Go and Do Likewise: Jesus and Ethics [Hardcover]

William Spohn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1999

What does Jesus have to do with ethics? There are two brief answers given by believers: "everything" and "not much". While evangelical or fundamentalist Christians would find authoritative guidance in the words and commands of Jesus as recorded in the New Testament, many theologians would say that Jesus is too concrete or narrowly particular to have any direct import for ethics. In this book, William Spohn takes a middle way, showing how Jesus becomes the "concrete universal" of Christian ethics. By forming a bridge from contemporary Christians to the words and deeds of Jesus, Jesus' story exemplifies moral perception, motivation and Christian identity. He shows how the practices of Christian spirituality (specifically prayer, service and community) trains the imagination and reorient emotions to produce a character and way of life to consonant with New Testament moral teaching.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...covers the whole terrain [of Christian existence] in a rich and complex portrait..." -- Books & Culture, September/October 2001

"Clearly and elegantly written, this study displays the pedagogy of a seasoned teacher and the precision of a moral theologian" -- Journal of the American Academy of Religion, September 2002

"His wise exposition of character formation through Christian practices is an important counterpoint to...many writers on New Testament ethics." -- Theology Today, January 2002

About the Author

William C. Spohn is Presidential Professor of Ethics and the Common Good at Santa Clara University. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 196 pages
• Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group (January 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826411185
• ISBN-13: 978-0826411181
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #995,209 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Christian Ethics as Following an Archetype, January 6, 2003

By 

Thomas J. Oord (Nampa, ID United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Go and Do Likewise: Jesus and Ethics (Hardcover)

The author writes from a Roman Catholic Christian perspective and argues that adequate Christian ethics must place the words and actions of Jesus at its center. Spohn believes that Christianity confesses Jesus Christ to be the definitive but not exclusive revelation of God. "Morally, this confession means that Jesus Christ plays a normative role in Christians' moral reflection. His story enables us to recognize which features of experience are significant, guides how we act, and forms who we are in the community of faith" (2).

The first three chapters make the case for the sources and method that the author employs. The argument is that three particular sources shape Christian ethics: the New Testament, virtue ethics, and spirituality. The second half of the book addresses how one perceives God's reign and Jesus' compassion vision, as well as exploring the emotions and dispositions of the Christian life. When explaining the importance of compassion in the ethical vision introduced by Jesus, the author writes, "Luke's parable of the Good Samaritan shows that compassion is the optic nerve of the Christian vision" (87).

The author concludes that the Christian moral life is grounded in the person of Jesus, and this grounding is demonstrated through the regular Christian practices that shape the lives of committed believers.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank -you W. C. Spohn, April 14, 2000

By 

Hillaire Gallagher - See all my reviews

This review is from: Go and Do Likewise: Jesus and Ethics (Hardcover)

This book is rich. It is beautifully written and a joy to read. Statements like 'The Synoptics make clear that God's reign comes into history through human responses; it is not a theophany that reorders the world by sovereign power' shows that we all are co-creators in this life. The chapter 'The Analogiclal Imagination' gives great hope, especially for social justice issues. My faith witness recommends this book to all who have hope in Jesus Christ

6 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank -you W. C. Spohn, April 14, 2000

By 

Hillaire Gallagher - See all my reviews

This review is from: Go and Do Likewise: Jesus and Ethics (Hardcover)

This book is rich. It is beautifully written and a joy to read. Statements like 'The Synoptics make clear that God's reign comes into history through human responses; it is not a theophany that reorders the world by sovereign power' shows that we all are co-creators in this life. The chapter 'The Analogiclal Imagination' gives great hope, especially for social justice issues. My faith witness recommends this book to all who have hope in Jesus Christ