Product Description

One of Christianity Today's 2003 Books of the Year! In this masterful and innovative book Glen H. Stassen and David P. Gushee join profound ethical reflection with faith in Jesus Christ, a life of discipleship and the hope of the present and coming kingdom of God. The result is a challenging, comprehensive treatment of Christian ethics centered on the life and teachings of Jesus. Drawing on detailed studies of the Sermon on the Mount, Stassen and Gushee shed light on the whole of biblical ethical teaching as it relates to a wide range of issues, including peacemaking, just war, nonviolence, sexuality and gender roles, marriage and divorce, race, economics, care of creation, prayer and politics. Their work yields neither an impossible idealism, nor an abstract ethical system, nor a generic religious legalism. Rather Stassen and Gushee set forth a holistic ethic that motivates us and provides us with a practical basis for living under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Features & Benefits

* Comprehensive text on Christian ethics

* Non-technical

* Unique approach biblically grounded on the teachings of Jesus

* Covers current issues such as peace, just war, life at its beginnings and endings, biotechnology, sexuality and gender roles, marriage and divorce, love, justice, race, economics, prayer and politics

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #42839 in Books
• Published on: 2003-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 496 pages

From the Author
IVP: Kingdom Ethics has been quite a collaborative project for you. How did you two happen to connect around this project?

David Gushee: Glen had the original idea while we both were teaching in our short stint together at Southern Seminary, from 1993 to 1996. As I recall, he had already written up a proposal and presented it to IVP before asking me to join him as coauthor in late 1995. Over the ensuing six years of research, writing, conversation, editing and reediting, the book developed into an extraordinarily rich collaborative piece that extended far beyond what I, at least, ever imagined it could become.

Glen Stassen: Well, I was so impressed with Dave's outstanding book Righteous Gentiles of the Holocaust and so pleased with our collaboration in an article for Sojourners, "Disciples of the Incarnation," that when Dave expressed interest I jumped at the chance. Glad I did!

About the Author
Stassen is Lewis B. Smedes Professor of Christian Ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.

Gushee is Graves Professor of Moral Philosophy at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee.

Customer Reviews

Pragmatic advice for a troubled world
I am a practicing Christian and I was introduced to this book as part of a Sunday School class a few years ago, and it is the ONLY Sunday School reference that I have ever gone back to consistently. Having said that, I primarily refer to the sections addressing contemporary issues (there is a chapter on abortion, just war theory, euthanasia, environmentalism, etc. -- it runs the gamut of important, politically charged topics). While I don't agree with their conclusions in every case, I believe the authors have done an OUTSTANDING job of aproaching each of the topics from multiple perspectives, complete with both Biblical and secular evidence supporting their case. As an example, I would offer up their point on abortion. The bottom line is that the authors feel that FAR MORE emphasis should be placed on preventing the causes of unwanted pregnancies (WWJD), as opposed to investing so much (wasted) energy participating in (what I believe to be) very un-Christianlike and counter-productive attacks against the pro-abortion crowd. I wish every policy-maker read, and seriously contemplated the points that these authors have attempted to make in this book. The only warning I would make is that this is really a scholarly (i.e. seminary) text. That is why the first 1/3 of it is a little tough to get through at times. But even if you bought it for the policy-related issues, it is money very well spent.

Unbelievable, simply unbelievable
Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down. This book is incredible. Words can't describe the greatness of this work of art. Gushee and Stassen really come together on this one. Please, go out now and buy it.

Kingdom Ethics
I was highly anticipating this book but when I received it I became disappointed. Based on reviews and recommendations, I was hoping to find an exposition of Christ's teachings, i.e. the Sermon on the Mount, with the Older Testament scriptures as a back drop and context for His words. Unfortunately, what I found was an antithesis rather than continuity between Christ and the New Testament Scriptures over against the Older Testament Scriptures. One example of this is where the authors are [basically] saying that Christ and the New Testament abolished the penalty for capital crimes, i.e., the death penalty for murder. The book states that Genesis 9:6 is more than likely a proverb. They state that the New Testament only refers to the death penalty in a negative way, i.e., its abuse and misuse and therefore has been abolished. Since when did man's abuse of any portion of God's law make that portion of the law null and void? It is my understanding that only God has the authority to make void any portion of His law. I don't understand how the authors reasoned from scripture to come up with such a conclusion and I would disagree strongly with it. I admit I did not read the entire book but after sampling just a small portion and finding what I consider a poor hermeneutic and exegesis on such an important ethical issue that is clearly taught in the scripture to be continual and binding on all people and nations, I lost confidence and interest and sent it back for a refund from the seller. It is too bad so many writers, readers, etc. pit the first 39 books of the Bible against the last 27 resulting in neo-nomianism (at best) to anti-nomianism (at worst). I would recommend Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.'s book: God's Law in the Modern World. It honors God's law and teaches God's law is for modern man and continually binding unless otherwise clearly nullfied by God himself through additional revelation. After all, it is His Law and Word and is not to be added to or taken away.