Morality and God

by Richard Swinburne

Revue Internationale de Philosophie (Volume 57, Issue 225, pp. 315-328) 2003
  • Philosophy

All particular moral truths depend on necessary moral truths. Among these necessary moral truths are the duty (within limits) to conform to the commands of benefactors; hence, our duty to obey God, our supreme benefactor. In virtue of his perfect goodness, God will not issue commands beyond the limits of his right to issue them. Necessary moral truths hold in virtue of the concepts designated by expressions such as ’morally obligatory’, and so it is not logically possible for God to change the necessary moral truths. He will issue commands in order to make us very good people, coordinate our actions with each other, and give us special vocations.