Ethics and Religion

This book develops strong versions of divine command theory and natural law and defends the importance of God to morality.

Harry J. Gensler (Author)

9781107647169, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 31 May 2016

205 pages, 1 b/w illus.
22.7 x 15.3 x 1.2 cm, 0.3 kg

'Gensler has produced a novel and pragmatic piece of work on religion and ethics. He carefully combs though the various attempts that wed religion and ethics … for those who have commitments to Judeo-Christian ethics, other religious ethics, or to secular ethics, they will find Gensler's treatment of ethics a much-needed ecumenical primer.' Bernard Walker, Bethel University

Many people question whether God is the source of morality. Under divine command theory, God's will creates the moral order, and therefore ethical truths are true because of God's will. Under natural law, on the other hand, some ethical truths do not depend on God's will, and yet perhaps they depend on his reason or creation. Ethics and Religion develops strong, defensible, and original versions of both divine command theory and natural law. The book also discusses ethics and atheism: how atheists object on ethical grounds to belief in God and how they view ethics. The book defends belief in God from criticisms and analyzes related concepts, such as practical reason, the golden rule, ethics and evolution, the problem of evil, and the fine-tuning argument.

1. Introduction
Part I. Ethics as God's Commands: 2. Divine command theory
3. Modified DCT
Part II. Ethics as Natural Laws: 4. Natural law: rationality
5. Natural law: biology
6. Natural law: spirituality
Part III. Ethics and Atheism: 7. Ethics without God
8. God, evil, and cosmic purpose.

Subject Areas: Philosophy of religion [HRAB], Ethics & moral philosophy [HPQ]