Understanding Religious Ethics
März 2010
286 Seiten, Hardcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
This accessible introduction to religious ethics focuses on the
major forms of moral reasoning encompassing the three
'Abrahamic' religions: Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam.
* Draws on a range of moral issues, such as examples arising
from friendship, marriage, homosexuality, lying, forgiveness
and its limits, the death penalty, the environment, warfare, and
the meaning of work, career, and vocation
* Looks at both ethical reasoning and importantly, how
that reasoning reveals insights into a religious tradition
* Investigates the resources available to address common problems
confronting Abrahamic faiths, and how each faith explains and
defends its moral viewpoints
* Offering concrete topics for interfaith discussions, this is a
timely and insightful introduction to a fast-growing field of
interest
Introduction: Conviction and Argument 1
Part I: Preliminaries 19
1 God and Morality 21
2 Jewish Ethics 38
3 Christian Ethics 53
4 Islamic Ethics 65
Part II: Personal Matters 81
5 Friendship 83
6 Sexuality 91
7 Marriage and Family 106
8 Lying 118
9 Forgiveness 134
Part III: Social Matters 145
10 Love and Justice 147
11 Duty, Law, Conscience 157
12 Capital Punishment 167
13 War (I): Towards War 182
14 War (II): In War 199
15 Religion and the Environment 209
Part IV: The Last Things 223
16 Pursuits of Happiness: Labor, Leisure, and Life 225
17 Good and Evil 239
Conclusion: What's So Funny 'bout Peace, Love, and Understanding? 254
Notes 262
Index 270
foundations for comparative religious ethics balanced by attention
to both historical context and normative issues."
(Religious Studies Review, 11 June 2013)
"This splendid volume--from a distinguished scholar and
teacher--is the best available general introduction to
comparative religious ethics. Unlike many arid textbooks, it offers
a lively examination of the moral life by initiating readers into
the diverse beliefs and practices that animate Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam. Adherents of these traditions and their
critics will find much wisdom in these pages."
--Eric Gregory, Princeton University
"Comparative, comprehensive and highly readable, Matthewes' book
provides an overview of religious ethics in three traditions
without sacrificing the specificity of each ethical system. The
author effortlessly enlightens the reader as to how Judaism,
Christianity and Islam deals with highly relevant topics such as
family, love, sexuality, lying, war, capital punishment and many
more themes in a provocative and graceful manner."
--Ebrahim Moosa, Duke University
