Christian Ethics: A Very Short Introduction

Oxford Very Short Introductions

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, inquisitions, and the Galileo affair. Placing them in the context of the theory and practice of ethics and their historical perspective, 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.