But a Yes, but... Church is so much more difficult to manage. Discernment is hard and even error prone. Why doesn't Paul have them take the easy way out?

I think because only a Yes, but... Church can be responsive to the call of God in the world. Situational ethics are sticky business. But if you get out in the world situations are what you'll have to deal with. Rules do not guide. Only wisdom can help.

This is one reason I don't like Christians going on and on about the Ten Commandments. It's not that I have anything against the Ten Commandments. I just don't find them very helpful past a certain superficial point (e.g., I agree not to kill anyone or steal anything.). But the concern is
that if we don't push the Ten Commandments into the larger American culture (because, presumably, non-Christians simply LOVE to kill and steal) that ethics will become relative and contextual.

My feeling? That is precisely the ethic we need.

"Yes, but..."