An Intelligent Person's Guide To Christian Ethics

In this concise and lucid book, Alban McCoy considers the fundamental principles of morality in a Christian context. Starting from the widespread phenomenon of seemingly insuperable disagreement in discussion of the most basic moral issues, he locates the root cause of such disagreement in confusion about the essential nature of morality as such. What distinguishes a moral judgement from an historical or scientific judgment? Which considerations are relevant to moral issues as opposed to questions of a pragmatic or practical importance? What resources are available to us when weighing moral matters? Various critiques of morality such as amoralism, determinism, subjectivism and cultural relativism, as well as different moral theories such as utilitarianism and absolutism are considered and found wanting. At the heart of the book, McCoy offers a rational account of morality rooted in virtue and character and human flourishing.