What causes us as a people of faith to think and act the way we think and act? Are we motivated by whatever is most practical, by a particular understanding of Scripture, by the influence of the culture around us, or by something more profound? On the premise that Pentecostalism does have much to contribute to the study of ethics, this book explores how one group, the American Assemblies of God, has wrestled with issues of racism, women in ministry, and Christian involvement in war. In the process, readers are invited to examine the connection—or disconnect—between what we believe and how we live out our faith.
How can Christians responsibly derive moral guidance from the Bible on pressing issues of personal and social morality today? Jersild's book sets the context for a study of Scripture and the moral life in a postmodern, pluralist society with its impact on biblical studies. The ethical contents and authority of Scripture are addressed, and a "Spirit ethics" is proposed as a way of developing a biblically based Christian ethics. Christians cannot simply adopt a once-and-for-all set of rules nor simply cite Bible verses against the latest sins. "Absolutely essential," says Jersild, "is the ongoing engagement of the church with the moral environment of society and the issues that this raises for the church." Jersild applies his model fruitfully and persuasively to three pressing and perplexing issues: assisted suicide, homosexuality, and genetic programs.
The Gifford Lectures have challenged our greatest thinkers to relate the worlds of religion, philosophy, and science. Now Ian Barbour has joined ranks with such Gifford lecturers as William James, Carl Jung, and Reinhold Neibuhr. In 1989 Barbour presented his first series of Gifford Lectures, published as Religion in an Age of Science. In 1990 he returned to Scotland to present his second series, dealing with ethical issues arising from technology and exploring the relationship of human and environmental values to science, philosophy, and religion and showing why these values are relevant to technological policy decisions. In examine the conflicting ethics and assumptions that lead to divergent views and technology, Barbour analyzes three social values: justice, participatory freedom, and economic development. He defends such environmental principles as resource sustainability, environmental protection, and respect for all forms of life. He present case studies in agriculture, energy policy, genetic engineering, and the use of computers. Finally, he concludes by focusing on appropriate technologies, individual life-styles, and sources of change: education, political action, response to crisis, and alternative visions of the good life.
Helps ministers deal with ethical decisions and dilemmas. Answers questions concering ethics in three featured parts: The basis for Christian Ethics, Scipture, Ethics and Church Doctrine, and Ethics in Practical Ministry.
What vision does Scripture cast for living as a follower of Christ? New Testament scholar Jarvis Williams offers a multifaceted vision of God's saving action in Jesus Christ for both Jew and Gentile, in both the vertical relationship between God and humanity as well as the horizontal relationships among people—with cosmic ramifications.
The place of religion in society has changed profoundly in the last few centuries, particularly in the West. In what will be a defining book for our time, Taylor takes up the question of what these changes mean, and what, precisely, happens when a society becomes one in which faith is only one human possibility among others.
Follows the development of missions throughout Scripture from the Early Church through to the modern church. Includes two appendixes, selected bibliography, Scriputure index, and subject index.
Nothing confuses Christian ethics quite like the Old Testament. Christopher Wright examines a theological, social, and economic framework for Old Testament ethics, exploring themes in relation to contemporary issues: economics, the land and the poor, politics and a world of nations, law and justice, society and culture, and the way of the individual.
Excerpt from The Ethics of Spiritualism: A System of Moral Philosophy, Founded on Evolution and the Continuity of Man's Existence Beyond the Grave Along this causeway have been waged the mighty battles of the ages, fought over again in' the life of every indi vidual. It is the war between the animal side of man's nature and the spiritual. As the race has unfolded, gath ering higher and clearer perceptions of right, truth and justice, age after age, the gain has been on the side of the spiritual. As in the individual, the brute forces of the de sires have been co-ordinated Wlth the moral and spiritual perceptions. Because of this evolution, is there conflict between the two sides of man's nature. Because he is an ammal physi cally, is there war between his physical and his spiritual tendencies. To harmonize this apparent anom aly, by which the aspirations of an angel are linked with the passions of a devrl, has been the primary object of all systems of theology. The existence of these spiritual aspirations indicated the innate purity of the spirit and its primal perfection. That it was, in fact, so prone to fly to the ungoverned selfishness and lust of brutes, indicated a fallen and depraved state. The dogmas growing out of this erroneous view were also dependent on equally false ideas of God. A perfect, infinite and good God, would not create an imperfect man. His creation would be in his own image. Man was far from perfect. His imperfection was the result of sin and wicked ness. As his Creator does not wish him to sin, he sins from choice. His free agency shifts the burden of responsi bility from God to himself. Created perfect, he has sinned by choice, and became depraved through and by means of his own wickedness. He has corrupted himself. To escape the infinite consequences, he must have fa1th in a verbal revelation and a certain scheme of redemption. Immortality is not the result of immutable laws, and has no relation to the constitution of things. Men reared in this belief, when they cast it aside are often unbalanced. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
