See file below for a free book excerpt Used with Permission of Wipf and Stock Publishers
Philosophical Foundations of Christian Morality by Brandon Schmidly, Professor of Philosophy at Evangel University.
Brandon Schmidly sets a foundation for Christian Morality by providing the philosophical context for discussions of ethics and morality. By providing this foundation, he aims to prepare readers for analyzing and constructing moral arguments. First, he reviews logical principles important to understanding and forming moral arguments. Second, he discusses philosophical claims relevant to objective versus subjective perspectives on morality. Third, he summarizes leading philosophical theories about what is right and wrong.
Psychological Foundations of Christian Morality by Geoffrey W. Sutton, Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Evangel University.
Geoff Sutton aims to explain two major ways that psychological science can help us think about morality. First, he discusses a multidimensional model of human behavior that helps Christians keep in mind that there are internal and external forces that have the potential to influence behavioral actions we judge as moral or immoral. Clues to understanding why people act in certain ways come from recognizing that a person’s spiritual state interacts with thoughts, feelings, habitual ways of acting, health, and social factors to influence our moral actions.
In the second part of the chapter he summarizes research conducted by moral psychologists who study how people decide that some conduct is right and some is wrong. He presents a six-dimensional model that will help you analyze the kinds of reasons people offer when justifying moral conduct. You will see that different groups of Christians give greater weight to the six moral dimensions of care, fairness, loyalty, respect for authority, purity, and liberty.
Sociological Foundations of Christian Morality by Joel Thiessen, Associate Professor of Sociology at Ambrose University.
In this chapter, Joel Thiessen explores four aspects of the relationship between sociology, Christianity, and morality. First, he provides a background for understanding the sociological perspective. Second, he examines different ways sociology and Christianity inform thinking about morality. Third, he considers how a knowledge of sociology can strengthen a Christian response to social issues. Finally, he shows how to think carefully and critically about sociology, Christianity, and morality by examining power and oppression.
Theological Foundations of Christian Morality by Peter Althouse, Professor of Religion at Southeastern University.
Peter Althouse provides us with a bridge to the application chapters of Part 2 by rooting Christian morality in the dignity of all persons created in the image of God. This God-given dignity is the foundation upon which we affirm that all people have fundamental human rights. Althouse links the notion of Christians as bearers of God’s image to Jesus’ summary of the law, which mandates love for our neighbors linked to love for God. Christian morality, then, does not just focus on personal conduct but it also requires an active engagement with others in the pursuit of justice for all. Thus grounded in God-given human rights and dignity, Althouse offers us a look at how moral theology will help us discern the application of Christian morality to unjust incarceration practices.
Using Philosophy to Think about Abortion by Brandon Schmidly
Brandon Schmidly engages the abortion conversation by providing clarity on the relevant concepts when considering the moral issues of abortion. He discusses the nature of personhood and evaluates arguments for when the rights of persons begin. He then presents and evaluates arguments based on the rights of the mother, potentiality, and our responsibilities to help those in need.
Sexual Minorities, Same-Sex Marriage, and Christian Morality by Geoffrey W. Sutton
Geoff Sutton helps the reader think through the issues of sexual identity and same-sex relationships. He explains the ways that people talk about sexuality. He then applies the SCOPES model, outlined in chapter 3, to clarify moral issues related specifically to sexual identity and same-sex relationships. He also explains how different Christians view these issues. Sutton then considers several biblical passages relevant to the topic, and he closes with suggestions for Christians making moral judgments on related issues, such as same-sex marriage.
A Woman’s Place: Perspectives on Gender Equality by Ruth Burgess
Ruth Burgess makes the case that gender inequality is a human rights problem on a global scale. She highlights specific areas of inequality and how they affect women. She then argues that Christians should be advocates who engage in efforts to bring about gender equality in the specific social contexts of religion, politics, and socioeconomic venues.
Tensions and Challenges: Christian Morality and Sex Education by April Montoya and Shonna Crawford
April Montoya and Shonna Crawford make a case for how Christians in the field of education should approach the topic of sex education. They highlight the need for sex education in schools, and they highlight some of the moral concerns related to teaching sex education. They then explain two historical approaches that have been used in the field of education, noting the benefits and challenges of each. Then they propose a way forward that involves the six essential components of values, relationships, media literacy, abstinence, risks, and contraceptives. They argue that a method that involves these components is something that Christian educators can support.
Morality in Local and Global Perspectives by Paul W. Lewis
Paul Lewis, former foreign missionary, presents the moral challenges that arise in cross-cultural contexts. He engages the reader with clear examples of how cultural differences can be the cause of specific challenges in behavior and in understanding what it means to be a Christian. He presents three prominent cultural perspectives on religious experiences and biblical interpretation. Lewis then makes a case for the need of Christians to be cross-culturally, transculturally, and counter-culturally aware.
Read a free excerpt available from Pickwick.