Love Your Neighbor: Thinking Wisely about Right and Wrong

by Norman L. Geisler and Ryan P. Snuffer

Book Overview

Love Your Neighbor is a concise introduction to Christian ethics. It begins with a look at the biblical basis for morality, defines and describes various philosophical approaches to the subject of ethics, then connects biblical morality with the idea of absolute truth in philosophy.

The book then moves from its philosophical basis to a practical application of Christian ethics, considering a wide range of social, biomedical, and personal...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1581349459
• ISBN13: 9781581349450
• Release Date: July 2007
• Publisher: Crossway
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.8" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Great Introduction to Christian Ethics

This is a great little book on ethics from a Christian worldview. I'd recommend it to all young adults (high school and up), especially those who want to be more informed on social/political issues and how to evaluate them. Geisler and Snuffer do a great job of presenting opposing views and the reasoning behind them, while themselves maintaining a Christian perspective and showing why it is a better view. Chapters 1-8 were pretty decent on how to determine morality. I was not really convinced on how they separated God's infinite attributes from his moral attributes. But other than that, this was a great foundation on which to build the rest of the book, familiarizing the reader with the nature of ethics and the current ethical systems of today. Chapters 9-26 take the issues head on, covering the "simple" things like lying, cheating, and stealing, to all the other (and more controversial) topics, such as civil disobedience, economic injustice, homosexual sin, heterosexual sin, pornography, marriage and divorce, ecological issues, ethics and politics, abortion, euthanasia, cloning, stem cell research and "other biomedical issues," capital punishment, war, and substance abuse. Appendix A on Christian Liberty was a little bit of a let down. There was no chapter that concluded the book, and in the appendix I did not agree with Snuffer's division of "nonessential doctrines." Appendix B would be very useful for teachers using this book to lead small groups or student classes. For a small book (158 pages, 8 1/2" by 5 1/2"), this work does a great job of introducing the importance of ethics and its role in society to the Christian who wants to know more about how to live in this age. It gave clear, concise presentations and helped me to think more broadly and more accurately about the issues of today. It not only sharpened my understanding of the Christian worldview but also helped me better understand the opposing worldviews and how they attempt to justify their actions. A very great read! It made me want to get Geisler's bigger work, Christian Ethics: Options and Issues. I look forward to reading that in the future.

Great Read

This book is a great read. Ordered it for school but really enjoyed it personally. Would recommend it for everyday reading regarding the right and wrongs of life.

Essential Guide for young adults and teens

As a former youth pastor and high school teacher, I regard this book as one of the most important resources available for youth, young adults, and teachers of these groups. I will make sure that every young person in my church has a copy. This postmodern generation does not like to be told what to think or how to act. This book offers the important moral guidance they need, but does so in a non-offensive manner. It guides the reader, whether young or old, to think wisely and biblically about 18 different ethical issues. I know of no other book that does this so well. And before you write this off as a book only for youth, think again. I believe this book may be even more important to the generation raising these teens. It would help facilitate discussion in the home on these important matters.

Thought Provoking and Challenging

There are many books on the market that target certain ethical issues. What makes this book different is that it covers 19 different ethical categories, and it does so without being too brief. Each chapter feels like a book of its own. Geisler and Snuffer also write an extensive introduction covering the basis and true purpose of law and ethics. This serves as a great foundation to understanding the role of ethics in the life of the Christian and society. A refreshing element of the book is the addition of several current issues that have been sorely lacking in intelligent discussion in the Christian community. Where else can you find a biblical view of civil disobedience, economic justice, ecological issues, stem-cell research, war and capital punishment that didn't sound like it was written by the Republican party? Geisler and Snuffer skillfully examine the issues and communicate truth seasoned with grace, mercy and compassion. Their views on these subjects alone make it a book that is unique for our times and should be required reading for anyone who understands the call to be culturally engaged. An excellent book that hopefully opens the door for more discourse on some very timely and controversial topics. At the same, very challenging in how it can be applied to our personal lives and worldview.