God S Own Ethics

Part I. The ethics of an Anselmian being -- Anselmianism about God -- Is the Anselmian being loving? -- Is the Anselmian being morally good? -- The ethics of the Anselmian being I (promotion) -- The ethics of the Anselmian being II (respect) -- The argument from evil and the ethics of the Anselmian being -- Part II. God's ethics -- Worship-worthiness and allegiance-worthiness -- The good of religion and contingent divine ethics -- The argument from evil and God's contingent ethics

Provocative essays that seek “to turn the attention of analytic philosophy of religion on the problem of evil . . . towards advances in ethical theory” (Reading Religion). The contributors to this book—Marilyn McCord Adams, John Hare, Linda Zagzebski, Laura Garcia, Bruce Russell, Stephen Wykstra, and Stephen Maitzen—attended two University of Notre Dame conferences in which they addressed the thesis that there are yet untapped resources in ethical theory for affecting a more adequate solution to the problem of evil. The problem of evil has been an extremely active area of study in the philosophy of religion for many years. Until now, most sources have focused on logical, metaphysical, and epistemological issues, leaving moral questions as open territory. With the resources of ethical theory firmly in hand, this volume provides lively insight into this ageless philosophical issue. “These essays—and others—will be of primary interest to scholars working in analytic philosophy of religion from a self-consciously Christian standpoint, but its audience is not limited to such persons. The book offers illustrative examples of how scholars in philosophy of religion understand their aims and how they go about making their arguments . . . hopefully more work will follow this volume’s lead.”—Reading Religion “Recommended.”—Choice

For many of us, the question of whether or not God exists is one of the most perplexing and profound questions of our lives, and numerous philosophers and theologians have debated it for centuries. Laura Ekstrom here takes a new look at the issue of God's existence by examining it against the reality of human suffering, bringing to the fore contentious presuppositions concerning agency and value at the core of the matter. When we survey the world, we observe an enormous amount of pain, including virtually unspeakable kinds of maltreatment and agony, many instances of which seem patently unfair, unearned, and pointless. This book argues that, in light of these observations, it is reasonable to conclude that God does not exist. The book unravels the extent and power of arguments from evil. Ekstrom provides a close investigation of a largely overlooked claim at the heart of major free-will-based responses to such arguments, namely that free will is worth it: sufficiently valuable to serve as the good that provides a God-justifying reason for permitting evil in the world. Through fresh examinations of traditional theodicies, Ekstrom develops an alternative line called divine intimacy theodicy, and makes an extended case for rejecting skeptical theism. The book takes up an argument from evil concerning a traditional doctrine of hell, which reveals a number of compelling issues concerning fault, agency, and blameworthiness. In response to recent work contending that the problem of evil is toothless because God is indifferent to human beings, Ekstrom defends the essential perfect moral goodness of God. She further tackles the question of whether or not it is possible to live a religious life as an agnostic or as an atheist. Through rigorous reflection, with deep respect for religious thought and experience, and with sensitivity to the range and kinds of suffering so many endure, Ekstrom firmly advances discussion of the problem of evil and paves the way for further scholarship in the philosophy of religion.

Love Divine provides a systematic account of the deep and rich love that God has for humans. While the associated theological territory is vast, the objective is to contend for a unified paradigm regarding fundamental issues pertaining to the God of love who deigns to share His life of love with any human willing to receive it. Realizing this objective includes clarifying and defending specific conclusions concerning how the doctrine of divine love should be approached, what God's love is, what role love plays in motivating God's creation and subsequent governance of humans, how God's love of humans factors into His emotional life, which humans it is that God loves in a saving manner, what the punitive wrath of God is and how it relates to God's love for humans, and how it might be possible for God to share the intra-trinitarian life of love with human beings. As the book unfolds, the chapters interlock and build upon one another in the effort to trace nodal issues related to God's love as it begins in Him and then spills out in the creation, redemption, and glorification of humanity--a kind of exitus-reditus structure that is driven by the unyielding love of God.

**Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love has been submitted to the Subcommittee on the Catechism, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Declarations of conformity with both the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Doctrinal Elements of a Curriculum Framework for the Development of Catechetical Materials for Young People of High School Age are pending. Christian Morality: Our Response to God's Love Students face countless choices and challenges in their daily lives. This course addresses how a relationship with Christ and the Church can lead to choices that are in accord with God's plan. The students learn what it means to live as a disciple of Christ and how the Church strengthens this discipleship. The Living in Christ Series * Makes the most of the wisdom and experience of Catholic high school teachers as they empower and guide students to participate in their own learning. * Engages students' intellect and responds to their natural desire to know God. * Encourages faith in action through carefully-crafted learning objectives, lessons, activities, active learning, and summative projects that address multiple learning styles. What you will find . . . * Each Living in Christ student book is developed in line with the U.S. Bishops' High School Curriculum Framework and provides key doctrine essential to the course in a clear and accessible way, making it relevant to the students and how they live their lives. * Each Living in Christ teacher guide carefully crafts the lessons, based on the key principles of Understanding by Design, to guide the students' understanding of key concepts. * Living in Christ offers an innovative, online learning environment featuring flexible and customizable resources to enrich and empower the teacher to respond to the diverse learning needs of the students. * The Living in Christ series is available to you in traditional full-color text and in digital textbook format, offering you options to meet your preferences and needs.

Fourteen original essays by philosophers, theologians, and social scientists explore the challenges to moral and religious belief posed by disagreement and evolution. The collection represents both sceptical and non-skeptical positions about morality and religion, cultivates new insights, and moves the discussion forward in illuminating ways.

He analyzes two basic forms of such theories: theories of excess, which emphasize the extravagance of the giving act, and theories of exchange, which look at giving as a form of reciprocity."--BOOK JACKET.

This book offers a coherent theistic approach to environmental ethics.