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The Project Gutenberg eBook, Christianity and Ethics, by Archibald B. C.
Alexander

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
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Title: Christianity and Ethics
A Handbook of Christian Ethics
Author: Archibald B. C. Alexander

Release Date: July 19, 2007 [eBook #22105]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTIANITY AND ETHICS***
E-text prepared by Al Haines
Transcriber's note:

Page numbers in this book are indicated by numbers enclosed
in curly braces, e.g. {99}. They have been located where page
breaks occurred in the original book. For its Index, a page
number has been placed only at the start of that section.

CHRISTIANITY AND ETHICS
A Handbook of Christian Ethics
by
ARCHIBALD B. D. ALEXANDER, M.A., D.D.
Author of 'A Short History of Philosophy,'

'The Ethics of St. Paul,' etc.

London: Duckworth & Co.
3 Henrietta St., Covent Garden
1914
All rights reserved

{v}
PREFACE

The object of this volume is to present a brief but comprehensive view
of the Christian conception of the moral life. In order to conform
with the requirements of the series to which the volume belongs, the
writer has found the task of compression one of almost insurmountable
difficulty; and some topics, only less important than those dealt with,
have been necessarily omitted. The book claims to be, as its title
indicates, simply a handbook or introduction to Christian Ethics. It
deals with principles rather than details, and suggests lines of
thought instead of attempting an exhaustive treatment of the subject.
At the same time, in the author's opinion, no really vital question has
been overlooked. The treatise is intended primarily for students, but
it is hoped that it may prove serviceable to those who desire a
succinct account of the moral and social problems of the present day.

A fairly full bibliography has been added, which, along with the
references to authorities in the body of the work, may be helpful to
those who wish to prosecute the study. For the convenience of readers
the book has been divided into four sections, entitled, Postulates,
Personality, Character, and Conduct; and a detailed synopsis of
contents has been supplied.

To the Rev. W. R. Thomson, B.D. of Bellshill, Scotland, who read the
chapters in type, and generally put at his disposal much valuable
suggestion, the author would record his most sincere thanks.

{vii}
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
PAGE
A PLEA FOR THE STUDY OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS.. ........
1
SECTION A--POSTULATES
CHAPTER I
THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF ETHICS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9

I. General Definition.
II. Distinctive Features--1. Ideal; 2. Norm; 3. Will.
III. Is Ethics a Science?
IV. Relation to--1. Logic; 2. Aesthetics; 3. Politics.

V. Dependence upon--1. Metaphysics; 2. Psychology.
CHAPTER II
THE POSTULATES OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS.. ...........
22
I. Philosophical Ethics.
II. Dogmatics.

III. Theological Presuppositions--
1. Christian Idea of God.
2. Christian Doctrine of Sin.
3. Human Responsibility.

IV. Authority and Method.
CHAPTER III
ETHICAL THOUGHT BEFORE CHRIST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
36
I. In Greece and Rome--Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Stoics.
Stoicism and St. Paul.
II. In Israel--1. Law; 2. Prophecy; 3. Poetry.
Preparatory Character of pre-Christian Morality.

SECTION B--PERSONALITY
CHAPTER IV
THE ESTIMATE OF MAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

55

I. Conflicting Views of Human Nature--
1. Man by nature Morally Good.
2. Man by nature Totally Depraved.
3. The Christian View.

II. Examination of Man's Psychical Nature--
1. The Unity of the Soul.
2. The Divine in Man.
3. The Physical and Mental Life.

III. Appeal of Christianity to the Mind.
CHAPTER V
THE WITNESS OF CONSCIENCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
68
I. Treatment of Conscience--
1. In Greek Poetry and Philosophy.
of 00

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