Synopses & Reviews
Are the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer? Inequality and Christian Ethics addresses this question at an international level and goes on to consider why such a phenomenon, to the extent that it is true, is morally troubling. In order to provide an ethical perspective on a social and economic problem such as inequality, the book draws on Christian ethics, philosophy, and economics. It considers the relation of inequality to various aspects of life--such as income, health, and education--as well as to questions of race, gender, and nationality.
Review
'\"Douglas Hicks tackles economic problems as well as theological ones. This is a hard combination, and he draws both on sophisticated economic arguments about the nature of social organisation and on the implications of modern as well as traditional Christian ethics for how society should be organised and for the division between individual and social responsibilities. The result is an impressive study which will attract the attention of economists in addition to that of theologians interested in social problems.\" Amartya Sen, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, and Nobel Laureate in Economics, 1998\"Hicks provides a much needed framework for dialogue on the question of the relationship between Christian ethics and inequality. Inequality and Christian Ethics should be on the shelf of every seminary or university library.\" Religous Studies Review\"a highly interesting conversation between a theological reading of equality and philosophical perspectives on equality and inequality...the indisputable achievement of the book is both theological and political.\" Theology Today'
Review
"Hicks has done an admirable job of making economic analysis accessible to the nonspecialist." The Journal of Religion"Hicks provides a much needed framework for dialogue on the question of the relationship between Christian ethics and inequality. Inequality and Christian Ethics should be on the shelf of every seminary or university library." Religious Studies Review"Douglas Hicks has written an insightful amalgam of a book...H. has accomplished an important and sophisticated renewal of Christian thinking on a topic of pressing importance." Theological Studies"a highly interesting conversation between a theological reading of equality and philosophical perspectives on equality and inequality...the indisputable achievement of the book is both theological and political." Theology Today"...an impressive series..." Andrew Henley, Faith &Economics
Table of Contents
Part I. Contextualizing Inequality: 1. Introduction: inequality matters; 2. Inequality of what?: interdisciplinary perspectives; 3. International contexts of inequality; 4. Inequalities in the United States; Part II. Constructing a Christian Ethical Approach: 5. Christian ethics and theology in a pluralistic society; 6. Equality before God and the thought of H. Richard Niebuhr; 7. Equality before God and the thought of Gustavo Gutiérrez; 8. Solidarity, selfhood, and social goods; Part III. Transforming Discourse, Persons, and Societies: 9. Expanding public discourse on inequality; 10. An application: inequalities and human development; 11. Conclusion: implications for inequality and Christian ethics.