Christian Ethics: Four Views

The field of Christian ethics is the subject of frequent conversation as Christians seek to understand how to live faithfully within a pluralistic society. The range of ethical systems and moral philosophies available can be confusing to people seeking clarity about what the different theories mean for everyday life.

Christian Ethics: Four Views presents a dialogue between four main approaches to ethics in the Christian tradition. Virtue ethics focuses less on the action itself and more on the virtuous character of the moral agent. A divine command approach looks instead at whether an action has been commanded by God, in which case it is morally right. Natural law ethics argues for a universal, objective morality grounded in nature. Finally, prophetic ethics judges what is morally right in light of a biblical understanding of divine justice and shalom.

The four views and their proponents are as follows:

Brad J. Kallenberg: Virtue EthicsJohn Hare: Divine Command EthicsClaire Peterson: Natural Law EthicsPeter Heltzel: Prophetic EthicsChristian Ethics: Four Views, edited by noted ethicist Steve Wilkens, presents an accessible introduction to the key positions in Christian ethics today.