Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 179:713 (Jan 2022)
Article: Book Reviews
Author: Matthew S. DeMoss

BSac 179:713 (January-March 2022) p. 96

Book Reviews

By The Faculty And Staff Of Dallas Theological Seminary

Matthew S. DeMoss

Editor

Christian Ethics: An Introduction to Biblical Moral Reasoning. By Wayne Grudem. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018. 1296 pp. $59.99.

Wayne Grudem is a well-known evangelical theologian who has written several notable books including his Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994) and (with John Piper) Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1991). He has been a long-time professor of theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Phoenix Seminary. In recent years, he has written on business concerns (Business for the Glory of God [Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2003]), economics (Poverty and Wealth with Barry Asmus [Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013]), and political issues (Politics according to the Bible [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010]). Now he has published a massive work of nearly 1300 pages on ethics. Christian Ethics displays many of the hallmarks that readers of Grudem’s work have come to expect. His work is careful and extensive, strongly rooted in the biblical text. His writing style is direct and clear, and he does not shy away from taking a stand on the issues at hand. He intends this book to be one that Christians without extensive education can consult for moral guidance on difficult issues without being overwhelmed by a swirl of academic jargon. In this goal, Grudem has definitely succeeded. This book is very much a companion to his Systematic Ethics—there are even hymns at the end of each chapter! Christian Ethics is well-organized, clear, and full of meaningful discussions of a wide range of ethical issues. From rather minor concerns, like the swearing of oaths in a court (Grudem thinks it is permissible) and whether it is permissible for Christian actors in a dramatic production to take the Lord’s name in vain (he thinks it is wrong) to substantive issues like abortion (Grudem is decidedly pro-life) and war (he defends just war theory), this book is understandable and clear.

Grudem defends many of the most distinctive features of Christian morality. He rightly highlights the fact that the first ethical responsibility of humans is to love God and to place faith in him (chapter 9; all references in this paragraph and the next are to the chapters). He holds that since God is the source of the good, a life well-lived is one that reflects God’s character (2). He notes the importance of virtuous character (and not merely following rules) as essential to Christian life (4). He argues, correctly, for the importance of pleasing God by doing ethics, even as fallen beings (5). In more specific issues, Grudem sol...