Introduction to Christian Ethics: Conflict, Faith, and Human Life

by Ellen Ott Marshall

All Christians read the Bible differently, pray differently, value their traditions differently, and give different weight to individual and corporate judgment. These differences are the basis of conflict. The question Christian ethics must answer, then, is, "What does the good life look like in the context of conflict?" In this new introductory text, Ellen Ott Marshall uses the inevitable reality of difference to center and organize her exploration of the system of Christian morality.

214 pages, Paperback

Published October 30, 2018

Reviews

[Luke Lackey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never read an entire textbook of Christian Ethics, especially concerning Feminist ethics. But, I let my mind wander, and allowed myself to open my views to these thoughts. I believe that they have some solid biblical ground.

Too often, we let our reconciliation just be between God and humanity, and we don’t account for the fact that we are called to reconcile each other to one another as well. As we are reconciled, so we must reconcile each other.

The question comes, how must we be reconciled? Well, I honestly still don’t know after this book. However, I do know, that action and discussion is much better than ignorance. It is obvious there is conflict whether we approach it or not.

Particularly, the book is concerned about social justice, the wealth gap and racial injustice present in the United States.

I want to be open to asking difficult questions. I want to learn from others. I want to grow in my perspective more and more.

I believe recently I’ve become tight-lipped in asking people challenging questions. I want to re-open those lips to those I trust. I want to understand. I want to love. I want to do more than sit idly by.

Can we really make a difference in this world that can fundamentally change the fabric of our society? What if we tried? Is it possible to be the one to be different?

God, give us discernment for what to do and how to do it!

[Nathan Suire · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book on Christian Ethics is written from a liberal, feminist, methodist, liberationist, anti-capitalist perspective. Readers, like myself, who do not share these same convictions will find little to no benefit from this work. My biggest problem with this book is its weak theology which barely makes it a work of “Christian” ethics. For example, her major point that conflict is not a result of the fall and human sinfulness is deeply problematic and goes against the grain not only of Scripture but also virtually all of the Christian tradition (including her own Methodist tradition). The fatal flaw in her “Christian Ethics” is her de-christological view of conflict that make no use of “Atonement” or how God is overcoming conflict in Christ. This book is weighed down by prolegomena and “method” and contains a very “thin” account of actual theology. This is also shown by the theologians she cites as authorities (Niebuhr and Troeltsch). This book is the epitome of everything wrong with all liberal theology that uses “experience” as a authority. The result is identity politics disguised a “theology”.

[Luke Hillier · Rating 3 out of 5]

"We are connected to other people and to the whole of creation through a common root system. Our roots run down into the eternal life of God. That connectedness to God makes creativity in the midst of destruction possible. It makes relationship in the midst of division possible. It makes faithfulness in the midst of fear possible. The challenge is to live out that story or connectedness in contexts that defy it, ridicule it, trivialize it, and trash it. In those very contexts, we must create the space for God to dwell among us, to be manifest in our actions, words, and ways of being together."

I wish Marshall hadn't reserved her creative flourish for the final chapter, because if the whole book included passages like the one above I would've enjoyed it a lot more! As it stands, it reads as a pretty run-of-the-mill introductory academic text on Christian ethics, which is to say it was informative and good but often dry and, most of all, frustratingly repetitive. There were ways to stay anchored in the driving question of how to live a good life amidst conflict without writing it out verbatim sixty times a chapter. The chapters on deontological ethics (e.g. the imago Dei as a universal rule that sets the parameters for engagement), teleological ethics (e.g. interrogating the telos of reconciliation and whether or not it can be independent from justice) were the strongest, and the ones on virtue and responsibility/care ethics would have benefited from a similar format that centered around a key example. Her commitment to holding oneself accountable to victims and her simultaneous appreciation for the generative potential (and simple inevitability) of conflict made for interesting throughlines as well.

[Madilyn Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought Marshall did an excellent job of drawing on different scholarly sources, offering some Biblical interpretation, and exemplifying implementing different ethical methods. She also excelled at critiquing the methods and discussing the context in which they might be most applicable. Marshall balanced effective arguments with sufficient nuance which is difficult to achieve. At times, I thought she spent too much of the book summarizing and recapping arguments from previous chapters. My final critique is that this is presented as a deeply theological work but I found it to be much more secular in nature with limited reliance upon Scripture and Christian tradition, excluding a very well written chapter on the Imago dei.

[Arianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I have little to say about books I read for classes oftentimes- this was a solid introduction to christian ethics, but really is more of a graduate read. As an undergraduate student this was more than I was used to, thought the text is not so difficult that it is impossible to get through. I appreciated the examples and focus on context in this book, and I thought the arguments and historical background of foundational christian ethics was well argued.

[Marisa Tabizon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great and practical look at the practice and application of ethics. I really appreciated the way the author lifted up different theologians and ethicists and brought them into to dialogue with one another. I struggled some with her writing style, but in general I thought this was an outstanding read.

[Alfred · Rating 5 out of 5]

"To be Human is to be in conflict," Marshall asserts early on in this book, and she makes a strong case for Christian Ethics as imago Dei, the image of God, reminds us of who our creator is and how we are created. An outstanding read!

[Rob O'Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was reviewing this book for a potential textbook. While I found her perspective helpful, I ultimately decided that it was not conducive to my course goals.