The Ethics of Community / Edition 1

by Frank G. Kirkpatrick

Overview

In this important and timely study, Frank Kirkpatrick draws on theology, political philosophy and the social sciences more generally to develop a Christian ethic of community.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780631216834
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	05/25/2001
Series:	New Dimensions to Religious Ethics
Pages:	200
Sales rank:	735,752
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.05(h) x 0.58(d)

About the Author

Frank G. Kirkpatrick is Professor of Religion at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. He is the co-editor of the series 'Blackwell Religious Ethics' and is author of many books and articles, including Living Issues in Ethics (with Richard Nolan), Community: A Trinity of Models, Together Bound: God, History, and the Religious Community, and To Gather the Nations: A Christian Ethic of Flourishing and Justice in a Postmodern Age.

Table of Contents

Introduction.

1. Moral and Scriptural Foundations.

Scripture and the Ethics of Community.

Scripture and Community.

2. Historical Experiments in Community: Europe.

Community in the Monastic Tradition.

Medieval Society.

Economic Ethics.

Calvin and Geneva.

Anabaptists and Community.

3. Historical Experiments in Community: America.

The Puritans.

The American Revolution.

The Creation of the American Republic.

From Madison to Communalism.

Communalism.

The Social Gospel.

Reinhold Niebuhr.

The Struggle Between Individualism and Community in America Today.

4. Building A Philosophy of Community.

John Macmurray and the Philosophy of Community.

5. Political Philosophies of Society.

From Private to Public.

Political Philosophies.

6. Community and Society: Difference and Engagement.

A Theology of Difference.

A Theology of Engagement.

Community for Society.

Society for Community.

7. Turning Inward to Community: The Family and The Danger of Too Much Community.

The Family as Community.

Dangers of Too Much Community.

8. Working Outward From Community: Economic Justice and International Order.

A Good and Just Society.

The Ethics of Economic Justice.

The International Order.

9. Conclusion.

Bibliography.

Index.

Editorial Reviews

"In the Ethics of Community, Frank Kirkpatrick has written a scholarly dissertation on the roots of the idea of community and state in Biblical and secular thought. I am grateful to Dr. Kirkpatrick for this book, which raises all the right questions." Good News, The Newspaper of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut

"This is a work of theological ethics, but one informed by philosophy and conversant with Western history...This is a scholarly book, written on a theoretical level and in an abstract style for fellow scholars. It is appropriate for research libraries in the fields of theology, philosophy, and history." Choice

"I can see this book being used not only by students in the academy, but also by congregational communities such as the author defines. In this way the ethics of community will spread from the classroom into the church community, and through both hopefully into all of society." Reviews in Religion and Theology

"Kirkpatrick's chief strength is an understanding of the teleology that is specific to the church and how it informs the way church and society interact." Journal of Religion

From the Publisher

This first volume of the series (titles devoted to the ethics of gender, sex, nature, and race are forthcoming) addresses the concept of Christian moral community (), the lessons of past experimental American and European Christian communities, and the philosophy of John Macmurray. Kirkpatrick (religion, Trinity College) cautions against "losing the authenticity of the church community in indiscriminate engagement with the secular world," and attempts to balance "the appeal of community with the need for individual `space.'" Kirkpatrick then suggests a future for Christian communities confronting issues of social injustice<-->especially those concerned with economic class. Holding the text together is "the intention of God working with and through human beings to bring God's vision of community to fruition." Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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