Kingdom Ethics, 2nd ed.: Following Jesus in Contemporary Context

Very solid stuff, although it's very dry and reads like a commentary. It's always hard for me to pinpoint why some writers are pure pleasure to read, why the style of particular authors draws me to their work, and why the work of others, like Stassen and Gushee, feel more like work. Here, I think the work is worth it, but I wish it was more compelling.The discussions of the Beatitudes in general are particularly interesting, with some useful insights. For instance, regarding the third Beatitude ["Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth," Mt 5:5, NRSV], they cite another author who "says it would be better to translate the word 'tamed' rather than 'meek,' in the sense that their wills have been tamed by God’s will" (40). And on the sixth Beatitude ["Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Mt. 5:8, NRSV] "So the sixth Beatitude means, in a nutshell, blessed are those who give their whole self over to God, who is the only one worthy of the heart’s devotion." 45A worthwhile commentary on the Beatitudes, the main point is that the Christian's life ought to be completely congruent with Jesus' teachings, in particular, the Sermon on the Mount:"Christian churches across the confessional and theological spectrum, and Christian ethics as an academic discipline that serves the churches, are often guilty of evading Jesus, the cornerstone and center of the Christian faith. Specifically, the teachings and practices of Jesus – especially the largest block of his teachings, the Sermon on the Mount . . . . Jesus taught that the test of our discipleship is whether we act on his teachings, whether we “put into practice” his words. This is what it means to “buil[d our] house on rock (Mt 7:24)." 11I also like the definition of a Christian, as the authors describe it:"A Christian is (or should be) defined as one who humbles himself or herself and chooses to enter into discipleship, to follow Jesus’ path, to build his or her life upon his teachings and his practices even at great cost, to pass those teachings and practices on to others, and thus to enjoy the unspeakable privilege of participating in the advance of God’s reign. Jesus inaugurates the long-promised kingdom and thus offers holistic deliverance to the sick, the poor, the guilty and the rejected; incarnates and demands justice and righteousness; practices and teaches the way of peacemaking; and both experiences and imparts joy. Meanwhile, in his ministry and then through his living Spirit, Jesus offers the very presence of God." 30

This book is very well organized and comprehensive in scope. The point of view is from the evangelical tradition of the church, and the ways it used the Bible and the Sermon on the Mount might have been more plausible with a recognition of the critical historical understanding of the New Testament, but it was written with some openness and deep conviction.

In Kingdom Ethics, Glen Stassen (Fuller Seminary) and David Gushee (McAfee School of Theology) provide a Christian ethic rooted in the idea of the Kingdom of God as defined by Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. But this is not a typical treatment of either.Perhaps the most helpful aspect of their Kingdom perspective is the section on the "Transforming Initiatives of the Sermon on the Mount." The authors present the commonly held views of The Sermon on the Mount, but then move to give new meaning to the Sermon and its application through a new look at the construction of each teaching section.The heart of their argument is that Jesus's teaching is a tripartite entity, dealing with the problem, the vicious circle caused by the problem, and the transforming Kingdom initiative which places both the problem and those involved in it, in a new light. An example would be:Traditional Righteousness: Matthew 5:38 -- "You have heard that it was said, `An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'"Vicious Cycle: Matthew 5:39 -- "But I say to you, do not retaliate vengefully by evil means." (This is the vicious cycle of violence, retaliation, and more violence.)Transforming Initiative: Matthew 5:40-42 -- "But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if any one wants to sue you and take your coat give your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to go one mile, go the second mile. Give to one who begs from you, and do not refuse one who would borrow from you."The authors contend that the entire Sermon on the Mount features this pattern of Jesus presenting the traditional view, the vicious cycle that results, and the alternative way of the Kingdom. Rather than the Sermon being an ideal, but unattainable vision or a spiritualized ethic, the Sermon becomes a practical, yet radically different way for the followers of Jesus to live out Kingdom values.This approach allows a depth of discipleship that previously held views (idealized or spiritualized) of The Sermon deny. One does not have to be perfect to be a follower of Jesus. Following Jesus also can take place in a very real, and gritty world. The individual disciple can apply Jesus teaching in practical, workable ways that will contribute to transforming relationships with people and with God.But this ethic of transformation based on The Sermon does not apply just to interpersonal relationships. Stassen and Gushee find application in the thorny issues of war, peacemaking, capital punishment, abortion, euthanasia, sexuality, gender roles, and biotechnology. Walking, not just a middle way but a transformative way, Kingdom Ethics presents a fresh look at how Christians can apply the teaching of Jesus in ways that are different from either a biblical legalism or a political liberalism. This transformative way often arrives at its application by means of a very different route than previous options.This fresh look at both the Kingdom and its values avoids the hardline approaches of both liberals and fundamentalists, and offers room for dialogue, appreciation, conversation, and peacemaking between the various hard-fought positions. The entire ethic becomes itself a type of peacemaking instrument, grounded in conviction, but recognizing that God's justice and love must both find expression in God's Kingdom as it is lived out.This approach deepens the Christian disciple's relationship to God in several ways. It is an approach which takes seriously the Biblical account, but which also brings the accumulated insights and tools of robust scholarly research to the task of interpretation. The authors accord Scripture a prime place, but interpret the texts in light of the life, teaching, and insights of the Living Word, Jesus Christ. This focus on the Lordship of Christ as the interpretive hermeneutic of Scripture grounds the follower of Christ in the real-life example of Jesus.If you're interested in ethics in light of Jesus' life, this is a book you must have. At almost 500 pages, it's not quick reading (I know because I read it), but will serve as a great ethics resource in any Christian leader's library.

Stassen and Gushee offer a great introductory text to biblical ethics. Using the Sermon on the Mount as a model, they derive a great foundation for which to practice ethics. I found the model on page 59 especially helpful and find myself often returning to it. They help the reader identify criteria to frame ethical thought. They discuss several contemporary issues in light of the Sermon and other biblical contexts then give a fair assessment of both sides and their conclusion. They use Scripture as a primary source and dialogue with other theologians and ethicists on each issue.

Book arrived quickly and in perfect condition as expected. Highlights include and insightful interpretive framework for the Sermon on the Mount and modern moral issues such as just ware fare and environmental ethics.

Stassen and Gushee's `Kingdom Ethics' is a powerfully incisive study with a strongly conservative and evangelical point of view. While it represents a massive scholarly enterprise, Stassen and Gushee still manage to write in a clear, comfortable and informal way: that alone marks this title as a remarkable achievement.A quick search for this title on Amazon US (.com) will reveal a number of alternative reviews, as well as Amazon's excellent `Search inside' feature. The authors have chosen to view Christian ethics quite specifically through Jesus teachings as recorded in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), although that is very much seen in conjunction with Jesus emphasis on the Old Testament - especially Isaiah - as well as the rest of the Gospels, and some of Paul's teachings.This focus on the Sermon on the Mount makes for a very original and interesting approach, and the authors' handle many difficult topics with common sense coupled great sensitivity (often from their own personal experience - including divorce, abortion, gender bias, etc.).My criticisms would include nit-picky things like inconsistent formatting: occasional bold, inset text or shaded text boxes seem superfluous (if not inexplicable) and the frequent use of italics is certainly superfluous. I got impatient on a couple of occasions when I felt the premise was proved but the authors kept labouring away, and I also found one or two parts felt more like an Americanised, self-help book; for instance chapter 22 on prayer.In the end though, this is a fine book on Christian ethics, even with my nit-picky criticisms. Stassen and Gushee address the most difficult issues of the modern world even if in some areas - like politics - I found less help here than I had hoped. The unbridled US American world view can be irksome (to a Brit, at least) but sometimes it is a positive boon - like the frankly shocking discussions on the death penalty (chapter 9). (Remember that not many countries still practice capital punishment so the authors' US perspective was especially helpful here.)I would never have considered reading a book about Christian ethics were I not doing a distance learning course and this book represents the `if you only get one book on Christian ethics, get this one' choice. Statssen and Gushee aim to enable us to practice what we preach in our ethical decision making and using the Sermon on the Mount as a guide is surprisingly helpful: Recommended.(Because `Kingdom Ethics' is strongly NT focused, I am reading Christopher J. H. Wright's  Old Testament Ethics for the People of God  next: it is going to be interesting to compare the two!) Old Testament Ethics for the People of God

As a beginners in these studies I find this book very clear in its distinctions and analysis. It is helping me to see issues more clearly.

Good

just as described

Very helpful introduction to Christian ethics. I appreciate the way that authors integrate major ethical approaches with the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount. The consideration of current moral issues is very helpful. This book can be used in seminaries, universities and local congregations as a basis for reflection and discussion.