CHRISTIAN ETHICS
A Brief History
MICHAEL BANNER
From questions about whether or not Christians could serve in the Roman army through to current debates about genetic engineering, Christianity has always grappled with complex moral problems. Providing a clear and decisive history of the main figures and schools in Christian ethics, this book introduces readers to the principles which Christians have brought to the discussion of these and other issues.
The author tackles questions such as: What is it to live a Christian life? How is it possible, given weakness of the will? Should we follow the natural law? And are Christian ethics at odds with the findings of philosophy or science? Engaging with key figures including Augustine, Benedict, Aquinas, Luther, and John Paul II, he draws attention to the challenges which have been put to Christian ethics, especially by Nietzsche and other nineteenth-century thinkers, and by contemporary relativism. This concise, illuminating book concludes with a discussion of biotechnology, and the contribution that Christian ethics can make to contemporary moral debates.
