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Reviving Evangelical Ethics: The Promises and Pitfalls of Classic Models of Morality
Classic theories of Aristotle, Kant, and Mill have influenced Christian thought in morality and ethics for centuries. But they can go only so far, Wyndy Corbin Reuschling writes in Reviving Evangelical Ethics . While the philosophers' approach to three key elements--virtue, duty, and utility--have been used widely in forming ethical and moral practices, Corbin Reuschling sees spiritual danger in their limitations. She probes deeply to deconstruct each philosophy, then reconstructs a broader, biblically based framework for personal and group ethics. This introductory text provides helpful biblical and theological reflection for students of Christian ethics.
188 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2008
About the author
Wyndy Corbin Reuschling
13 books4 followersWyndy Corbin Reuschling (PhD, Drew University) is professor of ethics and theology at Ashland Theological Seminary. She is the author of Reviving Evangelical Ethics: The Promises and Pitfalls of Classic Models of Morality and has written for publications such as The Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics and Ashland Theological Journal.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 27, 2014
A book I wish everyone I know would read...
May 22, 2018
Overall, I found this book to be circular and frustrating. The author sets out to show that there is a need to deconstruct and reconstruct evangelical ethics.
She does so by attempting to interpret potential problems with evangelical ethics through Kant, Mills, and Aristotle.
Her exploration of each view is very helpful. However, her primary argument is bit of a prideful one as she suggests that evangelical ethics need to be revived because... reasons.
While looking at potential problems based on different classic philosophical views is interesting, doing so does not back her claim that evangelical ethics need to be revived or provide a suitable methodology for either deconstructing or reconstructing evangelical ethics.
Admittedly, I was also somewhat agitated by the author's insistence that she is not an expert in philosophy and just wanted to use philosophy in her theological pursuits--in my mind theology is a subset of philosophy; the two go hand-in-hand. I also found the author's focus on her personal background unnecessary as it does not further her philosophical/theological arguments or underlying premise.
All in all, while not a particularly good book, this also was not a terrible read either. I did ultimately find it to be a waste of my time. However, that is not to say that it does not have redeeming qualities.
She does so by attempting to interpret potential problems with evangelical ethics through Kant, Mills, and Aristotle.
Her exploration of each view is very helpful. However, her primary argument is bit of a prideful one as she suggests that evangelical ethics need to be revived because... reasons.
While looking at potential problems based on different classic philosophical views is interesting, doing so does not back her claim that evangelical ethics need to be revived or provide a suitable methodology for either deconstructing or reconstructing evangelical ethics.
Admittedly, I was also somewhat agitated by the author's insistence that she is not an expert in philosophy and just wanted to use philosophy in her theological pursuits--in my mind theology is a subset of philosophy; the two go hand-in-hand. I also found the author's focus on her personal background unnecessary as it does not further her philosophical/theological arguments or underlying premise.
All in all, while not a particularly good book, this also was not a terrible read either. I did ultimately find it to be a waste of my time. However, that is not to say that it does not have redeeming qualities.
August 4, 2018
It gives the information that it states it will. Albeit, in a very dry form. It proposes that Christians are appealing to Scripture. Yet it does not rely on Scripture and quotes more of the classics such as Aristotle, Kant and especially John Stuart Mill. First, the application is made to how these models of ethics have been used in Christianity and why they failed. I was not impressed with the writing or the research.
December 29, 2023
I read this book for a class. I really like Reuschling’s writing and thoughtfulness. Her task of addressing evangelicalism is far too broad and therefore her critique seemed not as pointed as it could have been.
January 1, 2011
Three ethical systems are examined, and then a holistic approach to Christian ethics--combining all of them--is advocated. A challenging book to read.
April 22, 2012
A really, really tough read but well worth the effort.
April 26, 2017
Following is a detailed review/summary of the book with my conclusions at the end (where else?).
General Introduction
Reviving Evangelical Ethics is a book for evangelical pastors, laymen, and teachers. The author seeks to define Christian ethics and to “…address the misconceptions on the topic of ethics in general and Christian ethics in particular (9-10). She intends to demonstrate that the Bible and the Christian’s commitment to God should result in proper moral and ethical practices. In addition, she pays attention to divisive sociopolitical issues of the current time in order to aid in application of the issues described in the text (10).
In particular, Reuschling aims to explore the formation of evangelical ethics by examining three traditional ethical systems: deontology, teleology, and virtue ethics. Deontology is the study of duty ethics based upon obligation as proposed by Immanuel Kant. Teleology is understood to be the consideration of the consequences of actions and decisions with the goal of achieving the greatest good or a minimum of harm as proposed by John Stuart Mill. Virtue ethics refers to the character of the individual as “…shaped and reflected in habits, dispositions, behavior, and decisions” as proposed by Aristotle (10). She refers to the works of these ethicists as “classic” in the sense that the theories represented by these thinkers have been widely assimilated into philosophy, ethics, and the social sciences, thereby having great impact in the field of ethics, both Christian and non-Christian (11).
Reuschling provides a comparison and contrast of each style of classic ethics amongst the theories themselves as well as contemporary evangelical views. For purposes of the book, she considers evangelical to mean a position in which the authority of scripture is acknowledged, a recognition of the unique salvific work of Jesus Christ, a conversion experience in response to Christ’s claims, and a commitment to “evangelizing mission and ministry in the world” (15).
Front Matter: Acknowledgments and Book Introduction
As might be expected, the acknowledgments section describes a brief description of the writing of the book, where much of the text was composed, and people who were especially helpful in the process of creating the book (7-8).
The introduction provides the information in the General Introduction above, and it is not necessary to repeat that information here. A secondary reason the author addresses evangelicalism in the tome is to explore what really informs evangelical morals and ethics by comparing theological commitments in relation to “sociohistoric location” as this issue shapes the convictions of the group in question (16). In particular, she recognizes a deep evangelical commitment in America, a country that has offered fertile soil for such ideologies and has resulted in a society shaped by such commitments. This idea of “Christian America” is based upon the belief the country was formed upon Christian principles and the freedom of religion has resulted in many different interpretations of the biblical record that inform contemporary praxis as well as a focus upon getting people saved via a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (16-22).
Reuschling is arguing for Christian morality based upon evangelistic claims as well as incorporating a feminist perspective. Evangelicalism is the proper method of dealing with scripture, though she is troubled by the American tendency to harness evangelical ideals with political and/or social ideologies. She is concerned with the importance of women, gender ideology in the patriarchal tendencies of the establishment, and the tendency for the American evangelical system to ignore the communal aspects of the church in preference for the personal relationship of the Christian with the Saviour. Her goal is to strengthen the moral standards of evangelicalism in order to create an embodiment of the morality as evidenced in the scripturally mandated gospel (27-28).
Chapter 1: Classic Models of Morality
This chapter deals with the concepts of deontology, teleology, and virtue ethics. Deontology is the study of duty with a focus upon the prescriptive of what a person ought to do (29). Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), the Prussian ethicist, is representative of this view. Hailing from a pietistic background, Kant seeks to provide a rationale for the practical aspects of morality although he does not support that religion in itself serves as the source of morality. He also denies that Enlightenment humanism prevalent at the time can result in practical morality. Instead, he argues that pure reason or human will is essential to morality and will result in such reason as the guiding moral force of the individual. Such virtuous acts are good in themselves and, therefore, should be performed for the sake of the action itself; this sense of duty is accessible to all rational people and should be universal (31-35). Reuschling critiques Kant’s philosophy as appealing to evangelicals in regard to its universality, what she refers to as a “Golden Rule feel,” the simplistic ethical understanding, and the pro-humanism view of humanity as an essentially rational entity, and a simple view of the Bible as a repository of rules to be obeyed by all (40-41).
Teleology as proposed by John Stuart Mills (1806-1874) involves the principle of utility which seeks to accomplish the greatest individual and collective good. Choices are made by the individual not out of a sense of duty but in relation to the perceived consequences of the choice. An inductive theory, utilitarianism maintains that the individual seeks to increase pleasure and reduce or avoid pain. It is this desire that controls an individual’s choices (41-44). The author concludes that the teleological approach is appealing to evangelicalism in that they share similar views as to the personal rights of individuals, the idea of a community as a collection of individuals with individual goals, the personal application of rules, and in their shared pragmatic focus (49-50).
Virtue ethics as proposed by Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) relied upon the idea that education served to inform moral character, particularly in the political (community) sphere. Intellect is the source of virtues, and the goal of life is to accomplish the ultimate good via the presence and cultivation of these virtues via habits, choices, and friendships (51-55). Reuschling proposes that Aristotle’s form of ethics is appealing to evangelicals in that they both emphasize the importance of community, a lightly defined concept of happiness, and personal morality (61-62).
Chapter 2: Trust and Obey?
In this chapter, the author cautions against limiting Christian ethics to a collection of biblical rules to be obeyed uncritically in the manner extrapolated from Kant’s deontology. Instead, she proposes that biblical morality should be manifested in the life and actions of the individual and church community. The Bible is the authoritative source of Christian ethics, and hermeneutic sensitivity to handle scripture appropriately is prerequisite to legitimate interpretation (64-65; 70). Obedience to scripture should not be the goal in itself, but rather a practice that recognizes and relies upon the essence of a Christian lifestyle focusing not upon just the praxis but also upon the reason why the rule is extant (81).
Chapter 3: We’ve a Story to Tell
Reuschling evaluates the utilitarian view of getting the most people saved as the greatest good, reaching the conclusion that the biblical narrative proposes an alternative view, namely that discipleship and Christian morality as praxis is the higher goal. This observable lifestyle leads people to Christ. Christian community serves as a bulwark against the rampant pragmatic individualism that is common in evangelicalism in general and especially in its American forms (84-85; 99; 101).
Chapter 4: Sweet Hour of Prayer
In this chapter, the author negatively critiques Aritstotle’s virtue ethics as unwieldy in modern society and fundamentally flawed in that they are not based on the eternal Word of God. Christian virtue is derived from the biblical narrative and demonstrated and increased during the individual’s life as he seeks to align his lifestyle with biblical principles. Spiritual values are moral values, and these are increased and predominantly lived out in Christian community. These communities should have a concern about social justice and equality because God is concerned about such things, and we, as his earthly representatives, promote them (115-142).
Chapter 5: Reviving Evangelical Ethics
Developing conscience and the relationship between conscience and practical wisdom are the foci of this chapter. “Moral development,” Reuschling claims, “requires the formation and use of conscience” (145). Conscience can be construed as standing for what one believes is right even in the face of popular societal opinion. It is an “…active integration and use of our abilities to assess moral issues…that reflect the heart of God’s justice…to act according to our moral conviction” (146; 149). Practical wisdom is applied wisdom wherein the individual plays out his moral conviction in the tableau of life (161).
Book Conclusion
Reuschling acknowledges that Christian morality is based upon the individual’s concept of self, the narratives to which he turns to determine “moral orientation,” and how morality is displayed in praxis. Such morality should be the natural result of living the Christian life, manifesting in preaching, Christian gathering, and Christian service (169-170). She promotes a feminist reassessment of gender roles, the use of small groups to serve as the community in which Christians learn and grow, and small groups as the loci of service (172-182).
Back Matter
The book ends with a general index.
My Conclusion
Overall, I found this book to be beneficial. It serves as a nice introduction to Kant’s deontology, John Stuart Mill’s utilitarianism (teleology), and Aristotle’s virtue ethics and how they compare and contrast to biblical ethics. I agree with Reuschling’s view that the Bible rather than society, even the subcategory of the evangelical community or even more narrowly defined American evangelicals, possesses authority and serves as the standard against which all Christian ethics are to be measured. Furthermore, I appreciate her argument that the primary goal of the Christian life is discipleship and the Christian community rather than simply getting saved.
Negatively, I feel that the author’s feminist agenda has no place in the text. She shoe-horns this concept into the last chapter of the book, leaving the reader with this as part of the proffered conclusion. I disagree with feminism in general and herein as being too narrow in focus for the broad categories of the text. Reuschling also incorrectly views the Roman Catholic religion as a "branch" of Christianity, which is demonstrably not so. I also think the book would have benefitted from having a scripture index in addition to the general one provided.
I recommend this book to those wanting an introductory level comparison and contrast of the ideologies of deontology, utilitarianism/teleology, and virtue ethics and/or those interested in a general treatment of the communal church and arguments for discipleship as the primary thrust (rather than mere salvation as the goal) of the religion. I think the book is too narrow in focus to serve as a general introduction to biblical ethics.
General Introduction
Reviving Evangelical Ethics is a book for evangelical pastors, laymen, and teachers. The author seeks to define Christian ethics and to “…address the misconceptions on the topic of ethics in general and Christian ethics in particular (9-10). She intends to demonstrate that the Bible and the Christian’s commitment to God should result in proper moral and ethical practices. In addition, she pays attention to divisive sociopolitical issues of the current time in order to aid in application of the issues described in the text (10).
In particular, Reuschling aims to explore the formation of evangelical ethics by examining three traditional ethical systems: deontology, teleology, and virtue ethics. Deontology is the study of duty ethics based upon obligation as proposed by Immanuel Kant. Teleology is understood to be the consideration of the consequences of actions and decisions with the goal of achieving the greatest good or a minimum of harm as proposed by John Stuart Mill. Virtue ethics refers to the character of the individual as “…shaped and reflected in habits, dispositions, behavior, and decisions” as proposed by Aristotle (10). She refers to the works of these ethicists as “classic” in the sense that the theories represented by these thinkers have been widely assimilated into philosophy, ethics, and the social sciences, thereby having great impact in the field of ethics, both Christian and non-Christian (11).
Reuschling provides a comparison and contrast of each style of classic ethics amongst the theories themselves as well as contemporary evangelical views. For purposes of the book, she considers evangelical to mean a position in which the authority of scripture is acknowledged, a recognition of the unique salvific work of Jesus Christ, a conversion experience in response to Christ’s claims, and a commitment to “evangelizing mission and ministry in the world” (15).
Front Matter: Acknowledgments and Book Introduction
As might be expected, the acknowledgments section describes a brief description of the writing of the book, where much of the text was composed, and people who were especially helpful in the process of creating the book (7-8).
The introduction provides the information in the General Introduction above, and it is not necessary to repeat that information here. A secondary reason the author addresses evangelicalism in the tome is to explore what really informs evangelical morals and ethics by comparing theological commitments in relation to “sociohistoric location” as this issue shapes the convictions of the group in question (16). In particular, she recognizes a deep evangelical commitment in America, a country that has offered fertile soil for such ideologies and has resulted in a society shaped by such commitments. This idea of “Christian America” is based upon the belief the country was formed upon Christian principles and the freedom of religion has resulted in many different interpretations of the biblical record that inform contemporary praxis as well as a focus upon getting people saved via a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (16-22).
Reuschling is arguing for Christian morality based upon evangelistic claims as well as incorporating a feminist perspective. Evangelicalism is the proper method of dealing with scripture, though she is troubled by the American tendency to harness evangelical ideals with political and/or social ideologies. She is concerned with the importance of women, gender ideology in the patriarchal tendencies of the establishment, and the tendency for the American evangelical system to ignore the communal aspects of the church in preference for the personal relationship of the Christian with the Saviour. Her goal is to strengthen the moral standards of evangelicalism in order to create an embodiment of the morality as evidenced in the scripturally mandated gospel (27-28).
Chapter 1: Classic Models of Morality
This chapter deals with the concepts of deontology, teleology, and virtue ethics. Deontology is the study of duty with a focus upon the prescriptive of what a person ought to do (29). Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), the Prussian ethicist, is representative of this view. Hailing from a pietistic background, Kant seeks to provide a rationale for the practical aspects of morality although he does not support that religion in itself serves as the source of morality. He also denies that Enlightenment humanism prevalent at the time can result in practical morality. Instead, he argues that pure reason or human will is essential to morality and will result in such reason as the guiding moral force of the individual. Such virtuous acts are good in themselves and, therefore, should be performed for the sake of the action itself; this sense of duty is accessible to all rational people and should be universal (31-35). Reuschling critiques Kant’s philosophy as appealing to evangelicals in regard to its universality, what she refers to as a “Golden Rule feel,” the simplistic ethical understanding, and the pro-humanism view of humanity as an essentially rational entity, and a simple view of the Bible as a repository of rules to be obeyed by all (40-41).
Teleology as proposed by John Stuart Mills (1806-1874) involves the principle of utility which seeks to accomplish the greatest individual and collective good. Choices are made by the individual not out of a sense of duty but in relation to the perceived consequences of the choice. An inductive theory, utilitarianism maintains that the individual seeks to increase pleasure and reduce or avoid pain. It is this desire that controls an individual’s choices (41-44). The author concludes that the teleological approach is appealing to evangelicalism in that they share similar views as to the personal rights of individuals, the idea of a community as a collection of individuals with individual goals, the personal application of rules, and in their shared pragmatic focus (49-50).
Virtue ethics as proposed by Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) relied upon the idea that education served to inform moral character, particularly in the political (community) sphere. Intellect is the source of virtues, and the goal of life is to accomplish the ultimate good via the presence and cultivation of these virtues via habits, choices, and friendships (51-55). Reuschling proposes that Aristotle’s form of ethics is appealing to evangelicals in that they both emphasize the importance of community, a lightly defined concept of happiness, and personal morality (61-62).
Chapter 2: Trust and Obey?
In this chapter, the author cautions against limiting Christian ethics to a collection of biblical rules to be obeyed uncritically in the manner extrapolated from Kant’s deontology. Instead, she proposes that biblical morality should be manifested in the life and actions of the individual and church community. The Bible is the authoritative source of Christian ethics, and hermeneutic sensitivity to handle scripture appropriately is prerequisite to legitimate interpretation (64-65; 70). Obedience to scripture should not be the goal in itself, but rather a practice that recognizes and relies upon the essence of a Christian lifestyle focusing not upon just the praxis but also upon the reason why the rule is extant (81).
Chapter 3: We’ve a Story to Tell
Reuschling evaluates the utilitarian view of getting the most people saved as the greatest good, reaching the conclusion that the biblical narrative proposes an alternative view, namely that discipleship and Christian morality as praxis is the higher goal. This observable lifestyle leads people to Christ. Christian community serves as a bulwark against the rampant pragmatic individualism that is common in evangelicalism in general and especially in its American forms (84-85; 99; 101).
Chapter 4: Sweet Hour of Prayer
In this chapter, the author negatively critiques Aritstotle’s virtue ethics as unwieldy in modern society and fundamentally flawed in that they are not based on the eternal Word of God. Christian virtue is derived from the biblical narrative and demonstrated and increased during the individual’s life as he seeks to align his lifestyle with biblical principles. Spiritual values are moral values, and these are increased and predominantly lived out in Christian community. These communities should have a concern about social justice and equality because God is concerned about such things, and we, as his earthly representatives, promote them (115-142).
Chapter 5: Reviving Evangelical Ethics
Developing conscience and the relationship between conscience and practical wisdom are the foci of this chapter. “Moral development,” Reuschling claims, “requires the formation and use of conscience” (145). Conscience can be construed as standing for what one believes is right even in the face of popular societal opinion. It is an “…active integration and use of our abilities to assess moral issues…that reflect the heart of God’s justice…to act according to our moral conviction” (146; 149). Practical wisdom is applied wisdom wherein the individual plays out his moral conviction in the tableau of life (161).
Book Conclusion
Reuschling acknowledges that Christian morality is based upon the individual’s concept of self, the narratives to which he turns to determine “moral orientation,” and how morality is displayed in praxis. Such morality should be the natural result of living the Christian life, manifesting in preaching, Christian gathering, and Christian service (169-170). She promotes a feminist reassessment of gender roles, the use of small groups to serve as the community in which Christians learn and grow, and small groups as the loci of service (172-182).
Back Matter
The book ends with a general index.
My Conclusion
Overall, I found this book to be beneficial. It serves as a nice introduction to Kant’s deontology, John Stuart Mill’s utilitarianism (teleology), and Aristotle’s virtue ethics and how they compare and contrast to biblical ethics. I agree with Reuschling’s view that the Bible rather than society, even the subcategory of the evangelical community or even more narrowly defined American evangelicals, possesses authority and serves as the standard against which all Christian ethics are to be measured. Furthermore, I appreciate her argument that the primary goal of the Christian life is discipleship and the Christian community rather than simply getting saved.
Negatively, I feel that the author’s feminist agenda has no place in the text. She shoe-horns this concept into the last chapter of the book, leaving the reader with this as part of the proffered conclusion. I disagree with feminism in general and herein as being too narrow in focus for the broad categories of the text. Reuschling also incorrectly views the Roman Catholic religion as a "branch" of Christianity, which is demonstrably not so. I also think the book would have benefitted from having a scripture index in addition to the general one provided.
I recommend this book to those wanting an introductory level comparison and contrast of the ideologies of deontology, utilitarianism/teleology, and virtue ethics and/or those interested in a general treatment of the communal church and arguments for discipleship as the primary thrust (rather than mere salvation as the goal) of the religion. I think the book is too narrow in focus to serve as a general introduction to biblical ethics.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews