Christian ethics, writes theologian D. Stephen Long, is the pursuit of God's goodness by people "on the way" to a city not built by human hands. The cultivation of practical wisdom that comes from diverse sources, it draws on all that is good in God's creation and among the nations. This Very Short Introduction to Christian ethics introduces the topic by examining its sources and historical basis. D. Stephen Long presents a discussion of the relationship between Christian ethics, modern, and postmodern ethics, and explores practical issues including sex, money, and power. Long recognises the inherent difficulties in bringing together 'Christian' and 'ethics' but argues that this is an important task for both the Christian faith and for ethics. Arguing that Christian ethics are not a precise science, but the cultivation of practical wisdom from a range of sources, Long also discusses some of the failures of the Christian tradition, including the crusades, the conquest, slavery, inquistions, and the Galileo affair. Placing them in the context of the theory and practice of ethics and their historical persepctive, he notes the challenges they raise for Christian ethics. He concludes with a discussion of their implications in the modern era, considering how this affects our lives in the present age. Long recognises the inherent difficulties in bringing together "Christian" and "ethics" but argues that this is an important task for both the Christian faith and for ethics.
Christian ethics, writes theologian D. Stephen Long, is the pursuit of God's goodness by people "on the way" to a city not built by human hands. The cultivation of practical wisdom that comes from diverse sources, it draws on all that is good in God's creation and among the nations. This Very Short Introduction to Christian ethics introduces the topic by examining its sources and historical basis. D. Stephen Long presents a discussion of the relationship between Christian ethics, modern, and postmodern ethics, and explores practical issues including sex, money, and power. Long recognises the inherent difficulties in bringing together 'Christian' and 'ethics' but argues that this is an important task for both the Christian faith and for ethics. Arguing that Christian ethics are not a precise science, but the cultivation of practical wisdom from a range of sources, Long also discusses some of the failures of the Christian tradition, including the crusades, the conquest, slavery, inquistions, and the Galileo affair. Placing them in the context of the theory and practice of ethics and their historical persepctive, he notes the challenges they raise for Christian ethics. He concludes with a discussion of their implications in the modern era, considering how this affects our lives in the present age. Long recognises the inherent difficulties in bringing together "Christian" and "ethics" but argues that this is an important task for both the Christian faith and for ethics.
Introduction 1. Sources 2. History 3. Christian ethics in and beyond modernity 4. Sex, money, and power: some questions for christian ethics
D. Stephen Long is Professor of Systematic Theology at Marquette University. Previously he worked at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, St. Joseph's University and Duke Divinity School. He is an ordained United Methodist and served churches in Honduras and North Carolina. He has published eight books and numerous essays in Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics.
serves to bring to the fore some characteristically Catholic
emphases often neglected by Protestants. It could serve as a very
useful 'very short introduction to Catholic ethics' for those who
have been exposed only to the Protestant tradition.
*Jonathan Chaplin, Churchman*
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