Rev. Dr Malcolm Brown is Principal of the Eastern Region Ministry Course within the Cambridge Theological Federation. He teaches Ethics for the Cambridge Federation's M.A. in Pastoral Theology (Anglia Ruskin University) and undergraduate Ethics for the University of Wales Bangor and the Cambridge Federation. His main research interests are the dialogue between Christian ethics and economics, the significance of 'place' in Practical Theology and the development of new ground rules for Public Theology.

The book draws on the author's teaching of ethics at undergraduate and postgraduate level for the Cambridge Theological Federation since 2000. Its purpose is to introduce the reader to questions in Christian ethics through a careful examination of the fundamental meta-ethical questions posed by the 'state we're in', whether understood as a new phase of modernity or as postmodernity. Brown draws on sources and authors from a variety of Christian traditions, and from Britain, the U.S.A. and Europe. The book will be of use, not only to university departments and denominational and ecumenical teaching institutions but also as a more general exposition of the current state of ethical thinking in the Christian churches.

Malcolm Brown

Cover page

About the Author

Title-page

Imprint

Dedication

Preface

Acknowledgements

Part 1 1. Introducing ethics: and Christian ethics

2. Using the Bible in Christian ethics

3. Roots of Christian ethical thinking

4. Modernity, plurality and their consequences

First interval: 'cutting the cake'

5. The Christian social tradition

6. Ethics and ecclesiology

7. The possibility of a public theology

Second interval: 'eating people is wrong'

Part 2 8. From meta-ethics to concrete cases

9 The beginning and end of life

10. The market economy

11. Sex and sexuality: trouble for the Churches

Third interval: anniversary thoughts on Darwin, science and belief

12. Waging war: and peace

13. Human rights and God

14. The next turn on the road for Christian ethics?

Bibliography

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The book's purpose is to introduce the reader to questions in Christian ethics through a careful examination of the fundamental meta-ethical questions posed by the 'state we're in', whether understood as a new phase of modernity or as postmodernity.

This book fills a gap in the market for a balanced and up-to-date textbook on Christian ethics. It provides a sound and comprehensive grounding in this subject, and includes engaging examples and memorable illustrations. It is ideal for students and for those on ministerial training courses. 'Malcolm Brown providesa clear intellectual groundwork for working in contemporary Christian ethics, which takes in all the main theories and theorists presently influential in the field....More than this, he provides sharp and stimulating discussions of many of the issues that presently do, or should, preoccupy Christians, such as just war, human rights, the market and sexuality.' Professor Stephen Pattison, University of Birmingham 'This is a riveting read. It provides the best way to get up to date with the contemporary debates in Christian ethics. Malcolm Brown is fair, thoughtful and judicious. If you only have time to read one book on Christian ethics this year, this is the one to pick.' Professor Ian Markham, Virginia Theological Seminary

The Good Book Stall

This is an academic book, based on the author’s seminars on Christian Ethics for the Eastern Region Ministry Course; but it is also an eager exploration of the Church’s reluctance to engage in public affairs and politics. Its structure is academic: the first half discusses Christian ethics historically and theoretically in order to articulate ‘tensions’, or disagreements, which Christians know but might not understand; then, using terms established in the first half, Brown focuses on legendary contemporary disputes about creation, sexuality, abortion and euthanasia, and less sensationalised matters of war, the market economy, and human rights. Beyond this academic structure, however, Brown’s even-handed arguments identify a malaise. On one hand ‘liberalism’, which accords value to human reason and advocates dialogue between Christian activists and those in other ethical systems, risks losing a distinctive Christian understanding and vision. On the other ‘communitarians’, who proclaim the Church as the only community within which a Christian life can be lived, and the sacraments as the focus of such a life, risk denying any role for Christians in the public world. We founder between the two. Brown’s arguments are based almost exclusively on English (yes, English) and American Christian practices, but readers might well want to look further afield: the arguments clarify habits of thought admirably, and stimulate urgent and prayerful thinking.

Tensions in Christian Ethics

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Tensions in Christian Ethics

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