Introducing Protestant Social Ethics: Foundations in Scripture, History, and Practice - Softcover

Matz, Brian

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0801049911 ISBN 13: 9780801049910

Publisher: Baker Academic, 2017

Synopsis

Despite their rich tradition of social concern, Protestants have historically struggled to articulate why, whether, and how to challenge unethical social structures. This book introduces Protestants to the biblical and historical background of Christian social ethics, inviting them to understand the basis for social action and engage with the broader tradition. It embraces and explains long-standing Christian reflection on social ethics and shows how Scripture and Christian history connect to current social justice issues. Each chapter includes learning outcomes and chapter highlights.

About this title

About the Author

Brian Matz (PhD, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and Saint Louis University) is associate professor of the history of Christianity and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Endowed Chair in Catholic Thought at Fontbonne University in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the author or coeditor of numerous books, including Gregory of Nazianzus, Patristics and Catholic Social Thought: Hermeneutical Models for a Dialogue, and Grace for Grace: The Debates after Augustine and Pelagius, and has written numerous articles.

From the Back Cover

Brian Matz introduces Protestants to the biblical and historical background of Christian social ethics and examines relevant implications for faithful practice today.

"In Introducing Protestant Social Ethics, Brian Matz offers an introduction to the broad Christian moral tradition that precedes and lays the foundation for Protestant social ethics. In a unique approach, Matz surveys key biblical social ethics themes, major historical developments affecting social ethics, and then five principles for Christian social ethics--human dignity, the common good, justice, solidarity, and subsidiarity. The book is written at an introductory level but has a comprehensive sweep that will make it of value as a classroom text. I recommend this creative contribution from an emerging voice in Christian ethics."
--David Gushee, Center for Theology and Public Life, Mercer University

"Some attempts to do Protestant social ethics capitulate to secular debates and assumptions about the binary between capitalism and socialism. In this book Matz avoids such pitfalls by presenting a biblically focused, theologically confident social ethic. In this admirably nonpartisan project, thoughtful readers will find themselves doing precisely what Matz describes as the role of the ethicist: listening to God's invitation to change how we see the world and our role in it."
--Charles C. Camosy, Fordham University

"With his characteristically meticulous and thoughtful approach, Matz has produced a work of scholarly achievement and deep reflection on the continued ethical challenges brought about by the inequalities of human life. This important survey identifies how the theme of social ethics is traced through Scripture and the historic responses of Christians who have accepted God's invitation to seek justice in the world. Inviting Protestants to greater facility with the vocabulary of social justice theology, Introducing Protestant Social Ethics is a welcome--and timely--contribution to the field."
--Brenda Llewellyn Ihssen, Pacific Lutheran University

Edition details

• Publisher: Baker Academic
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0801049911
• ISBN 13: 9780801049910
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 272