'n Beoordeling van die Skrifberoep ten opsigte van die doodstraf

Abstract

The use (recall) of Scripture is, in light of Christian ethics, a sine qua non when a position with regard to an ethical problem is assumed. A simple interpretation of Scripture does not necessarily settle the problem. Different interpretations of Scripture result in a difference of opinions even when the same Scriptural texts are used. It is therefore simply not sufficient to note a fair explanation of departure points or hermeneutical principles. The Christian ethicist should have an intimate knowledge of reality – ethics is not practised in a vacuum. In this article an adjudication of the use or interpretation of Scripture in the light of capital punishment was conducted. In this article it was shown that Scripture is most often misused despite of fair hermeneutical principles only to reflect the ethicist own preconceived ideas.