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The Doctrine of the Christian Life (A Theology of Lordship)

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I am very impressed with this book. It really does an outstanding job of providing a very comprehensive and detailed examination of biblical ethics. It is a massive undertaking (well over 1000 pages) and really does cover all the bases.

Frame is a very competent theologian within the Reformed tradition. He is professor of systematic theology and philosophy at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando. His has written on both theological subjects as well as ethical issues. His many years of lecturing are reflected in this important volume. He has thought through things very carefully, read widely, and integrates ethical theory and practice with a thorough grounding in Scripture.

This is the third volume in a projected four-volume series, A Theology of Lordship. The first volume, The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God (1987), is over 400 pages in length, while the second volume, The Doctrine of God (2002), is nearly 900 pages long. When the fourth and final volume - The Doctrine of the Word of God - eventually appears, this will be a solid, scholarly yet accessible systematic theology which should meet the needs of both pastors and students.

This volume looks carefully at ethical theory and philosophy, but as it does so, it deals with virtually every important particular ethical issue going, be it war and peace, bioethics, sexual morality, wealth and poverty, population and the environment, marriage and family, slavery, capital punishment, nuclear ethics, and so on.

The first 400 pages discuss in some depth various ethical options, theories and approaches. Plenty of practical ethical issues are discussed along the way. The next major section, of over 450 pages, is an extensive and detailed look at the Ten Commandments. It examines in detail the biblical, hermeneutical and theological background of the Decalogue, and provides numerous applications and example of both old and new ethical dilemmas.

Consider the sixth commandment for example. The prohibition here is not directed at killing per se, but murder. What the commandment forbids is killing that is not authorised by God. Capital punishment, self-defence and just warfare are all examples of killing that may be morally permissible. So Frame looks in some detail at a number of contentions issues involving life and death: war and peace, pacifism, the death penalty, euthanasia, abortion, and suicide.

The final section explores the broad issue of Christ and culture, and how believers should interact with the surrounding culture. The book finishes with a number of informative appendices which focus on particular topics, ranging from the case for Christian activism, to an assessment of Rushdoony's theonomy movement.

Those looking for broad-brush principles, theories and philosophies of ethical reasoning and ethical systems will find much of value here. But those wanting to put flesh on these bones, and find out how they relate and apply to individual ethical issues will also find a wealth of information, wisdom and insight.

Thus both the big ethical worldview issues, as well as practical applications, are tackled here. Frame is thoroughly conversant with theological and biblical concerns, and they take priority as he assesses various ethical systems and moral topics. He is fair to those with whom he disagrees, and shows a wide understanding of how various ethical debates are being conducted.

Because of this superb blend of faithfulness to Scripture, and awareness of the ethical battles of the day, and because of the nice match of wide-ranging theory and practical detail, this book really does do the job as a first-rate volume on ethics.

Individual chapters can be read on their own, or the whole volume can be carefully savoured. But of the many hundreds of books now available on biblical ethics, this has to be at the top of my list. I will turn to it again and again both for theoretical concerns as well as for specific help on the many hot-potato ethical debates of the day. It is a superb achievement and deserves a wide readership.

This book is for those who are serious and who are facing the question of whether or not there IS such a thing as a distinctive Christian life. The term for such a comprehensive exploration is "Ethic" but Frame properly recognizing that modern terminology tends to understand "ethic" more narrowly, chooses "Christian Life" instead. His book addresses the idea of a Christian ethos, a comprehensive world view that encompasses the whole of life and subordinates it to the demands of God.

I believe that a distinctive Christian ethic is a corollary and product of saving faith; that a person who truly believes will be lead through scripture toward the "path" which becomes a "life" which evidences a true and lively faith. Frame does useful work in laying out in some detail the components of such a life. I thoroughly appreciate the structure of the book. He distinguishes a Christian ethic from others by drawing attention to the presuppositions which under gird them. He amplifies the distinctives of a Christian life by using the major headings of the ten commandments. Though I have some quibbles with him in some of his conclusions, this is a useful book and should be on the shelves of every Christian who desires to explore the call of Christ on his or her life.

But the question remains - how serious are you about the Christian life. The book is 1000 pages long and is not something you take to the beach for a little recreational reading. It is a serious work for serious readers. Non-Christians can benefit from it by learning just how radical a Christian world view is from their own presuppositions. Christians will find a resource that may be perused or read straight through as questions arise. This may be Frame's best work.

I did not read the entirety of this thick tome, but I read significant chunks of it that were of interest to me as I listened to Frame's ethics course from Reformed Seminary, which is available free at iTunes U and which covers the same material in necessarily less detail. The book will be a first point of entry -- and in many cases, all that is needed -- for researching most ethical topics from a thoroughly Christian perspective.

Overall, Frame's book is quite good, even though I differ with him on a few lesser points and wish he had expanded on other points more (two volumes?). He approaches his subject with characteristic humility and wisdom. The sheer number of topics that he covers from meta-ethics down to practical applications of principles is astounding, and he writes clearly and for the layman, not the professional philosopher (though a mild background in philosophy and theology is expected, of course). He applies his "multiple perspectives" approach here (developed with respect to epistemology in his Doctrine of the Knowledge of God), and it is useful and informative. I appreciated his not skirting the tough topics and his teasing out gray areas, particularly sticky problems that have arisen since the Bible was written.

The book is not a list of "do"s and "don't"s, but rather it teaches the reader how to think about ethical problems biblically. That is, Frame seeks to impart a wisdom to our decision making through his exploration of ethical problems and related biblical material. Since new ethical problems are constantly arising, this seems like the right approach.

As for the content, Frame's rejection of Natural Law (apart from biblical interpretation thereof) as a basis for common morality will bother some Christians, but it fits with his commitment to the Bible as the ultimate authority. His discussions of sexual ethics are straightforward but more direct than some might expect, and while his opposition to in vitro fertilization as it is commonly practiced and the Pill -- but not all forms of artificial birth control, or more accurately conception control -- may surprise some Christians, his reasoning is solid. On the other hand, his discussion of the fundamental personality of the universe as it relates to ethics will be a useful apologetic tool (indeed, elsewhere Frame says that all arguments for the existence of God ultimately reduce to the moral argument).

Taking one part out of his treatment of biblical ethics as a case study, his coverage of the Sabbath is excellent and thorough, both biblically and historically. He examines six different views, thinks about each one, and concentrates on the one he himself holds, a relaxed version of the view of the Westminster Standards' view. His view is based on that of Meredith G. Kline (though Kline later changed his view), with Frame arguing somewhat controversially that the Sabbath command is still in effect and is primarily concerned with physical rest. It is not abrogated entirely or relevant only for worship, spiritual rest, etc. as some take it. (He does say it is a convenient day for corporate worship, but that is an ancillary benefit for its primary purpose.)

When it comes to the thorny questions of ordinary commerce on the Sabbath, he's against it because it makes others work on our behalf, though there are obvious and extraordinary exceptions to this (nurses, firemen, innkeepers, etc.). When it comes to food on the Sabbath, he allows a little wiggle room because some restaurants should be open for travelers, the infirm, etc., and since someone must always work to prepare food anyway (indeed, the Sabbath was often a feast day in the OT), there is not a significant difference between eating out and doing it yourself. He himself does not eat out much on Sundays because he doesn't want to encourage the cultural attitude of disrespect for the Sabbath, but he doesn't object to it in principle.

His view thus puts food in a special category because it is ordinarily acceptable in a way that it is not ordinarily acceptable to obtain other services and products on the Sabbath. I was left unsatisfied and a bit perplexed by this account.

First, as far as I can tell, restaurants didn't really exist, except for travelers as part of an Inn, until the 1800s or so, and hence it is tricky to apply the Sabbath commandment to restaurants today. Back then, they had servants or did it themselves, and the servants are explicitly to be given the day off. Is there an exception for food preparation? If so, it is not explicit, but I do feel the tension of *someone* having to do it. What then do we do with feasting? Is it only "hard labor" that is forbidden? I wish there were more discussion of this.

Second, the biblical injunctions on Sabbath-keeping as it relates to food (especially Manna gathering in Ex. 16) seems to put the burden of proof on the one who would require another to work on the Sabbath. Gordon Hugenberger, pastor and OT scholar, gives the example of his work at a summer camp. At one point, he had more work than he could squeeze into six days but that was supposed to be done. His boss said something to the effect of, "You can't do this work now because it's the Sabbath, but as an act of service to you, I can." I wonder how that sort of approach would fit in.

Again, Frame's treatment of the Sabbath is detailed and excellent, and while I personally wish there were even more fleshing out of a few aspects of the topic, I also recognize that even a lengthy and quite comprehensive book like this can't be utterly and totally exhaustive. Part of his purpose here is to teach us to reason biblically on our own because it's impossible for anyone to answer every little question in a single book, though his coverage will certainly answer many of them.

In brief, I recommend this book for all pastors, elders, and industrious laymen. It will help you navigate the thorny problems that come up in your church and your own life.

This is a great book for anyone from average Joe to PhD. In this book Frame lays a groundwork from which Christians can do ethics biblically. Although some of his specific applications are not going to be accepted by everyone, the strength of this book is the foundation created to do biblical ethics.

Professor Frame has been teaching on this topic for a number of years, and many people have profited from notes and outlines from his courses. This book takes those years of experience and fills out the details. Frame has a peculiar ability to state the truth, from a solidly Reformed perspective, in a way that does not fall back on sloganizing or mere "because the Westminster Standards said so, that's why." He graciously interacts with those who disagree, finding points of agreement while also showing their errors. I don't believe you can find a better, more comprehensive treatment of Christian ethics than this book.

Is there such a thing as a distinctive Christian life? Can a Christian be discerned from the non-Christian by the way the Christian acts and speaks in the world? A charge often brought by the non-Christian is that Christians are hypocrites who often live no different than the non-Christian. This charge is often warranted and stems from a variety of reasons. It is possible this person is unregenerate and it may also be possible that this person simply does not know what the Word of God teaches regarding ethical matters and therefore is often lured into various wrong avenues and in the process is found disobedient to God. In this book, John Frame provides a comprehensive study of Christian ethics seeking to provide a forest view of the Christian life by an in-depth examination of the trees. He succeeds masterfully in this work. Frame is simple without being simplistic, erudite yet humble, scholarly yet pastoral.

Having previously read Frame's first book in the "Theology of Lordship" series, The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God, which primarily deals with epistemology, I looked forward to seeing how Frame would apply his methodology to ethics. I was not disappointed. Frame's approach is unique among Reformed theologians as he approaches practically all issues from a multiperspectival approach. The three perspectives Frame works from are (1) the normative (2) the situational (3) the existential. These three perspectives are applied by Frame to practically every theological question to make determinations that in my estimation have a balance not often seen. This approach is primarily a pedagogical device that is incredibly helpful in epistemology and also provides many answers when applied to ethical questions. To illustrate each perspective applied to ethics one may understand the three perspectives as the following.

(1) The normative is what God's Word commands or what the Law of God says regarding a particular issue.

(2) The situational is the particular situation that is considered in making an ethical determination. This perspective must be properly weighed to make the proper application of the normative command of God.

(3) The existential deals with the particular person that is applying the normative; this includes heart, virtue, and motive. This perspective must also be properly weighed to make the proper application of the normative.

Problems often arise when these perspectives are not properly balanced or when only one of these perspectives is considered and applied to an ethical situation. There are some Christians who are always asserting the normative without any consideration about the situation or person it is being applied to. On the other hand, there are Christians who stress the existential and abandon the normative. Frame shows over and over again how these perspectives help in balancing ethical decisions.

The book is divided into six parts. Part 1 deals with introductory matters and provides an ethical glossary where Frame defines the terms he will use throughout the book. Part 2 examines non-Christian ethical systems and shows how, due to their abandonment or ignorance of Christianity, they have only been able to build their systems on one of the three perspectives and have therefore not been able to provide a proper system of ethics. Part 3 discusses Christian ethical methodology and discusses the three perspectives at length showing how the three perspectives are Scriptural and must be considered together in making ethical decisions. Part 4 is the bulkiest part of the book (500 pages!). It is an in-depth exposition and application of the Ten Commandments which is made up of exegesis of the commandments and then application to current issues. Part 5 discusses Christ and culture and the interaction between these two in Christian ethics. Part 6 is a discussion of spiritual maturity.

This book is eminently helpful in determining ethical matters written by a Reformed theologian who is confessional, erudite, and extremely clear in his writing.

This book is important not only since the christian point of view, but it is also important since the philosophycal one, since it corrects most of the mistakes done in the classical and the postmodern ethics, I think Dr. Frame finds the perfect balance by doing justice to the God's world, avoiding dichotomies and let us admire the coherence of the creation. Thanks to ourl Lord for giving wisdom to this man to feed his sheep. I recommend this book and the one written by John Olthuis: Fact Value and Ethics.