I was recently asked what my top five books on Christian ethics would be ... well, without parameters I thought I'd give five that span the spectrum.
A good anabaptist approach, written for an upper level college student, graduate student or seminary student, is Stanley Hauerwas, The Peaceable Kingdom: A Primer in Christian Ethics
.My favorite anabaptist study of ethics, focusing on the non-violent message and vision of Jesus, is John Howard Yoder, The Politics of Jesus
.David Gill, a former colleague at North Park, has a two-volume set that is evangelical and introductory -- a good college level textbook and I like to the first one: Becoming Good: Building Moral Character
.A nice more mainline approach to ethics is Phillip Wogaman, Christian Ethics: A Historical Introduction
.And to add some perspective to how we Christians do morals, reading a Jewish perspective is very helpful. So I recommend Eugene Borowitz, F.W. Schwartz, The Jewish Moral Virtues
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I thought Richard Hays' The Moral Vision of the New Testament was a masterful work.
Any thoughts on Richard A. Burridge's Imitating Jesus: An Inclusive Approach to New Testament Ethics? I haven't spent much time in it yet, but I appreciate his approach.
Doug,
I have every intention of reading Burridge's book last Spring and didn't get to it ... but I hope to this Spring before our return to South Africa.
Hays.
Hays.
HAYS!
qb
Speaking of ethics...check out this article by Robb Thompson:
HONESTY - THE FOUNDATION OF CHARACTER
Never Present On The Outside What You Do Not Live On The Inside
Webster's defines honesty as honorable in principles, intentions and actions; sincere; frank; truthful. Honesty is the willingness to reveal your true motives. Honesty is similar to transparency, meaning full disclosure.
Honesty is a responsibility to yourself and to others. The foundation of your character cannot withstand the cracks of dishonesty. Every time you allow yourself to be dishonest, you weaken the strength of your character. Every crack reduces the strength of your foundation. Although a crack may be small today, it will eventually split the entire foundation.
Honesty does not change at home, work, or elsewhere. It is always the same. It is a way of thinking. People of honesty can hardly even imagine telling a lie. It's just not in them. They have aligned themselves to the True God, and His life in them drives them to tell the truth. These people have a hard time believing that other people lie regularly, but they do!
Perceived Payoff:
Everyone does what they do because there is a perceived pay off. I use the word "perceived" because it is not necessarily true. An individual who is lazy has a perceived payoff. An individual who smokes perceives that the pleasure is worth the pain. Likewise, a dishonest individual lies or withholds truth because of the perceived payoff. In every case the payoff is immediate, but the negative costs are delayed. With a little foresight and wisdom, honesty becomes a much sweeter choice during trying times.
Truth always comes to the surface, if not in this lifetime, then in the next. And even if the truth never surfaces, the conscience is a constant, painful reminder. The murderer whose crime is never discovered may have gotten away from the law, but his memory torments him.
Half Truth - Full Lie:
People often lie to make themselves look better. Isn't it interesting, though, that anyone we know who lies has a horrible reputation? Now, society doesn't call this lying-it's just stretching truth. It's deceiving people without actually saying anything untrue. Nevertheless, honesty leaves no possibility for deception. Do you stretch the truth or hide revealing facts?
Although honesty may cost you in the beginning, you'll experience the rewards in the end. The Scriptures tell us that the integrity of the righteous will deliver them. When you chose to become a person of honesty, you can rest assured that God will deliver you from unjust situations.
Action Steps:
1. Examine your own way of living. Where could you possible live with greater honesty?
2. If there have been any recent situations where you stretched the truth, go back to the people you misled, and set things right.
3. This coming week, take note of every time you "stretch the truth."
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