Only Human: Christian Reflections on the Journey Toward Wholeness

by David P. Gushee, Stanley Hauerwas (Foreword by)

Other than the question of God, the question of human nature—who we are, why we are here, whey we behave as we do—is the most fundamental and perplexing of all. We are mystified at both the kindness and the horrors of human behavior and wonder where God is in both. In Only Human , David Gushee—ethicist, pastor, and award-winning Christian writer¾ uses a classic Christian framework to addresses questions about what it means to be a human being, our makeup and nature, what is right and what is wrong with us, and our origins and destiny. Drawing from contemporary and ancient discussions of human nature, Gushee offers a substantive and accessible exploration of eight essential ·        Is there such a thing as human nature, something all humans share? ·        How do we understand what we are made of? ·        Why do relationships matter so much to us? ·        Is it true that human beings are intrinsically sinful? ·        Are human beings truly free to chart their own paths and make meaningful choices? ·        How do human beings become morally good people or morally evil? ·        What does a morally great life look like? ·        What should we hope for as our ultimate goal for life’s journey?  

242 pages, Paperback

First published September 5, 2005

About the author

Rev. Prof. Dr. David P. Gushee is Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics at Mercer University, Chair of Christian Social Ethics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Senior Research Fellow, International Baptist Theological Study Centre. He is also the elected past-president of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Christian Ethics. Dr. Gushee is the author, co-author, or editor of 28 books, including the bestsellers Kingdom Ethics and Changing Our Mind. His other most notable works are After Evangelicalism, Righteous Gentiles of the Holocaust, Introducing Christian Ethics, and The Sacredness of Human Life. He is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading Christian moral thinkers. Gushee and his wife, Jeanie, live in Atlanta, Georgia.