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.
