Harrington, S: Paul and Virtue Ethics

By Daniel J. Harrington, SJ and James F. Keenan, SJ

In Paul and Virtue Ethics, Daniel Harrington and James Keenan build upon their successful collaboration Jesus and Virtue Ethics to discuss the apostle Paul's teachings as a guide to interpret theology and ethics today. Examining Paul's writings, the authors investigate what they teach about the basic questions of virtue ethics: Who am I? Who do I want to become? And how do I get there? Their intent is not to provide stringent rules, but to awaken discovery and encourage dialogue. The book first considers the concept of virtue ethics, an approach to ethics that emphasizes moral character, and Paul's ethics in particular. Next, the authors focus on the virtues of faith, love/charity, and hope as treated by Paul and Thomas Aquinas. Closing the book with reflections on the roles of other virtues (and vices) in individual and communal Christian life, the authors discuss various issues in social ethics and sexual morality as they are dealt with in Paul and in Christian virtue ethics today.

ProloguePart I. The Shape of Christian Virtue EthicsChapter 1: Virtue Ethics and Fundamental Moral TheologyChapter 2: The Shape of Paul's Christian Virtue EthicsChapter 3: The Human Condition Before and After Christ: Pauline PerspectivesChapter 4: Conversion and the Human Condition: Theological PerspectivesChapter 5: The Many Contexts of Paul's Ethical TeachingsChapter 6: Experience and Conscience in Theology TodayPart II. The Theological Virtues: Paul and Thomas AquinasChapter 7: Faith: Pauline PerspectivesChapter 8: Faith: Theological PerspectivesChapter 9: Love: Pauline PerspectivesChapter 10: Charity: Theological PerspectivesChapter 11: Hope: Pauline PerspectivesChapter 12: Hope: Theological PerspectivesPart III. Other Virtues and Christian LifeChapter 13: Virtues and Vices: Pauline PerspectivesChapter 14: Virtues and Vices: Theological PerspectivesChapter 15: Ethics in a Communal Setting: Pauline PerspectivesChapter 16: Ethics in a Communal Setting: Theological PerspectivesChapter 17: Communal Ethics and the EucharistChapter 18: Eucharist and VirtuePart IV. The Virtues and Social and Sexual IssuesChapter 19: Social Ethics: Pauline PerspectivesChapter 20: Social Ethics: Theological PerspectivesChapter 21: Relationships and Sexual Ethics: Pauline PerspectivesChapter 22: Relationships and Sexual Ethics: Theological PerspectivesEpilogue: Paul, Dietrich, Martin, and BernhardIndexAbout the Authors