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VII HIS ETHICS

MARTENSEN defines Christian ethics as " the science of morals conditioned by Christianity." But the three funda mental concepts of Christian ethics are all of them challenged by the teaching of Islam. The Mo hammedan idea of the Highest Good, of Virtue and of the Moral Law are not in accord with those of Christianity. This is evident both from the character of Mohammed himself and from his re corded sayings. Ideal virtue is to be found through imitation of Mohammed. And the moral law is practically abrogated because of loose views as to its real character, its teaching and finality. " The ethics of Islam bear the character of an out wardly and crudely conceived doctrine: of righteous ness; conscientiousness in the sphere of the social relations, faithfulness to conviction and to one’s word, and the bringing of an action into relation to God, are its bright points; but there is a lack of heart-depth, of a basing of the moral in love. The highest good is the very outwardly and very sensu ously conceived happiness of the individual."

Adolf Wuttke, "Christian Ethics," Vol. I, p. 172.