Social Ethics in the Making: Interpreting an American Tradition

by Gary J. Dorrien

In the early 1880s, proponents of what came to be called “the social gospel” founded what is now known as social ethics. This ambitious and magisterial book describes the tradition of social one that began with the distinctly modern idea that Christianity has a social-ethical mission to transform the structures of society in the direction of social justice.

Genres: History, Theology

752 pages, Hardcover

First published December 9, 2008

About the author

Gary John Dorrien is an American social ethicist and theologian. He is the Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and Professor of Religion at Columbia University, both in New York City, and the author of 18 books on ethics, social theory, philosophy, theology, politics, and intellectual history.

Prior to joining the faculty at Union and Columbia in 2005, Dorrien taught at Kalamazoo College in Michigan, where he served as Parfet Distinguished Professor and as Dean of Stetson Chapel.

An Episcopal priest, he has taught as the Paul E. Raither Distinguished Scholar at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut and as Horace De Y. Lentz Visiting Professor at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Stacy Deyerle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book suffers under it's own weight. The strength of its comprehensive nature is also its greatest weakness. Weighing in at nearly 700 hundred large, full pages, the book is heavy on detail, to the point that I often felt like some of the major points were obscured by extraneous information on the figures. Sections address both biography and ethics of different figures in great detail.

[Charles H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and useful biographical treatment of figures and the ideas. The narrative seems threaded together by biography. Also the biases of Dorrien's own ideological positions regarding the "social gospel" and Christian socialism at times reveal an uncritical or exaggerated (in praise or negative assessment) of what he considers important.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

More inclusive a critical overview of the history and thought of American Social Ethics than I could have imagined possible. It was a joy to read and I feel considerably more conversant, Dorrien could hardly be more impressive. Despite its length, I stayed easily engaged the entire book. One of my favorite titles. Though its only been a few days...I'd actually like to re-read it.

[Jerome · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has broadened my understanding of how people see religious or non-religious values operate in the marketplace of ideas and in practical ways.