Den svåra konsten att fatta rätt beslut i en komplicerad värld

by Lewis B. Smedes, Bengt Rasmusson (Translator)

Alla gör vi val som påverkar våra egna och andra människors liv. Men hur vet vi vad som är rätt och fel? Är moral helt och hållet en fråga om slumpen eller om arv och miljö? Handlar frågan om rätt och fel ytterst sett om tycke och smak - att var och en är sin egen måttstock?
I den här boken bjuder Lewis B Smedes till ett samtal om hur man tar ställning i frågor om rätt och orätt och hur man utvärderar sina val. Boken handlar om hur man själv bedömer, på ett förnuftigt och ansvarsfullt sätt, de moraliska val man gör. Det är viktigt att ifrågasätta konventionell vishet och populära föreställningar, menar författaren som kryddar sin framställning med många konkreta exempel.

Genres: Religion, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Self Help, Christian

139 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1986

About the author

Lewis Benedictus Smedes (1921 — December 19, 2002) was a renowned Christian author, ethicist, and theologian in the Reformed tradition. He was a professor of theology and ethics for twenty-five years at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. His 15 books, including the popular Forgive and Forget, covered some important issues including sexuality and forgiveness.

Lewis Benedictus Smedes was born in 1921, the youngest of five children. His father, Melle Smedes, and mother, Rena (Benedictus), emigrated to the United States from Oostermeer, Friesland in the Netherlands. (Rena's name before being changed by the officials at Ellis Island was Renske.) When he was two-months-old, his father died in the partially completed house he built in Muskegon, Michigan. He married Doris Dekker. He died after falling from a ladder at his home in Sierra Madre, California on December 19, 2002. He was survived by his wife, three children, two grandchildren and one brother.

In addition to many articles, Smedes wrote many popular books including:

* Forgive & Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve, Harper, 1984
* A Pretty Good Person What it Takes to Live with Courage, Gratitude, & Integrity or When Pretty Good Is as Good as You Can Be, Harper, 1990
* Standing on the Promises
* Choices: Making Right Decisions in a Complex World
* How Can It Be All Right When Everything Is All Wrong?
* Caring & Commitment: Learning to Live the Love We Promise
* The Incarnation in Modern Anglo-Catholic Theology
* All Things Made New
* Love Within Limits
* Sex for Christians
* Mere Morality: What God Expects From Ordinary People
* A Life of Distinction
* The Art of Forgiving
* Shame and Grace: Healing the Shame We Don't Deserve
* Keeping Hope Alive
* My God and I, a Spiritual Memoir, Eerdmans, 2003

Reviews

[Jan Pliler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A profoundly good little paperback purchased off a used book cart in the library for 50 cents. Amazing what little treasures can stumble into our lives for next to nothing in cost.

[Donner Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find Smedes' approach to ethical decision-making extremely helpful, especially for people who do not settle for hand-me-down rules and simplistic solutions. While I do not agree with all that Smedes concludes in all of his ethical musings, I find myself constantly challenged by what he writes, to think critically about life's issues, which are often complex, and full of tensions, paradoxes and uncertainties. Every chapter gives an insightful, real-life and highly readable account of the principles(outlined in the Table of Contents) he commends to us in ethical decision-making. I find that his emphasis on developing the character rather than having the 'right answers' exactly right and his conclusion that 'getting it right is not the most important thing, being forgiven is'(rough paraphrase) tugs at the heart of all who yearn and desire to live right and yet find ourselves falling repeatedly into the hands of grace and hence energized by it.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give it 10 stars I would. This book is full of wisdom.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little book. I should read it every year to reinforce the basis of choices.

[Judy]

"The world is filled with a fantastic, bewildering number of good things likes cows and children, stars and sonnets, families and freedom, birds and books....All sorts of things." p. 71

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked the self knowledge it gave to me.