Here ten Lutheran theologians explore Lutheran emphases, themes, and approaches to offer their account of Christian ethics as a way of life in today's world. Writing in dialogue, they raise foundational concerns of biblical and theological sources and norms, of Christian freedom and responsibility, of call and social witness, of justice and formation in prayer. Then in a lively Table Talk the participants discuss and debate the tradition's insights and oversights and show how it might illumine today's burning ethical issues, such as homosexuality.

In an age marked by controversy over public support of religious schools, federal encouragement of religious providers of social services, and sexuality education, the whole arena of church-state relations appears in flux.

In this volume, seven experts probe the meaning of religion in public life for Christians when the "Protestant establishment" has given way to pervasive religious pluralism and a growing secularism. Working specifically out of Lutheran traditions, the authors probe the deeper legal, moral, and religious questions at issue in the current debate. They not only rethink...