Christian Ethics in the Protestant Tradition

by Waldo Beach

Overview

With Christian Ethics in the Protestant Tradition, Waldo Beach provides a basic introductory text on Christian ethics. He has designed a challenging work that grapples with the ethical questions surrounding modern day problems from the perspective of Protestant theology and tradition. His two-part format is especially helpful for study.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780804207935
Publisher:	Westminster John Knox Press
Publication date:	01/01/1989
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x (d)
Lexile:	1400L (what's this?)

About the Author

Waldo Beach was Professor of Christian Ethics in the Duke University Divinity School from 1946-1986.

Table of Contents

Part I	Principles of Christian Ethics	1
1	The Challenge of Secular Culture to Christian Ethics	1
	Three Meanings of Secular	2
	The Secular Gods of American Culture	4
	The Secularization of Christian Churches	7
2	The Field of Christian Ethics	8
	Main Types of Ethical Theory	10
	Roman Catholic and Protestant Ethics	11
	The Locus of Authority	15
	Change of Heart versus Social Change	15
	The Issue of "Christ and Culture"	16
	Protestant Ethics Today	18
	Protestant Ethics and Secular Moral Philosophy	20
3	The Faith-Premises of Christian Ethics	22
	Epistemology	23
	Christian Ontology	24
	Christian Anthropology	25
	Covenant Theology and Human Sin	26
	Christian Soteriology	28
	Christian Eschatology	30
4	Christian Ethical Norms	32
	Response to God as Creator	32
	The Christian Meaning of Love	34
	Love as Self-Regard	36
	Response to God as Judge	37
	Response to Grace	38
5	Christian Love and Social Justice	41
	The Baffling Context of Choices	42
	Double Contextualism	43
Level I	Empirical Facts	45
Level II	Values in Conflict	45
Level III	Christian Justice	47
Part II	Christian Ethics in Practice	53
6	Sexuality, Marriage, and Christian Love	53
	The Changing Family Pattern in American Culture	54
	The Celebration of Sex	56
	Christian Ethical Norms	56
	Christian Love in Sexual Practice	58
	The Problem of Divorce	59
	Homosexuality	61
7	Birthing and Dying	65
	The Empirical Context	65
	Moral Norms: Pros and Cons	67
	Christian Normative Guidelines	68
	New Technologies of Reproduction	71
	Euthanasia	72
	The Fading of the Doctrine of Immortality	73
	The Moral Costs of Life-Sustaining Technologies	74
8	Racial and Gender Relations	77
	The Vicious Circle	78
	The Benevolent Circle	82
	Liberation Theology	83
	The Feminist Movement	84
9	Economic Ethics: Work and Vocation	87
	The Concept of Vocation in History	89
	The Secularization of Vocation	92
	The Recovery of Vocation	95
10	Wasting and Wanting: the Ethics of Consumption	99
	The Energy Crisis	102
	A Christian Ethical Response	103
	Ecojustice in the Global Village	106
	Ecojustice and Energy Resources	108
11	Christian Ethics and Politics	109
	Christian Ethical Premises of Democracy	112
	Democracy as a Dike against Sin	113
	"To Secure These Rights"	114
	Christian Ethics and Legal Justice	117
	Penal Justice	119
12	International Relations and the Nuclear Crisis	123
	Values in Conflict	126
	Normative Christian Response to the Sovereignty of God	127
	Christian Ethical Norms in History	128
	What Shall We Do to Survive?	130
	The Pros and Cons of Deterrence	131
	Christian Witness for Peace	132
	Notes	135
	Further Reading	142
	Index of Names and Subjects	148