Moral foundations theory is a social psychological theory intended to explain variation in human moral reasoning. It was first proposed by the psychologists Jonathan Haidt and Jesse Graham. In more recent times it has been used to explain the differences between progressive, conservative, and libertarian views based on the different relative weights each group gives to the different moral foundations. Below I have selected verses from the Bible that correspond to each of the 6 moral foundations.
Care vs harm
Proverbs 12:10 – The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
Genesis 50:20 – You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Fairness vs cheating
Leviticus 19:15 – Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favouritism to the great, but judge your neighbour fairly.
Genesis 31:7 – yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me.
Loyalty vs Betrayal
1 Kings 12:20 – When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David.
Proverbs 11:13 – A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.
Authority vs Disrespect
Leviticus 19:3 – Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God.
1 Timothy 6:2 – Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers.
Purity vs Degradation
Titus 1:15 – To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.
Isaiah 64:6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
Liberty vs Oppression
Galatians 5:1 – It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Deuteronomy 26:7 – Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil, and oppression
I believe the “moral foundations” theory is both flawed and dangerous, and that while Christians may be curious about it, they should also be extremely suspicious of it, for reasons I have spelt out here The moral high ground — or is it? | Notes from underground‘
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I think you raise some valid points. I don’t think the theory should be applied uncritically. For instance, I think progressives do value purity, it’s just they tend to value it in different areas. Environmental purity vs sexual purity for instance. But that being said, I still think the theory has some merit. Testing has turned up some curious trends.
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