Can Ethics Be Christian?

by James M. Gustafson

Is there a special relation between religious beliefs and moral behavior? In particular, is there a distinctive Christian moral character and how is this manifested in moral actions? The influential theologian James M. Gustafson probes these questions and offers an analysis of the distinctively religious reasons of the "heart and mind" which constitute the basis for a Christian ethics.

Professor Gustafson grounds his discussion in a concrete example of moral conduct which deeply impressed him. The incident—narrated in detail at the start and referred to throughout—concerns a nonreligious colleague who came to the aid of an intoxicated soldier. Although seemingly trivial, this incident, in the author's view, approximates the normal sorts of experiences in which individuals have to make moral decisions every day; it becomes a touchstone to investigate the logical, social, and religious elements in moral decision making.

Genres: Theology

203 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Josep Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

When one of your students is Stanley Hauerwas, you are on to something. In this book, Gustafson explores the issue of "Christian ethics" in relation to a particular episode of his life where an atheist friend of his saved a drunk man from the consequences of his drinking. Thinking about morality and divinity, Gustafson claims that although ethics and Christianity are not as intimately related as cheap apologetics make it look, the religious life of a person shapes her "intentions" and "directions", so that the pre-moral inclinations of her moral compass may be directed towards the good. Thus, he rejects the idea that one needs to be religious to be moral or act ethically, and even that being religious makes it easier for one to do moral deeds; rather, being religious redirects our moral thinking and gives it a purpose in the light of Christ. I'm not convinced by his argumentation, but it's a useful read that I needed to finish for an essay.