Robin Gill argues that moral communities should take center stage in ethics. This book examines recent evidence about church communities in relation to faith, moral order and love, and shows that churchgoers are distinctive in their attitudes, beliefs and behavior. Some attitudes change over time, and there are several moral disagreements among different groups of churchgoers. Moreover, their values and behavior are shared by many nonchurchgoers also. The distinctiveness of church communities in the modern world is thus real but relative, and is crucial for the task of Christian ethics.

This book is written by leading international experts in Christian ethics and is aimed at students in upper-level undergraduate courses, at teachers and at graduate students. It will be useful as well to ministers and other professionals within the church. Its eighteen chapters provide a thorough introduction to Christian ethics that is both authoritative and up-to-date. All contributors have been chosen because they are significant scholars with a proven track record of balanced, comprehensive and comprehensible writing.