The Shape of the Good: Christian Reflections on the Foundations of Ethics

An introduction to ethical theory from a Christian perspective, The Shape of the Good examines the connection between moral theory, theology, and metaphysics, approaching standard ethical theories from the standpoint of Christian theology. A range of standard theories are discussed in the first four chapters: relativism, subjectivism, the divine command theory, ethical egoism, act and rule utilitarianism, Kant’s view, contractarianism, and pluralistic deontological views. Chapters five and six develop a Christian teleological view of ethics and show its implications in a series of contemporary moral issues, such as world hunger, human rights, abortion and criminal punishment. In the final chapters, C.Stephen Layman proposes a specifically Christian consequentialist theory of ethics that should be of interest to professionals and non-specialists alike.